Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Racism, bullying behavior in sincere middle school drama.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE MANY MASKS OF ANDY ZHOU, Andy is a 6th grader wrestling with off-and-on friendships, visiting grandparents, and after-school responsibilities. He gets bullied about his hair, which has splotchy orange patches from a botched bleach job from his neighbor and bestie Cindy, and for his after-school interests, which range from dancing to art to anime to a pet bearded dragon. He gets uneasy about the mounting racial and cultural microaggressions he's experiencing at school, too. The pressure builds, and Andy must figure out how to cope with all the changes and confusion he's facing. Will he make it through his first year of middle school?
Is It Any Good?
This thoughtful novel beautifully and naturally depicts Chinese American family life and the first year of middle school. There are plenty of tender family moments and realistic middle school dramas in The Many Masks of Andy Zhou. The story is paced well and set up nicely. Early on, Andy senses that something's going on with Cindy, and uncovering what that is propels the reader to the end, as do questions about Jameel and whether or not he actually wants to be Andy's friend.
The climax of the story happens a little fast and might not be as brutal as it would be in real life, but the positive messages of integrity, courage, and compassion come through clearly. Andy shows how forgiveness and communicating his feelings openly can lead to learning moments and better friendships. Readers see how racist microaggressions can impact people of color on a daily basis, often making them feel, out of nowhere, like they don't belong. These moments are especially heartbreaking for kids who don't yet have the tools or life experience to know how to process them. This novel explores necessary topics and productively packages them in a great story about friendship, forgiveness, and family.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about bullying behavior and racism in The Many Masks of Andy Zhou. If you were treated similarly to Andy, how would you feel?
How does Andy show integrity, courage, and compassion? How do Cindy, Andy, and Jameel work as a team?
Have you ever made a mistake like Jameel? What did you do to make things better?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : School
- Topics : Activism , Friendship , School ( Middle School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Compassion , Courage , Humility , Integrity , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Dial Books
- Publication date : June 6, 2023
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 12
- Number of pages : 320
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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