Wasnt expecting heavy stuff. Great read though :) ( )

Ok, I'd been reading a lot of children's and YA lately, so I was getting a little burnt out when I picked this up. Or so I thought. I laughed out loud several times over the first pp, and then as the story got more intense, but was still funny, I loved it even more. The ending was just a teeny-tiny bit cliched, but still, wow, I now have a new favorite author. Sorry this isn't a more helpful review but it's a quick read, worth your time if you're at all interested, so go ahead, check it out. ( )

A fun story that moves at a brisk pace. San is a cool kid and so is his friend "Woody." With sufficient realism and cultural references to keep both adults and middle school kids interested, it is not too sappy, and not to heavy. Just right I'd say for 7-8th graders. ( )

Fun book, though not laugh-out-loud hilarious. Good for fans of books like Carter Finally Gets It.

3.5 stars ( )

San Lee is an adopted Chinese kid trying to fit in to Middle School in the small town of Harrisonville, PA. His family has traveled around quite a bit and San tries to make it by becoming whatever personna will fit in... a surfer dude in California, a bible-thumper in Alabama. What will he be in this little town in Pennsylvania? When the social studies teacher introduces a chapter on Zen Buddhism, something he happened to cover previously in Texas, San gets an idea. Instead of blending in with everyone, he decides to stick out... by being a Zen "master". With a few well-researched quotes and his worn-out sandals, he "meditates" each morning on the rock in front of the school, hoping to impress a certain guitar-playing girl in his class. Will his charade be discovered? Read and see! Light-hearted, this is a good book for middle schoolers. 264 pages. ( )