Count Me In

by Varsha Bajaj

An uplifting story, told through the alternating voices of two middle-schoolers, in which a community rallies to reject racism.

Karina Chopra would have never imagined becoming friends with the boy next door–after all, they’ve avoided each other for years and she assumes Chris is just like the boys he hangs out with, who she labels a pack of hyenas. Then Karina’s grandfather starts tutoring Chris, and she discovers he’s actually a nice, funny kid. But one afternoon something unimaginable happens–the three of them are assaulted by a stranger who targets Indian-American Karina and her grandfather because of how they look. Her grandfather is gravely injured and Karina and Chris vow not to let hate win. When Karina posts a few photos related to the attack on social media, they quickly attract attention, and before long her #CountMeIn post–“What does an American look like? #immigrants #WeBelong #IamAmerican #HateHasNoHomeHere”–goes viral and a diverse population begin to add their own photos. Then, when Papa is finally on the road to recovery, Karina uses her newfound social media reach to help celebrate both his homecoming and a community coming together.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Social Justice, Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction, Audiobook

181 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 27, 2019

About the author

Varsha Bajaj grew up in Mumbai, India. When she came to the United States to obtain her master’s degree, her adjustment to the country was aided by her awareness of the culture through books. In addition to her previous picture books, she wrote the middle-grade novel Abby Spencer Goes to Bollywood, which was shortlisted for the Cybils Award and included on the Spirit of Texas Reading Program. She lives in Houston, Texas.

Reviews

[Colby Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked Count Me In so much that I am going to make it my last read aloud of the 2018-2019 school year. I cannot wait for my students to meet Karina and Chris. These characters and their story will hold a special place in the hearts of children. This is a special book.

[Padma Venkatraman]

A book about hate crimes that's easy to love. So happy to welcome this book into the world. Bajaj mixes moments of humor in with an examination of a tough and timely topic in a story that is sure to be a splendid success.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the worst written books I’ve ever seen actually published. I started it as a read aloud because of the thematic content without having read the whole thing (which I will never, EVER do again). To say this already short at 170 page “novel” is packed with filler is such an understatement. But it’s infuriating that what isn’t useless filler is equally empty: even the attempts to establish stakes or explore themes or structure a narrative with any pacing or momentum failed it’s absurd.

The perspective shifting is gimmicky and pointless, with some chapters being complete rehashing of the prior one with zero revelations or insights provided by the alternate character. I started cutting out unnecessary sentences to shorten up my read aloud and found myself literally crossing out ENTIRE PAGES OF TEXT that serve no purpose for plot, conflict, or character development. Seeing my students’ tortured expressions during three long, painful pages about the adults offering to pay for repairing a shared fence (iT’s sYmBoLiSm!!!) validated the hour or so I spent legit editing this published book. Not long after, we are treated to an entire chapter where Ashley braids Karina’s hair and she narrates how they met at school, only to have Ashley effectively disappear for the rest of the book. (I think? Maybe she reappears to reaffirm, as literally every other character does throughout the second half of the book, the merits of racial “tolerance”; I couldn’t really say because my brain was atrophying by this point.)

Flat characters that experience absolutely no growth, awkward, tangential descriptions, stiff dialogue (it’s actually unreadable in many places, like the bad sense of humor you see in grammar practice worksheets), and a broad, overly simplistic approach to the subject matter. The conflict all takes place over three pages and then quickly fizzles - a hate crime committed by an amorphous racist (referred to frequently as”the monster” or “the hater”, I am cringing) that the story never seeks to actually deal with or explore or resolve. Karina’s “activism” is to post some photos and hashtags, which are met with appropriate sympathy and support, which all leads to a muddled message about...idk, standing up for what’s right or something. This kindergarten level of understanding about race and violence would be more appropriate for 3rd or MAYBE 4th graders, instead of the middle grade audience it’s marketed to. It thinks so little of its audience I actually feel insulted for my students.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just wish the cover was better than this. However, what matters the most is the actual story, the plot, the characters, the representation and the writing. But, dear publishers, hopefully the cover gets changed in the next edition.

I feel the representation is done fairly well regarding how racial discrimination still exists and how people of different cultures are treated differently, even threatened for their lives.

The author is a genius with the writing.

I just read two books by the author back to back in a single day and well I am thoroughly impressed!

I am so ready to read every book the author writes.

[eleanor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why?

So for some context so you know that I didn’t choose to read this book geared towards 5 year olds. My stupid school chose this as something for us to do in language arts. Idek why. Maybe bc every kid my age acts like a 5 year old. But idk they chose it. Now I’ll really explain why this book is garbage.

