RANA JOON AND THE ONE AND ONLY NOW

High school senior Rana finds a way to honor her late best friend—and express her own voice.

It’s almost one year since Louie’s sudden death, and the loss feels just as fresh as the day Rana heard the news of his car accident. Fast friends who first bonded over a Tupac concert and rap, Louie pushed Rana to explore her interest in poetry and encouraged her to speak her truth. Feeling inspired for the first time since losing Louie, Iranian American Rana decides to fulfill his dream: competing in the Way of the Wu rap battle. First prize: opening for Wu-Tang. Set in 1996 San Fernando Valley, California, this intimate narrative deftly weaves together grief, art, immigrant family dynamics, gender expectations, sexuality, disordered eating, and self-discovery. Communication runs through the core of each theme: From learning to speak up in class and overcoming her fear of public speaking to being confident enough to share her emotions through her poetry and rap, Rana discovers the value of verbalizing her thoughts and opinions. She becomes vulnerable with those who are accepting and pursues her first romance with a girl. With family, Rana voices her complicated feelings toward her distant father, golden-boy brother, and controlling mother, and together the family begins mending their communication breakdown. Rana is an engaging lead with a satisfying journey of self-growth. A full, diverse, and well-developed secondary cast rounds out this lyrical read.

Emotionally honest and open.