Fortunately, Jasmine was caring and a good teacher.Īs a teenager, I didn’t relate to the Asians around me or Asian celebrities, mostly because there wasn’t a lot. There’s that saying never to meet your idols. Yumi had a passion fueled by the work of her comedic idol, Jasmine Jasper. It’s the reason he moved to America in the first place – following a bigger dream than what he saw in Korea. As conservative and strict as my dad was, he was a definite dreamer. I wanted to badly but didn’t know how to communicate, that even if my dreams were different, I’m still deeply grateful for my parents’ love. Like Yumi, I remember those feelings of both loving and resenting my parents. There was one scene between Yumi and her dad that made me teary. The strength of the book is the relatability of the characters and their relationships. The book is light and funny no complicated storyline. Relatable Story of Both Loving and Resenting Parents But, the story is for all ages with important life lessons I share here: 1. Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim is for reading ages 8 – 11.

Yumi is burdened in making her parents understand that even though her dreams are different, she still loves and appreciates all they do for the family. Though Yumi doesn’t feel the same, she understands their emphasis on academics. They work hard to afford the best education far beyond their means for Yumi and her sister. As Yumi faces the consequences of her mistakes, she’s still determined to make her parents understand. In her daring plan, Yumi struggles to keep the facade at home and with her friends. Right in her neighborhood! Assuming her parents would disapprove, Yumi finds a way to sneak into the camp. Then, unexpectedly an opportunity pops up to join a comedy camp taught by her favorite YouTube comedian. But, Yumi’s insecurities don’t stop her from practicing daily, writing jokes, and “studying” religiously by watching the best stand-ups. She doubts she’d ever be able to get on stage anyway. Yumi’s parents are not supportive of Yumi’s pursuit of the performing arts, not even hobbies.Īlready a shy girl, Yumi surrenders her dreams to be hidden as a secret passion.

Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim is about 11-year-old Yumi, an aspiring comedian. Read my review to see if you’d enjoy it, too! Summary So, why did she recommend it to me? Ha.įortunately, I did read it all and happy to share.

It’s the first time I had seen a tween book about a Korean-American girl that wasn’t about immigrating.Īfter reading it, I was excited to share my favorite parts of the story with my friend. When I started this blog, my friend recommended Stand Up, Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim.

Stand up yumi chung