I don't typically read middle grade fiction ...

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I don't typically read middle grade fiction, but the cover of How To Find What You're Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani caught my eye on NetGalley months ago. I recently read this via audiobook narrated by Priya Ayyar.

In 1968 Connecticut, 12-year-old Ariel Goldberg's life is filled with her older sister Leah, her parents and their Jewish bakery, pop music, her frenemy Jane, and school. She's least comfortable in the classroom as her handwriting is poor despite hours of practice. A new teacher suggests Ari use a typewriter for her homework, write freeform poetry to express her thoughts, and suggests she may have dysgraphic, a learning disability.

Meanwhile, Ari's sister is in love with Raj, an Indian American college student. Her parents strongly object to his ethnicity and religion, and when the couple elope and move to NYC, Ari and Leah's parents cut off all ties, even when they learn Leah is pregnant. As Ari learns her parents are planning a major change, she's desperate to tell her sister and enlists Jane to help her find Leah.

This novel includes several big themes: ableism, antisemitism, racism, xenophobia. At times it felt like a lot, but I liked how they were tied together in the end. The author's note shares the aspects of her life that she wove into the plot.

I enjoyed several things about this MG story, including references to the 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision and The Beatles, talk of bakery goods, and especially Ari's poetry, making it perfect to read in April for National Poetry Month. However, I was really put off by present tense writing style; I flinched a tiny bit every time I heard the 'you' point of view in the narration. But I can appreciate this would be effective for younger readers to place themselves in the story.

Thank you to Penguin/Kokila for the review copy of this book.