Girl Overboard
by Justina Chen Headley
by Justina Chen Headley
GIRL OVERBOARD by Justina Chen Headley
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 1/1/08
Publisher: Little, Brown
Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
Rating: 5 Stars
If you are looking for a rags-to-riches story, don’t pick up GIRL OVERBOARD. On the other hand, if you are
looking for a story about a rich girl struggling to be a normal, well-adjusted girl, than this one is for you.
Syrah Cheng is the daughter of privilege. Her father, Ethan Cheng, made the cell phone what it is today. Her mother,
Betty Cheng, is the queen of charity fundraising, and demands only the best. Unfortunately, all the splendor and wealth
surrounding Syrah leave her feeling uncomfortable and unloved.
Syrah's dream is to become a sponsored pro-snowboarder; however, a recent life-threatening accident has sidelined
her with a bum knee. Her doctor says she is ready to resume normal activities and even some cautious snowboarding,
but her globe-trotting parents have forbidden her participation in the only activity that makes her life worthwhile. She
fills her days with school and manga drawings of a superheroine snowboarder named Shiraz.
Not being able to snowboard is only the beginning of trouble for Syrah. Her best friend, Age, has a new girlfriend who
doesn’t believe there is room in their relationship for Syrah. Bao-mu, Syrah’s dedicated nanny, has announced that she
is leaving to go help her granddaughter with her new baby. And to top it all off, Ethan Cheng has announced his
retirement and his intention to move the family to Hong Kong.
There is never a dull moment in GIRL OVERBOARD. Syrah may seem about to give up on her dream, but she finds a
way to combine her love of snowboarding with what she discovers are her many other assets, to help a new friend in
need, and make her family proud of her. Author Justina Chen Headley shows her readers what truly lies beneath the
glittery surface of a girl who has it all, but learns that family, friendship, and love can surprise us all.
Category: Contemporary
Age Recommendation: Grades 9+
Release Date: 1/1/08
Publisher: Little, Brown
Reviewed by: Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky"
Rating: 5 Stars
If you are looking for a rags-to-riches story, don’t pick up GIRL OVERBOARD. On the other hand, if you are
looking for a story about a rich girl struggling to be a normal, well-adjusted girl, than this one is for you.
Syrah Cheng is the daughter of privilege. Her father, Ethan Cheng, made the cell phone what it is today. Her mother,
Betty Cheng, is the queen of charity fundraising, and demands only the best. Unfortunately, all the splendor and wealth
surrounding Syrah leave her feeling uncomfortable and unloved.
Syrah's dream is to become a sponsored pro-snowboarder; however, a recent life-threatening accident has sidelined
her with a bum knee. Her doctor says she is ready to resume normal activities and even some cautious snowboarding,
but her globe-trotting parents have forbidden her participation in the only activity that makes her life worthwhile. She
fills her days with school and manga drawings of a superheroine snowboarder named Shiraz.
Not being able to snowboard is only the beginning of trouble for Syrah. Her best friend, Age, has a new girlfriend who
doesn’t believe there is room in their relationship for Syrah. Bao-mu, Syrah’s dedicated nanny, has announced that she
is leaving to go help her granddaughter with her new baby. And to top it all off, Ethan Cheng has announced his
retirement and his intention to move the family to Hong Kong.
There is never a dull moment in GIRL OVERBOARD. Syrah may seem about to give up on her dream, but she finds a
way to combine her love of snowboarding with what she discovers are her many other assets, to help a new friend in
need, and make her family proud of her. Author Justina Chen Headley shows her readers what truly lies beneath the
glittery surface of a girl who has it all, but learns that family, friendship, and love can surprise us all.