The Oks Are Not Ok

An affluent teen influencer gets a reality check when her family files for bankruptcy in this discerning novel with Schitt’s Creek vibes. Korean American 17-year-old Elena Ok has carefully crafted her image to ensure she stays at the top of the Los Angeles social heirarchy. Meanwhile, her parents are focused on training her older brother Gavin to take over the family’s fast fashion brand. But when the business goes under seemingly overnight, the Oks leave their Calabasas mansion for a quaint house in Blaire, a “microscopic” farm town located in a National Radio Quiet Zone, which means no Wi-Fi, putting an indefinite hold on Elena’s career. It’s a culture shock for the siblings, who have only ever experienced a privileged upbringing. To the teens’ surprise, though, their parents are more open to a rural lifestyle than they anticipated. As the family settles into their new reality, they each find their own niche with help from kind locals: Gavin explores culinary interests, while Elena applies her influencer marketing skills to organize a farmers market. Using the relationship between the teens and their parents as a jumping-off point, Shim (Not Your Average Jo) considers how changing attitudes surrounding masculinity and gender roles inform one family’s view of creating and maintaining households, friendships, and businesses, resulting in a feel-good story of self-discovery and redefining the boundaries of success. Ages 12–up. Agent: Andrea Morrison, Writers House. (Mar.)