Firstly, the characters are so bland. There’s nothing about them. You don’t learn ANYTHING about their personality at all. If you asked me anything about them I couldn’t tell you a single thing. I enjoy my characters to be more complex to know more about how they became who they are in the book. But we got ZERO of that. I seriously don’t know who these characters are which makes me not care about them for even a second. I’ll forget their names by tomorrow. The fact that Karina hates Chris because he was awful to her, then they go through a heartbreaking event together. WOW NOW THEYRE BESTIES. Like what? If someone didn’t stick up for me and laughed with my bully I would not be able to forgive them that easily. Maybe I’m dramatic or maybe I’m human.

And then, the book is so childish. Everything is sugarcoated. Their Papa gets attacked it’s a hate crime. EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING IN THEIR CITY GOES TO THEIR DEFENSE AND IS LIKE “DONT SPREAD HATE” “#COUNTMEIN”. Can this be anymore less human like. If some random grandpa who is just a regular citizen gets attacked not every human being is gonna come to their defense! We might yk feel bad and all but we don’t all have the time to make posters, post heartfelt messages on social media, and go make a freaking memorial. They also barely showed any more signs of hate. You get a teeny tiny hint that people were leaving rude comments. But then they’re just like “I’m just gonna not read it” GURLY THATS NOT HOW WE WORK!!!!!! We’re all humans and we feel the need to know what other people think of us even when we know it’s bad.

Overall I think this is a good book to share with 2nd-3rd graders but other than that it’s WAY too immature for anyone older than that. None of these characters seemed like actual breathing humans. All I know about them is Karina’s Papa was attacked. And Karina and Chris become besties in a matter of 3 days. It’s a good book for babies to learn “treat people with kindness” and “don’t judge a book by its cover” but it’s wayyyyyy too childish for my personal enjoyment.

#CountMeOut
I hate this😘

[Rachel Polacek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the message of this story and the strong voice Karina develops from her experiences. I wish the writing were more compelling, but I think 7th graders will enjoy this story!

**Second read with my 7th graders: It was definitely a good choice for their maturity level in talking about hate crimes.

[Tory · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many other, better-written books are covering this topic. "The Best At It" by Maulik Pancholy is fantastic for one. I'm really sorry that this is so bad because racism, hate crimes, and Islamophobia are all incredibly urgent issues -- but I can't recommend this book despite its subject matter.

Stilted, forced, flat, predictable. An utter lack of contractions makes everyone sound like a robot, and the dialogue is so patently fake. Parents calling a racist assailant a "hater" in all seriousness made me laugh out loud.


NOTES FROM READING:

"Yes, I like her," I say. "She understands, because she was there. She came to school to check on Chris and me. She is a reporter and she cares." ROBOT CHILD

"We even missed the man in the market who made barfi, the sweet milk dessert that you love..." Your granddaughter knows what barfi is. Shoehorned explanations are a sign of bad writing. (EDIT: because people are misunderstanding what I meant by this: there is a more natural way of explaining "barfi" to a reader who doesn't know the term, than by shoehorning in an explanation to a character that already knows what it means. They could have had a "my mouth watered as I thought about the sweet milkiness of having barfi for dessert" thought or something like that.)

She posts the hashtag #CountMeIn, Chris sees it and "I literally fall back on my bed. #CountMeIn. Whoa! I want to post a photo with that hashtag too." But what does it even mean??? Why is it eliciting such a strong reaction from Chris with no former precedent???

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guys - this book. It is SO GOOD. There is humor and empathy and friendship and family - and it shows how social media, so often demonized, is nothing but a tool. It can be used for good or ill, and can be used to show others a viewpoint or a sight or an understanding they may not have had before.

The book is told from the alternating viewpoints of two kids - Karina and Chris. Sometimes that is a struggle to keep involved with, but I felt it was done really well here. And it was good to see how the same attack, and the same issues, affect two very different people. Thankfully, it's also not a PREACHY book, which many kids would just roll their eyes at and move on.

This isn't a sappy story, but there are moments when I had tears in my eyes. It IS a very timely story, as hate crimes are on the rise, and have been for some time. Those are hard things to explain to kids, and I feel this book can go a long ways in helping kids to understand what a hate crime is, how they affect so many more people than just the target, and how people can combat hate when they come across it. Sometimes it's little things, and sometimes bigger - but everyone has a voice, and this book shows that using your voice is the best way to help.

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pair with Wishtree.

[Tova · Rating 3 out of 5]

This made me feel things. Full review available here!

