Mismatch, By: Lensey Namioka

From the author who wrote the critically acclaimed, Ties That Bind, Ties That Break comes Mismatch, a novel about two Asian-American teenagers trying to begin a relationship, yet struggling to overcome the disapproval they will face from their respective families. Suzanne Hua has just transferred from a racially diverse Seattle high school to a predominantly white suburb and is struggling to adjust when she meets Andy Suzuki while trying out for the orchestra. Sue and Andy hit it off, but Sue knows her family will be horrified to find out her new boyfriend is Japanese instead of Chinese. Sue’s grandmother survived the Japanese invasion of China in the early twentieth century and still has violent stories to tell, continuing to believe the Japanese are monsters only capable of cruelty. Furthermore, Andy’s father has had many negative experiences while traveling for business in China. As Andy and Sue keep their relationship hidden from their families, an upcoming orchestra trip to Tokyo ignites a series of events that will force their families to face their prejudices and ultimately decide the fate of Andy and Sue’s relationship. 

Mismatch is loosely based upon Romeo and Juliet-esque themes – two people romantically interested in each other while struggling to be together because of familial and/or cultural oppositions. This theme can be very translatable to students as teachers could set up a scenario in which students could imagine how they may run into a similar problem based upon family bias. Also, much of the novel is dedicated to determining what constitutes an American identity and if someone of another ethnic background can truly identify with American values and culture. A variety of activities can be structured around these themes, aiding students to expand their own definition of American identity and perhaps overcome prejudices of their own.

Regarding teachability of the text, the novel is 200 pages long, yet the sentence structure and language correspond to a middle school, young-adult level. Teachers may wish to build prior knowledge regarding the China-Japan conflict before reading the text or begin reading the text and address these conflicts as the characters face them. While the themes and teachability of the text are both appropriate for the middle-grades, I found the novel could possibly be difficult for students to relate to as the content was overall “cheesy” (for lack of a better term) and perhaps unexciting for readers.