TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
Written by Jesmeen Kaur Deo
Published by Viking Books for Young Readers
When TJ Powar—a pretty, popular debater—and her cousin Simran become the subject of a meme: with TJ being the “expectation” of dating an Indian girl and her Sikh cousin who does not remove her body hair being the “reality”—TJ decides to take a stand.
She ditches her razors, cancels her waxing appointments, and sets a debate resolution for herself: “This House Believes That TJ Powar can be her hairy self, and still be beautiful.” Only, as she sets about proving her point, she starts to seriously doubt anyone could care about her just the way she is—even when the infuriating boy from a rival debate team seems determined to prove otherwise.
As her carefully crafted sense of self begins to crumble, TJ realizes that winning this debate may cost her far more than the space between her eyebrows. And that the hardest judge to convince of her arguments might just be herself.
Primary ISBN: 9780593403396
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older
Community Represented: Indian/Indian American
Themes: Activism, Allyship, Body Image, Coming of Age, Engagement Tool: Audio or Podcast, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Religious Background: Sikh
Setting: Unknown
Character’s New Arrival/New American Status: 1st Generation
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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