Close Menu
www.crackingthecover.com
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Home
    • Picture
      • Ages 0-3
      • Ages 2 and up
      • Ages 3 and up
      • Ages 4 and up
      • Ages 5 and up
      • Ages 6 and up
      • Ages 8 and up
      • Author Interviews
      • Bedtime Stories
      • Gift Guide
    • Middle Grade
      • Author Interviews
      • Ages 6 and up
      • Ages 7 and up
      • Ages 8-12
      • Ages 9-12
      • Ages 10 and up
      • Gift Guide
    • YA
      • Author Interviews
      • Reviews
      • Adult Crossover
      • Gift Guide
    • Seasonal
      • Back to School
      • Christmas
      • Earth Day
      • Easter
      • Fall
      • Father’s Day
      • Mother’s Day
      • Gift Guide
      • Halloween
      • Spring
      • Valentine’s Day
      • Winter
    • Diversity
      • AANHPI Heritage
      • Autism Month
      • Black Experience
      • Chinese New Year
      • Hispanic Heritage
      • Pride Month
      • Women’s History
    • Crossover
    • About
      • Review/interview policy
      • About our reviewers
    www.crackingthecover.com

    Veera Hiranandani’s How to Find What You’re Not Looking For rings true

    0
    By Jessica on September 13, 2021 ages 8 & up, Middle Grade
    How to Find What You’re Not Looking ForHOW TO FIND WHAT YOU’RE NOT LOOKING FOR, by Veera Hiranandani, Kokila, Sept. 14, 2021, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)

    How to Find What You’re Not Looking For, by Veera Hiranandani, follows a girl as she faces antisemitism and her own family’s prejudices.

    Twelve-year-old Ariel Goldberg’s life feels like the moment after the final guest leaves the party. Her family’s Jewish bakery runs into financial trouble, and her older sister has eloped with a young man from India following the Supreme Court decision that strikes down laws banning interracial marriage. As change becomes Ariel’s only constant, she’s left to hone something that will be with her always — her own voice. —Synopsis provided by Kokila

    There’s a lot to unpack in How to Find What You’re Not Looking For — religious and racial discrimination, money problems and learning disability — and yet, it all comes together in a cohesive read that is both compelling and thought-provoking.

    Everything in Ariel’s life is up in the air. Though her parents are well-meaning, Ariel can’t help but think they’re wrong on a number of issues. Ariel likes her new brother-in-law, and hates that her parents have cut all contact with her sister. The family bakery is Ariel’s second home, but they don’t seem to care. Ariel’s teacher has finally come up with a system that’s helping her excel, but her mother insists Ariel is fine as she is.

    Ariel’s situation — the lack of control and desire to change things — is one a lot of readers will see mimicked in their own lives. The circumstances may differ, but the feeling of helplessness is universal. Ariel is a strong character who learns she doesn’t have to go things alone to accomplish them.

    Author Veera Hiranandani does a great job introducing historical aspects in smooth and natural ways. She makes tough topics accessible without feeling like they’re “dumbed down.”

    How to Find What You’re Not Looking For is a well-paced read that’s equal parts intriguing and heartfelt.

     

     

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Jessica
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • X (Twitter)

    Jessica Harrison is the reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. She loves books and worked as the in-house book critic at a daily newspaper, writing reviews and interviewing authors for two years. When the company cut back, she lost her position covering books, but that doesn't mean she stopped reading. If anything, the whole experience made her more passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices. She has been featured on NetGalley's Blogger Spotlight and is on Kindleprenuer's Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs. Contact her at jessica(at)crackingthecover(dot)com and follow Cracking the Cover on Bluesky, Instagram,  Facebook and Twitter (X) @crackingthecovr. You can also read scaled down reviews on Jessica's Goodreads review page. Jessica is also a reviewer on Amazon.

    Related Posts

    Astrid Lindgren’s The Children of Noisy Village is delightful

    The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks is MG gold

    Sports Superstars from Black History tells stories of 10 athletes

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    • bluesky
    • twitter
    • instagram
    • facebook
    • goodreads
    • amazon
    • bloglovin
    • mail
    Subscribe by email
    Follow
    Recent Posts
    July 3, 2025

    Astrid Lindgren’s The Children of Noisy Village is delightful

    July 2, 2025

    Brittney Morris’ This Book Might Be About Zinnia explores identity

    July 1, 2025

    The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks is MG gold

    July 1, 2025

    E.L Starling’s Bound by Stars is fast-moving sci-fi romance

    June 30, 2025

    Return to Neverland with Wendy’s Ever After, by Julie Wright

    Archives
    Categories
    On Writing

    “The dance with words and the way the hair on the back of my neck raises when it works right is what I live for.”

    —Gary Paulsen

    “I write because I exist. Because I read. Because I breathe.”

    —Lindsay Eager

    “Books are kind of like the sense of smell: inhale one page and memories come rushing back.”

    —Keir Graff

    Cracking the Cover is a website dedicated to picture, middle-grade and young adult books. It features reviews, author interviews and other book news. PLEASE NOTE: We are not currently accepting self published books for review.

    Copyright © 2010-2022 Cracking the Cover. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.

    Reviews Published Professional Reader 2016 NetGalley Challenge 100 Book Reviews

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.