Love Makes Mochi

Gr 6 Up–Lilyn Jeong is a talented young fashion designer whose Gothic aesthetic and self-acceptance has earned her a loyal online following, thanks to her supportive mother’s social media savvy. With her final project to get into the fashion college of her dreams starting to take shape, Lilyn is poised to spend the summer in Tokyo studying under a renowned fashion master—the perfect stepping stone to her dream university. But her carefully planned summer becomes a whirlwind of intensive lessons, culinary discoveries, and an unexpected romance that challenges everything Lilyn thought she knew about love. Refreshingly, Lilyn’s relationship with another girl unfolds naturally, with the only real obstacles coming from external pressures. Valentine (First Love Language) strikes a nice balance between the aspirational and the real, giving readers emotionally flawed, very human characters despite their almost-perfect lifestyles. Japan isn’t just a flat backdrop here; it’s wonderfully woven into each page. The romance has genuinely cute and ridiculous moments that will make readers want to scream with happiness. Lilyn is Japanese and Taiwanese American, and her love interest is Japanese. The two don’t move beyond kissing.