Every time the characters in this book had a meal, I got hungry for Japanese food--to the point where I actually ran down to the Asian grocery store for ingredients and made myself some yakisoba. =)

More seriously, this was a lovely, sweet read about the challenges of trying to live between two cultures. The two main characters, Japanese Hiroshi and his American cousin Skye, were so easy to connect to; you could really feel their frustration as they tried to learn each others' languages and as Hiroshi struggled to adapt to life in America. The author did a terrific job of making the most mundane American actions--like eating spaghetti with a fork, or calling a teacher by her last name--feel foreign to Hiroshi. And when Hiroshi shows up at school wearing a face mask because he has a cold, Skye's mortification for her cousin is almost palpable.

Clearly, I loved many little moments in this book and look forward to its release so that others can enjoy it, too!