The Ping-Pong Queen of Chinatown

Perfect for fans of Ben Philippe and Mary H. K. Choi, this charming, insightful YA novel follows two high school students who form a complicated, ground-shifting bond while filming a movie.

High school junior Felix Ma wants to prove to his parents that he’s not a quitter. After crashing out of piano lessons and competitive ping-pong, Felix starts a film club at his school in a last-ditch attempt to find a star extracurricular for his college applications.

Then he meets Cassie Chow, a bubbly high school senior who shares Felix’s anxieties about the future and complicated relationship with parental expectations. Felix feels drawn to Cassie for reasons he can’t quite articulate, so as an excuse to see her more, he invites Cassie to star in his short film.

The project starts out as a lighthearted mockumentary. But at the urging of Felix’s college admissions coach, who wants to turn the film into essay material, it soon morphs into a serious drama about the emotional scars that parents leave on their kids. As Felix and Cassie uncover their most painful memories, Cassie starts to balk at opening her wounds for the camera.

With his parents and college admissions coach hot on his heels, Felix discovers painful truths about himself and his past—and must decide whether pleasing his parents is worth losing his closest friend.

Filming a movie was supposed to be for college, not for catching feelings. What happens when the script gets too real?

Rivals to Friends: He was the piano prodigy she beat; now she's the only one who can star in his film. Their old competition sparks a new, complicated connection. College Application Anxiety: Felix starts the film club just to beef up his college applications, but his admissions coach's pressure to get personal threatens to derail the whole project—and his new friendship. A Poignant Filmmaking Story: What begins as a lighthearted mockumentary soon becomes a deep dive into parental expectations and emotional scars, forcing both Felix and Cassie to be vulnerable on and off camera. YA Contemporary Romance: Full of witty banter and heartfelt moments, this charming YA novel is perfect for readers who love stories about finding your passion, your voice, and maybe your person.