What’s Eating Jackie Oh? – MSL Book Review

What's Eating Jackie Oh? by Patricia Park
on April 30, 2024
ISBN: 0593563417
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“What’s Eating Jackie Oh?” is a young adult realistic fiction novel by Patricia Park. Jackie is a 3rd generation Korean American high schooler living in NYC. She attends a science school and her parents are pressuring her to be perfect and get good grades so that she can go to an IVY League college, but Jackie actually enjoys cooking. While helping out at her grandparents’ deli, she is scouted for a teen cooking show. Jackie is able to find her own way and learns who she wants to be as the book goes on.Serious topics like hate crimes, undocumented immigrants, and food insecurity are handled briefly, but really well. Jackie is a likeable and smart character and readers will enjoy following her journey. Recommended for YA fiction collections.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.