What's Eating Jackie Oh?

March 1, 2024
An aspiring teen chef breaks from stereotype to create her unique version of the American dream. Jackie, a sophomore at competitive Bronx Science in New York City, would rather cook than study, much to the chagrin of her Korean American parents, for whom success is defined by entrance into the Ivy League. Happiness for Jackie is Fridays with her grandparents in Bayside. Together they watch Burn Off!, their favorite cooking show, and she works in their deli, Melty's, on Saturdays, where she enjoys inventing new dishes. (Fans of Park's previous outing, 2023's Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim, may recognize the diner.) It's at Melty's that Jackie is scouted to audition for a new teen version of Burn Off!. She makes it onto the show, but the judges pigeonhole her, expecting her to cook Asian offerings, not the classical French cuisine she excels at. Can she convince them that she's more than an ambassador for Korean food and assemble a winning meal representing the real, complicated Jackie Oh? Subtle layers of shame, sorrow, and pride within Jackie's immigrant family ring true, and Jackie is thoroughly believable; her thoughts and dialogue feel snappy and fresh. A mild romantic interest appears but isn't central to her story. Other characters, such as Jackie's older brother, push back against the model minority trope, offering welcome evidence of the diversity of Asian American immigrant experiences. An engrossing tale full of appealing characters, foodie elements, and heart. (recipes) (Fiction. 12-18)

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April 1, 2024
Grades 9-12 Park shares the story of Korean American teen Jackie, an aspiring chef in New York. Jackie is uninterested in college, just about failing her AP classes, and does not fit into the stereotypical ""Asian"" mold, but she does have a natural talent for cooking and loves to blend her Korean and American cultures in the kitchen. Now she has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to star in a cooking-competition show for teen chefs. But what will her Korean parents with Ivy League dreams for their daughter think of her new career choice? In a novel driven by Jackie's sharp first-person narrative, Park explores the Korean diaspora, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses, anti-Asian hate, and the daily microaggressions minority groups face in America. Jackie Oh is ready to redefine with her food what it means to be American when she shows the world the beautiful fusion of cultures, traditions, and lives that make up America. A perfect fit for teens obsessed with food tv or grappling with the pressure of parental expectations.

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Starred review from June 7, 2024

Gr 9 Up-Fifteen-year-old Korean American teen Jackie Oh would rather work in the kitchen of Haraboji and Halmoni's New York City diner than toil on the intense, Ivy-league plan that her parents have planned out. Her culinary creativity is fueled in part by watching popular cooking competition show Burn Off! with her grandparents and reinventing recipes. When a chance encounter at the diner leads to a successful audition for Burn Off! High School Edition, Jackie finally gets the chance to show the world (and her parents) her passion for cooking. Initial disappointing feedback from the judges puts Jackie on a path of self-exploration to wow the competition. Tackling serious issues while tantalizing the taste buds, Park offers readers a thought-provoking, character-driven novel that explores themes of identity, family, and racism. Jackie struggles with microaggressions, the rise in Asian hate since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the shame surrounding her brother's stint in prison. The unpacking of the "model minority" concept through the lens of Jackie, her parents, and her grandparents is particularly illuminating. The conversational writing style is engaging and will hook readers who enjoy wry humor and first-person narratives. There is a dash of romance that is more distraction than addition to the plot. Korean words, phrases, and hangul with translations are consistently a part of Jackie's interactions with her family, deepening the sense of place within the book. Appendices with recipes and culinary knowledge are included. VERDICT Come for the culinary competition, stay for the incisive take on social issues. Recommended for all libraries.-Pearl Derlaga

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