Hangry Hearts

Gr 9 Up–Randall Hur, a Korean American transgender teenager, used to be a best friend of Taiwanese American teen Julie Wu. They are now enemies because their grandmothers fell out over a major argument. They only see each other on Saturdays at the Pasadena Farmers Market where they help at their families’ food stalls. They are forced to talk to each other again when they are paired for a community-service school project. Working together for the project, Randall and Julie discover that they do have romantic feelings for each other—particularly when London Kim, another teenager who has a big crush on Julie, joins the group project. The love between Randall and Julie is full of innocent excitement. They play Scrabble together and go on secret dates at their favorite Taiwanese breakfast shop, which is far from the watchful eyes of their families. They have interests and hobbies that link them together such as gardening and cooking. This book is full of cultural and inclusive aspects, such as the Taiwanese and Korean authentic street food at the Farmers Market. The book makes clear how grandmothers in Asian culture are generally authoritative figures, explaining their massive influence on the actions of the two main characters.