Girl Overboard by Justina Chen Headley

From the Publisher

Everybody thinks Syrah is the golden girl. After all, her father is Ethan Cheng, billionaire, and she has everything any kid could possibly desire: a waterfront mansion, jet plane, and custom-designed snowboards. But most of what glitters in her life is fool's gold. Her half-siblings hate her, her best friend's girlfriend is ruining their friendship, and her own so-called boyfriend is only after her for her father's name. When her broken heart results in a snowboarding accident that exiles her from the mountains-the one place where she feels free and accepted for who she is, not what she has-can Syrah rehab both her busted-up knee, and her broken heart?


Justina Chen Headley writes with an engaging wit and a powerful, distinct voice. Her first novel, Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies) was a Border's Original Voices nominee, a Book Sense pick, and received a starred review from Publisher's Weekly: "Headley makes an impressive debut with this witty, intimate novel."

Publishers Weekly

Adding to a category overrun with poor-little-rich-girl plotlines, Headley (Nothing But the Truth [and a few white lies]) crafts a tale that will stand out in the crowd by offering a good dose of girl power and an intriguing family backstory. Fifteen-year-old Syrah Cheng, daughter of a billionaire mobile phone magnate, has blown out her knee after a snowboarding accident and can no longer hit the slopes. She still feels shattered by the realization that her would-be boyfriend was only after her father's money, and is too afraid to reciprocate her best friend's overtures toward another kind of relationship ("Why chance turning Age into a here-today-gone-tomorrow boyfriend?"). Add to that two absentee parents and a pair of adult half-siblings who hate her guts, and Syrah, the narrator, is sinking into a full-on pity party, finding respite only in her manga journal. But even when Syrah complains, the tone stays tart, conveying a tough-girl personality that leaves room for vulnerability. As the novel shifts from Syrah's self-pity to her self-critique, its scope grows more interesting, especially when Syrah learns more about her family. The outsize scale of the family fortune and prestige, combined with the gratifying empowerment theme, will attract (and hold) Meg Cabot fans. Ages 12-up. (Jan.)

Children's Literature

Given that she has a billionaire for a father, most people think Syrah Cheng has a perfect life. The things she wants most in life, though, remain just out of her grasp. Her opinions are ignored by her family, her body is criticized by her mother, and Syrah gains peace only from snowboarding and drawing Manga. After an accident that nearly results in her death, Syrah's father forbids her from snowboarding. Still dreaming of going pro, yet fearing both her family's reaction and the possibility of seeing the boy who indirectly caused her accident, Syrah begins to figure out what she wants in life and how to gain her family's respect. This plot easily could have become a "poor little rich girl" story, but Headly masterfully steers clear of the stereotypes, creating a truly enjoyable tale. Syrah is a somewhat troubled but not annoying character, and the lessons she learns about herself, her family, and her friends are realistic and touching. Reviewer: Amie Rose Rotruck

VOYA

In Girl Overboard, there is an interesting and upbeat story line, but Headley insists on filling the entire book with heavy-handed metaphors and unnecessary similes. Although the characters have depth and mostly good morals, those who turn from evil stepsister to fairy-godmother when most convenient are rather annoying. Overall, although it lacks certain qualities, it is still a fun summer read.

VOYA

Syrah Cheng has everything-money, famous parents, brains, and a talent for snowboarding-but her life only looks good on the outside. Her parents are too busy to pay attention to her, Syrah's much older step-siblings make her life miserable, and her friendships are often with people who use her. The things that she counts on-her friend Ask and her snowboarding-are taken from her when Ask's girlfriend does not want him around Syrah and an accident after a degrading experience with her ex-boyfriend makes her parents forbid snowboarding. When she meets a young girl who has leukemia, she does what Chengs do best: arranges a fundraiser to raise awareness of the little girl's plight. After meeting her mother's unknown siblings and families, she takes control of her life, finds family connections, makes a healthy alliance with her stepsister, and fixes her friendship with Ask. Although few readers will be as wealthy as Syrah or have the opportunities that she has, they will recognize the issues of friendship, difficult family relationships, and pleasing others. This book touches on the Chinese Cultural Revolution and the lack of minorities or mixed cultures in bone-marrow registries. Snowboarding culture and metaphors using snowboarding are found throughout the book. Manga is also a big part of Syrah's world as she draws to figure out her life. The writing is smart and the characters have depth, even with the myriad issues explored, which sometimes slow down the story. This book is a good choice for smart, teen girls' fiction.

KLIATT

Syrah is the 15-year-old daughter of billionaire Ethan Cheng. But instead of having everything she wants, Syrah feels she has to give her exacting mother everything she wants in a daughter. The problem is that Syrah wants to be a professional snowboarder. At least, that is what she wanted before an accident left her with a broken leg. Now she only wants to avoid the social obligations of being a Cheng. And to top that off, Syrah just doesn't understand her mother. Years younger than her husband, Betty Cheng is the perfect wife and the perfect social organizer, a media darling. But when Syrah makes friends with Lillian Fujimoto, she finds a challenge worth taking to the Cheng Board, made up of her half-brother and sister, her mother and father. Lillian's little sister needs a bone marrow transplant, but as she is of mixed Asian-Caucasian heritage, there are not enough donors to help. Syrah decides to draw on her love of snowboarding and the commercial aspect of the sport to raise money and awareness. She also learns how to use her well-known name instead of being used by it. Her quest puts her into the spotlight as a Cheng and helps her to see the larger picture of the Cheng enterprise, its privileges and its responsibilities. She sees a different side to her mother, too, as she learns more about her mother's life and upbringing, even helping to bring her mother together with estranged family members. Syrah has a witty, sarcastic humor that adolescents will appreciate. Readers will enjoy a look into the lives of the rich and famous, who struggle with the same issues and concerns as young people everywhere. Age Range: Ages 12 to 18. REVIEWER: Janis Flint-Ferguson (Vol. 42, No. 1)

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up- Syrah Cheng's struggle to fit into the stylish dress her mother bought for her to wear to her father's 70th birthday bash is synonymous with her struggle to fit in with her family in general. The teenage daughter of business tycoon Ethan Cheng and his second wife, Syrah is scorned by her older half siblings, and she would rather spend her spare time snowboarding or drawing manga than shopping for fancy clothes and attending benefits with her family. However, since an accident damaged her chances for a pro snowboarding career, she is not sure that she fits in with her snowboarding friends, either. At loose ends when she discovers that a friend's young sister is seriously ill with leukemia, she rallies to put together a benefit to raise money for the family. For once, the Cheng name is an asset, and Syrah finds herself connecting with her half sister and reconnecting with her mother. Although Headley's novel is slow to start, once it picks up steam, the narrative becomes rich. An overheard conversation leads Syrah to investigate her mother's history and leads her to a new understanding of the woman who was given away by her mother during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and raised by an abusive aunt. Like Amy Tan, Headley incorporates intergenerational and intercultural conflict into a novel of personal growth and self-discovery.-Amy S. Pattee, Simmons College, Boston

Product Details