Parents' Guide to

The Way You Make Me Feel

By Amanda Nojadera, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Sweet coming-of-age tale explores family, food, friendship.

Book Maurene Goo Coming of Age 2018
The Way You Make Me Feel Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

MomTeacher1
MomTeacher1 Adult
August 2, 2021
age 12+

Great novel for STEM--Food Truck Science with great characters

I love that this author uses "freaking" as her adjective rather than the language in many public school hallways. The diversity/multicultural (Korean/Brazilian and Chinese) explores school stereotypes in an easy, conversational way. 8th graders can learn a lot about how actions impact how people view/think about you. Main protagonist is struggling with her mom being a social media influencer and always away while her dad is left to be both parents. No sex, no language, one mention of French kissing and protagonist gets in trouble for smoking in the bathroom. Encourages good decision making when conscientious Rose reports seeing the smoke in bathroom. Great emphasis on parenting not being "your friend." The two main opposing characters have to work off their punishment in a food truck over the summer and become friends by the end.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL, 16-year-old Clara Shin thought she'd be spending her summer vacation visiting her social-media-famous mom in Tulum and relaxing by the pool with her friends. But after the prank she pulled at junior prom goes wrong, she's forced to work on her dad's food truck, the KoBra, alongside her nemesis, Rose Carver, for the entire summer. Making things more interesting is Hamlet, the cute and charming barista at one of the KoBra's stops, who happens to have a huge crush on Clara. As summer progresses, Clara starts to learn that there's more to Rose and Hamlet than meets the eye. Who knew working on a food truck could lead to friendship and romance?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

The emotional father-daughter bond, heartwarming friendship, charming interracial romance, and mouthwatering descriptions of Korean Brazilian dishes make this a delectable treat for teens. Author Maurene Goo beautifully captures and celebrates the diverse cultures, characters, and sights of Los Angeles in this sweet coming-of-age tale. Clara can sometimes come across as obnoxious with her sarcastic attitude, but as The Way You Make Me Feel progresses, readers will love her transformation after an eye-opening trip into a passionate and driven young woman who's ready to develop deep, meaningful connections with others.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the various kinds of diversity in the novel. Why are diverse representations important in children's and young adult literature?

  • Does the romance portrayed seem realistic and relatable? Do young adult romance novels help readers sort out their feelings and learn how to communicate, or do they create false expectations about teen relationships?

  • Talk about the popularity of books about life-changing summers. Why is summer such a magical time for teens? What are some of your favorite books set in summer?

  • Is your teen social media-obsessed like Clara's mom? Find out how to manage media use and ease social media anxiety.

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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