No Purchase Necessary

Starred review from November 1, 2024
Ajay Anthonipillai has just won $1 million--and he's in huge trouble. Starting eighth grade in a new school, Ajay is determined to avoid being labeled as "Obnoxious Ajay" again, the social outcast who's completely consumed by grades. But when he gets a 79% in language arts and lands on the wrong side of popular Jacob Underson, things start to spiral out of control. Before he knows it, he's lied to his parents, stolen a chocolate bar from the local convenience store, maybe won a huge jackpot as a result, and taken a part-time job at the store in order to try to destroy the evidence of his crime. The depictions of the family members--Ajay, younger sister Aarthi, and the kids' Sri Lankan Catholic immigrant parents, all living in a largely white, suburban community--offer valuable insights into a specific cultural experience that will also resonate with children of immigrant families from other communities. Contextual clues situate the story in the early 2000s, but the setting's vagueness gives it a timeless feeling. Most of the characters, including the villains, are multi-dimensional actors with realistic motivations. The close relationship between Ajay and Aarthi, who face similar challenges in different ways, is particularly well rendered. The novel's plot twists will especially entrance and surprise younger audiences and those able to suspend disbelief and go with the flow of this completely age-appropriate and appealing story. Utter fun. (rules of the Anthonipillai household, glossary, references, discussion questions)(Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from December 1, 2024

Gr 5 Up-Ajay Anthonipillai was known as "Obnoxious Ajay" at his old school for being obsessed with his grades. So when he starts eighth grade at a new school, he is determined to change, until he receives a 79% on his English assignment. His Tamil parents' rules state that he can only get straight A's so in a panic of disappointing them, he lies. Things spiral out of control when he tries to impress the cool kid at school by stealing a chocolate bar and there is a million-dollar prize inside. Ajay worries about the consequences of stealing, so he starts working part-time for the store owner, Scary Al, to wipe away any evidence (and guilt). As the lies pile up, Ajay struggles with whether to confess his lies to his parents and what to do about the million-dollar prize sitting in his wallet. Marianayagam is excellent at establishing the characters of Ajay and his family, especially his relationship with sister Aarthi. Even minor characters are fleshed out and have an impact on Ajay's growth. Ajay's parents immigrated from Sri Lanka to a mostly white neighborhood, which adds another aspect to Ajay's experience that children of immigrants will be able to relate to. The author parallels Ajay's journey with Robert Frost poems and uses Ajay's karate journal as a great way of expressing his emotions. VERDICT A wonderful middle school story about family, friendship, and determining the right path. A must-purchase for all libraries.-Kylie Woodmansee

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 21, 2024
Marianayagam meditates on powerful messages surrounding family, identity, and finding friends in unlikely places in this bittersweet debut. Seventh grader Ajay Anthonipillai has always lived by his Sri Lankan parents’ rules: “straight As only,” “always dress nicely,” and no scary movies, among others. After transferring to a different school, Ajay instates his own rule: get on popular bully Jacob Underson’s “good side.” When Jacob, who reads as white, asks Ajay to steal a Mercury chocolate bar from a convenience store, Ajay feels this is his chance to finally “get cool,” but Jacob rejects the stolen goods. Then Ajay unwraps it and learns that he’s won Mercury’s
25th Anniversary Contest grand prize: $1,000,000. Collecting that money could dramatically improve his family’s lifestyle. But can Ajay claim the reward when he doesn’t believe he earned it fair and square? Mixed-media formatting—including Ajay’s handwritten journal entries and excerpts from his school assignments further showcase his internal struggle
balancing morality with life-changing opportunity. The racist bullying that
Ajay endures depicted alongside his own frustrations with his immigrant parents’ expectations allows for a natural-feeling exploration and unfurling of Ajay’s broadening world perspective. Ages 8–12. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown.

Starred review from January 1, 2025
Grades 5-7 *Starred Review* In a warm and thought-provoking tale that explores thorny ethical issues and the pressures of belonging to a strict immigrant family, eighth-grader Ajay finds himself hiding things from his Amma and Appa, beginning with a horrifying 79 on a language-arts assignment and going on to include a forbidden friendship with a girl and, scariest of all, the million-dollar prize he discovers he's won in the wrapper of a candy bar he stole from a shop at the behest of a bully. Though some readers may wish they had Ajay's problems, most will understand that, aside from the fear of being shipped off to relatives back in Sri Lanka before he can get into further trouble, his biggest concern is finding some way to make things right--which he does, with help from his priest, his loving parents, and other allies both expected and decidedly otherwise. The author rolls generous quantities of Sri Lankan food and customs into a story that is blessedly free of moralistic lectures, for all that it's centered on the virtues of honesty, and adds an array of spicy side dishes ranging from sweet budding romance and a dollop of redemption for the bully to sharp insights into Robert Frost's poetry. Not to mention a Tamil glossary, a list of biblical and literary references, and a set of discussion questions as lagniappes.

COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2025
Eighth grader Ajay and his sister feel stifled by their immigrant Sri Lankan parents' strict rules. These include a sole focus on academics, no socializing, and minimal extracurricular activities. When Ajay moves to a new school, he attempts to appease the popular kids, only to face racism and bullying. Things get even worse when, on a dare, he steals a chocolate bar that turns out to come with a prize of a million dollars. Though this money would be life-changing for his family, Ajay knows he won it through deceit, and the lies stack up until he can no longer keep them from crashing down. This is a realistic portrayal of a Tamil family, with memorable characters in an underrepresented cultural setting; the hardships his parents face and the characters' believable motivations add depth and nuance. Ajay and his sister's closeness, his frustration with family, and his middle-school struggles mirror the lives of many immigrant children. The inclusion of Ajay's reflections through his schoolwork and journals helps make him easy to empathize with; references to his Christian faith as a moral compass add another layer of nuance. The plot never falters, and surprising twists make for a refreshing coming-of-age story. Sadaf Siddique

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)