Veera Hiranandani

New historical fiction from a Newbery Honor-winning author about how middle schooler Ariel Goldberg's life changes when her big sister elopes following the 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision, and she's forced to grapple with both her family's prejudice and the antisemitism she experiences, as she defines her own beliefs. 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.

How to Find What You're Not Looking for

New historical fiction from a Newbery Honor–winning author about how middle schooler Ariel Goldberg's life changes when her big sister elopes following the 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision, and she's forced to grapple with both her family's prejudice and the antisemitism she experiences, as she defines her own beliefs. 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.

How to Find What You're Not Looking For

Raven K

** spoiler alert **
           i didn't know what to expect when I first started this one. Probably because i was still getting used to it being written in second person. i really liked the fact that the author put us in Ariel's shoes, while also it was still Ariel's point of view (if that makes sense). I learned so much from this book. it wasn't what I expected it to be, to be honest, it shocked me in a good way. i also loved the historical events included in this story (Martin Luther King's protests, the Loving v Virginia case, etc). this whole book was a joy to read and I loved every part.

Steph L 

When I first saw this book I was both excited and wary. As someone who has challenges like the main character, I wasn’t sure how this would be handled in the story. This is one of my favorite books of the year because of the representation with the main character being Jewish and having learning challenges. I love Historical Fiction, however, I know that some can deal with heavy topics. This was the first time I’ve read a book that talks about Loving V Virginia. This author’s note at the end was lovely as you find out about the inspiration for the story. 

I loved the characters in this book. They were flawed in places, but at the end of the day, they had a love for each other. I enjoyed the story of How To Find What You’re Not Looking For because of how all the elements were woven into the story. This story was filled with heavy topics and done light hearted topics. I loved the writing by Veera Hiranandani. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I will look into her backlist. This would be an enjoyable book for anyone, but in particular: people with learning challenges and people who are Jewish would really enjoy this.

How to Find What You're Not Looking for

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