I picked up this book while I was walking through the Children's Section of the library. It was on the New Book shelf.
It's about Joseph Calderaro who is adopted from Korea. His family is Italian-American. In May of his 8th grade year, Joseph is given a writing assignment in which he has to trace his ancestry. This is a tough assignment for Joseph because he doesn't know who he is. Joseph makes up a story, turns it in, and wins a contest. He feels horrible, admits the truth, and is given a second chance. This causes him to search for some real truth about himself. He doesn't come up with any definite answers, but he does experience more peace with who he is: "I knew this version wouldn't win a contest, but this time it was the God Honest Truth from a former Cub Scout: how it felt to be Joseph Calderaro - Korean on the outside, Italian on the inside, and sometimes the other way around...It was my story."
The book label says it's for ages 8-12, but really, anyone would enjoy this book. It is honest and real with some neat characters and good values and lessons.
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