Gloria Buenrostro Is Not My Girlfriend by B. Hoang

• Gary Vo and his best friend Preston Truong  are Vietnamese American teens who exist on the fringes of their mostly white high school, neither popular nor outcasts but just kind of invisible.
• When Gary spots Gloria Buenrostro, the most beautiful and popular girl at his school, riding her bike in his neighborhood during the summer, he is compelled to follow her and find out what she's doing on the "poor" side of town -- which leads to them hanging out together.
• Meanwhile. Gary and Preston are offered a shot at popularity and entrance into an elite club called the Roosters -- if Gary will steal something that Gloria treasures.
• As the summer progresses, Gary and Gloria find out that they have more in common than they thought -- and Gary begins to wonder if  his ticket to popularity is worth betraying Gloria's trust. 

Grades 8-12

The friendship that develops between Gloria and Gary is tender and lovely, and the book deals with many relevant issues including culture, poverty, toxic masculinity, stereotyping, privilege, mental health, and insecurity.  I found this book to be sweet, surprising, thoughtful, and just a little different than your average YA novel.  Check it out!