Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean tells the story of Izumi Tanaka, an ordinary teenager... until she wasn't. She discovered her father's true roots, who happens to be the Imperial Prince of Japan, which, of course, reveals Izumi's royal blood: a princess. Feeling like she doesn't fit in her hometown, she gives it a chance and travels the world to discover her other half and her father in Tokyo, Japan.

An important element within the story is the way in which different cultures found within a single person are represented. Izumi has the opportunity to explore both cultures. This is the case for many people today who are interested in discovering more about their origins. But this story isn't about choosing one of the two, but rather developing and showcasing both, because both Japanese and American cultures are part of her identity.

Personally, I recommend this book for the way both the characters and the different settings can help the reader identify with the main concepts and lessons. We have the representation of a teenage character: Izumi. And, generally, it can be more complex to bring a teenager to life than an adult. Well, Jean did a great job. We can fully appreciate the protagonist's thoughts and emotions without missing any details of what's happening both internally and externally. It's not every day that we witness a teenager transitioning to royalty with all its difficulties, but we do see adolescents facing concrete or abstract challenges that can hold them back to a certain extent. They showed empathy through the parental figure and problem-solving without adding too much drama (almost). At the end of the day, with this book, we see the world through the eyes of just another teenager, one we can trust.

Review by: Thais Acuachi

Thais is a teen volunteer at Van Nuys Branch Library. She is in 11th grade at Birmingham Community Charter High School.

—Ziba Perez, Young Adult Librarian, Van Nuys Branch Library