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The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown
CCBC Review:
High school junior Felix (Chinese American) lost his social footing when his family moved to Long Island and has yet to make a close friend. His achievement-oriented parents have hired an admissions coach to help him with college applications, but Felix feels overwhelmed by their high expectations. When he encounters Cassie Chow at a ping-pong tournament, he remembers how she once beat him in a piano competition. Cassie’s confidence and skill at verbal sparring has Felix looking for ways to kindle a friendship. When his admissions coach tells Felix he needs a spark in his application essay, Felix turns to the one thing he enjoys unreservedly: old movies. Starting a movie club at school connects him with Gaspard, and the two begin making a film. Felix crafts a story starring Cassie as a girl who loves ping-pong; it’s a unique concept and it gives him an excuse to see her. At first on board with the idea, Cassie eventually feels Felix is exploiting her life and her often tense relationship with her mom, and his efforts at friendship backfire. Although Felix had tried to ignore the growing discomfort he’d felt about the film’s impact on Cassie, he eventually recognizes that good intentions don’t negate the impact of his actions in an entertaining novel that offers a rich examination of friendship both unexpected (Gaspard) and not quite attained. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 13 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Chinese and Chinese Americans
Competitions and Contests
Creativity
Ethical/Moral Choices
Film, Movies and Television
Friendship
Trust
Diversity subject:
Asian
On CCBC Booklist:
Privacy Between the Pages: Selected Books for Older Children and Teens
Publishers:
HarperCollins, Quill Tree
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 341
ISBN: 9780063340411
CCBC Location: Fiction, Yang