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/1/22 3.5-4 stars (4 stars for kids and tweens, 3.5 stars for me), an upbeat story about making a difference. If you like stories like Shine! about doing the right thing, read this. It's really too hard to write about this one without giving the plot away. Karina, her grandpa, and Chris are victims of a hate crime. What happens afterwards shows their resiliency.
8/15/20 #CountMeIn, #SayNoToHate,  #IAmAnAmerican, #WeBelong and #SupportHeals are only a few of the hashtags used in this uplifting story about accidental activism. Karina and Chris are neighbors who become friends when Karina's grandpa, Papa becomes his math tutor. What happens after they witness a racist incident makes for a very hopeful story about what tweens and young teens can do to make a difference. You're never too young to #StayStrong.

[Almira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book for folks of all ages to come to terms with racism, and what it can do to harm a community. However, Good can come from an awful event, turning people into friends.

Through Karina's grandfather, she becomes friends with Chris, who is being tutored by Karina's grandfather. She never thought she could be friends with him, after all he is the "white" boy who lives next door, whose family cannot tolerate Karina's Indian (East) American family. However, when Karina's grandfather is assaulted and badly injured, Chris and the community come to aid and support her family.

[Beth Honeycutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the premise of the book which is why I gave it 4 stars. It was a quick read with an excellent message. I didn’t love the writing itself.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Important message, but the writing is ... not great.

Looking for something similar? Try Supriya Kelkar's As American As Paneer Pie or Hena Khan's Amina's Voice.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story told in two perspectives via Karina and Chris. They aren’t initially friends but their relationship begins to change when papa comes to live with them.

When a hate crime is committed, the kids, family and community are propelled into action. It’s a great story and will give readers a new perspective to consider and offer opportunities for action.

[Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Back then, I was worried about monsters under my bed, not the monsters on a street in my neighborhood”

Karina and Chris have been next door neighbors since 3rd grade. In 7th grade they have 5 out of 7 classes together, but they stay pretty far apart. Karina didn’t think much of Chris, but the boys he hangs out with, who said she had the hairiest arms. Chris feels bad but doesn’t stick up, because he been trying for years to be friends with those boys, the hyenas.
When Karina’s grandfather, Mr. C or Papa, moved in with them and volunteers as a math to tutor at their school. Mr. C happens to tutor Chris. Mr. C and Chris bond; and Karina and Chris start to know each other better.
One day after a tutoring session, a terrible thing happens to Mr. C, Chris and Karina were the only other ones there. They start to use their social medias to spread the word and stop the hate.

3.5 stars
So parts of it seemed a little bit unrealistic and I wish we got a deeper dive into Chris and Karina’s friendship.

[Richelle Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Amazon Vine Review*


Karina and Chris are neighbors who go to the same school. Karina is Indian American and Chris is Caucasian. Karina’s grandfather moves in and starts to tutor Chris in math. One day after the session Karina’s grandfather is attacked in a violent manner. Even though this is a tough subject matter I feel that this is a very important read. I did struggle with how well both Karina and Chris both bounced back from the ordeal. I would think at any age witnessing an assault would be a traumatic experience but especially at their age. Despite that minor issue this was a well written story about not letting hate win. I honestly feel if people took the time to get to know each other things could be SO different. #CountMeIn

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

The message behind the story of this book is really important and one which should be discussed more with children. But, I just thought the writing was poor. At some points reading it I felt a little like when an adult is trying to be "down with the kids", the language used just didnt mesh with how the younger people I've been around speak. A good book to read with children to discuss racism/hare crimes but I think there are probably better out there.

[Shauna Yusko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pair with Wishtree for older elementary or Amina’s Voice for middle school.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audio! Very important story and will inspire meaningful discussions in the classrooms.

[Safiya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Great book, but written like a fanfiction.

[Audrey Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a grandfather and his grand daughter and a friend. They were walking one day coming back from tutoring lessons and they got attacked.

[Shaye Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw this cover for the first time, I thought this was a children's picture book. But no, it's definitely a middle grade novel. Karina Chopra, and her next-door-neighbor, Chris Daniels, have never been all that close despite haven't grown up in the same class. In fact, Chris has witnessed Karina being bullied and yet he never had the courage to speak out. But all that changes one day when together they face racist brutality and slowly watch the aftermath unfold as bystanders interpret the experience with their own cultural and political slant. Photography, combined with social media, brings home the powerful message of #CountMeIn #WeBelong #HateHasNoHomeHere, with a feel-good ending that will (hopefully) have the reader cheering for love and inclusion. Alternating narration allows insight into Karina's and Chris's world, promoting empathy and understanding from each perspective. This is such an important story and would make an excellent classroom read-aloud (especially if it could be done with alternating male/female narrators).

For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!

[Jenessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book for kids 9-11 about fighting racism

[gabrielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

if you’re an insufferable pick me you’d love this!

