It’s 1967, and 12-year-old Ari Goldman’s life has just been turned upside down. Her parents are no longer speaking to her beloved older sister, Leah, after Leah eloped with Raj, a Hindu man. The family bakery isn’t doing well, and her parents are considering selling it. And, as one of the few Jewish families in their small town in Connecticut, Ari and her family face antisemitism on a regular basis. To top it all off, Ari was just diagnosed with dysgraphia – a writing disability that her parents are unwilling to accept.
Set against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, the Vietnam war, the assassination of Martin Luther King, and a landmark Supreme Court decision outlawing bans on interracial marriage, this award-winning novel explores one girl’s struggles to understand what’s right, what’s wrong, and what she believes in when everything around her is changing.
How to Find What You’re Not Looking For is a Syndey Taylor Notable Book and National Jewish Book Award Finalist. Veera Hiranandani is the award-winning author of several books, including the Newbery Honor title The Night Diary and PJ Our Way fan favorite, The Whole Story of Half a Girl.
The PJ Our Way Book Selection Committee loves books that draw readers into another time and place with well-written, relatable characters as well as engaging, meaningful plot lines. How to Find What You’re Not Looking For takes it a step farther – the entire book is written in the second person giving an effect that one our kid readers described as: “it almost feels like you’re one of the characters.” This book is perfect for fans of historical fiction like The Night Diary, The Whole Story of Half a Girl, and Lucky Broken Girl.
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December 1, 2025