Bad Influence

Gr 9 Up–Sixteen-year-old Charlotte, the eldest daughter of Korean immigrants, gains an Instagram following after she confronts racist influencers and is befriended by the very popular influencer whom she had defended. The story follows Charlotte through the excitement of gaining followers to becoming almost obsessed with getting sponsorships and maintaining her online presence. In return, she risks damaging her friendship with Steven, her only friend, and is hiding all of this from her parents. Other plot points about having too much responsibility, financial worries, and a difficult relationship with her mother are interspersed with a dream vacation and a sweet love story that makes it difficult to stay grounded in reality. The story includes some background on Korean culture and food. Ahn explores the importance of being present in a moment and being true to yourself. Her protagonist is a teenager with a lot of freedom who is thrown into a world she’s not prepared for and doesn’t experience some of the consequences that could have come from several risky situations she put herself in.