Linda Sue Park reviews A Girl Called Problem and The Vine Basket by Josanne La Valley in the New York Times Sunday Book Review.

Park discusses point of view and some of the challenges of providing exposition for unfamiliar cultural contexts without appearing didactic. Her conclusion about the two books:   “Portraying a culture that is not one’s own can be fraught with peril, from ensuring accuracy to avoiding condescension and stereotype. What is perhaps paramount is the writer’s respect for characters with lives of emotional complexity. These novels achieve this…which makes them welcome and worthwhile.”

I’m delighted to see A Girl Called Problem featured as part of this conversation.

Read the full review here.