HOW TO FIND WHAT YOU’RE NOT LOOKING FOR by Hiranandani

Review: HOW TO FIND WHAT YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR | Written by Veera Hiranandani

Kokila Books | Release Date: September 14, 2021 

Book Review written by Reem Faruqi

Summary: 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.

 Review by Reem Faruqi, author of GOLDEN GIRL and UNSETTLED

 Sometimes when I have a stack of books and I’m not sure which one I’d like to read, I open each book and read the first couple of pages to decide on my pick.

When I flipped through HOW TO FIND WHAT YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR by Veera Hiranandani, I didn’t stop after the first couple of pages. I continued to read until the end and immersed myself fully in Ariel Goldberg’s world.  

Set in the 1960’s, I did not want this historical novel to end. It instantly hooked me on the first page with the unique second point-of-view. Remarkably, the entire book is told from the second point-of-view. The first paragraph:

“It’s harder than you think. 

First, lie on your messy bed wearing your Wonder Woman pajamas that are too small because you’ve had them since you were nine. Then, watch your older sister, Leah, pin up her hair for dance class. She sits in her black leotard at the small white vanity, her back straight as a board, a magazine cutout of Paul Newman taped to the corner of her mirror. She uses at least fifteen bobby pins for her bun. Count in your head while she sticks the pins in.”

Reading this book, you feel like you are truly Ari watching Leah get dressed and live her life, and are stuck in the painful stage of growing up and trying to catch up to your big sister. 

Interspersed in the prose are lyrical poems that Ari types out in her teacher Ms. Field’s class. These brief poems pack an emotional punch. I loved Ariel’s poetry and most notably the kind teacher Ms. Field who generously offers a typewriter to Ariel to use in class. Ariel has dysgraphia, a brain-based learning disability that affects writing, and Ms. Field suggests that Ariel types out her poems. Doing so helps Ariel further find her voice.  

One of Ariel’s Poems:

The Sound of Summer

My summer sounded like

the moment after

the last guest leaves the party,

when all the laughter

and the slicing of cake

and the unwrapping of gifts

and the smiling

and the dancing

stops.

Those who are left

sit down, tired and quiet, 

wondering if they’ll ever 

feel that happy again.

I find myself thinking of Ari and her strength. This powerful book shines a light on interfaith and interracial marriage and the history and struggles of it. Ari is Jewish and her older sister Leah is in love with an Indian Hindu man named Raj.  I loved how Ari talks about the Loving vs Virginia case, her teacher's confidence in her, and more. The background of Ari’s Jewish parents toiling away at their bakery adds another layer of depth and emotion. 

Each chapter is divided by ‘How to…’ clever headings such as ‘How to Be the Lazy One, ‘How to Keep a Secret,’ ‘How to Write a Poem,’ ‘How to Spy on your Big Sister,’ and poignantly ‘How to Miss Her.’

This story is beautifully crafted. I have read Veera Hiranandani’s Newbery honor book THE NIGHT DIARY and am impressed by her range of talent and how different each book is. 

Awards:

Sydney Taylor Award Winner

Jane Addams Children's Book Award Winner

National Jewish Book Award Finalist

A Junior Library Guild Selection

2022 ALSC Notable Children's Book

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

Veera Hiranandani