[Madi Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

We read this book as an entire school so I introduced my homeroom students to the concept of Goodreads when we finished and asked them for their reviews. They gave it 3 stars on average and focused a lot more on the "cringy" parts of it instead of the overall message. It was definitely a little cringy but such an important message about inclusivity and what it means to be an American and our often inherent prejudice. It sparked a lot of good discussion!

[Elizabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good and needed to be written! The ending was so wholesome and sweet.

[Jessika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grade Level: 5th - 6th

The realistic fiction book "Count Me In" by Varsha Bajaj is quite an emotional rollercoaster. The book is the story of Karina Chopra, Chris Daniels, and Karina's grandfather (Papa) who fall victim to an assault by a racist, close-minded man. The man beats up Papa who then has to be admitted into the hospital and because of his age, is struggling to get better. The story switches off from the perspective of Karina to the perspective of Chris, both telling usually the same scenario but with what they experience from their own eyes. Leading up to the incident that occurred, the two kids were not friends; they were only neighbors from two different worlds. After Karina's Papa moves in with them and begins tutoring Chris in math, the two kids become friends. After the incident, Karina uses her social media as a way to not let hate win and bring awareness to the injustice she and her loved ones went through. She gets a lot of attention from the media and the internet, and it's not all good. Imagine you were a middle school student being attacked on the internet by strangers for a viewpoint that you know is right. The community around Karina gets together to support her during her fight against injustice and when Papa gets better and finally is able to come home, the entire community comes together to show their support and care. The book is unique to what I have read before because of all of the different perspectives it provides in the story, we come to realize that how we perceive a situation may be completely different from how another person sees it.

This book can be used in the classroom for many contemporary reasons. One because of the prominence of social media in every child's life, we have to teach them to use it properly. They have to be taught that social media and the internet is a powerful tool that has to be used carefully. We can talk about how social media and what you say and do online can hurt those around you but also how you can use it to make an impact on your community as Karina did. Showing them how to properly use media can make all the difference. Teachers can also use this book to teach students how to stand up to bullies, whether it be small scale in the school or in relation to the world and the racism and injustice seem in the world. Everyone may have, in one way or another, experienced themselves or seen injustice happen and have been stunned and left thinking about the situation. It is important that we teach our students about the proper way to address these situations, and before we do that, it is important that we instill good values into them through their education. This book can go along with a lot of topics in social studies and can be read alongside these topics.

I am an Indian-American who has been raised in America since the age of 7. I have moved around a lot and even though I have heard countless stories of prejudice happening, I have been lucky enough to only ever experience microaggressions and had the good fortune of growing up in neighborhoods that were welcoming. However, even amongst this privilege, I have still had one experience in which my 70-year-old grandmother was verbally attacked by an older white woman in our local CVS and told to "go back to her country" and to "speak English" even though she has every right to this country than anyone else. We were lucky to not have anything drastic happen and the lady was shooed out of the store, but the fact that it did happen, is a big deal. This is a WOW book to me because it shows what many brown families had to suffer through following the 9/11 attacks and how even in modern-day America, racism is still prevalent. I find it really touching and inspring what a middle-schooler did for the community around her. It is a must-read!

[Thedesibookthief · Rating 3 out of 5]

The matter of the story is significant but the writing could've been much better. Aimed for young readers.

[Gemma · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think that the book's message of spreading positivity, support, and ultimately love in place of (especially in the face of) hate is very real and important, and the author relays this message in a very accessible way for younger readers. The story unfolds in short, quick chapters that make it a pretty easy read -- great for reluctant readers, who those who want to read something in one or two sittings cover to cover.

That said, my overall impression of this book is that it's somewhat superficial in the sense that the characters, relationships of the characters, and story are not as fleshed out as I think they could be. For ex., Karina often refers to her close relationship with best friend Ashley, but Ashely appears only as a side character with no real personality. Chris initially struggles with being one of the guys vs. sticking up for friends and what's right, but aside from a few minor confrontations, this isn't fully explored and I thought it wasn't clearly resolved (compare the portrayal of Chris' struggle with, say, that of Jack's from "Wonder": "Wonder" painted a more authentic, realistic picture of what it would be like for a boy to have to deal with interior struggles).

I also thought the outcome of the hate crime (what happens to the hater, i.e. his demise) is too easy of a solution. Not saying I think those poor kids should suffer anxiety and trauma because the hater is still lurking out there, but at the same time, the outcome read as a stroke of divine justice -- which doesn't always happen in real life. Additionally, I thought that the frequent use of the term "hater" comes off as somewhat heavy-handed (is it realistic that *everyone* would commonly refer to the perpetrator as a "hater" all the time? Not sure it rings true...).

Yes, I think this is a valuable read for kids and I think that its length would be especially appealing to some. However, not as deep as I'd hoped.