If Lin Can: How Jeremy Lin Inspired Asian Americans to Shoot for the Stars

At once affirmation and biography, Ho’s simple yet captivating overview of the life of NBA basketball star Jeremy Lin (b. 1988) begins with a series of call-and-response questions: “Have you ever been told that you can’t?” As the pages turn, three East Asian–cued children represent an aspiring athlete, actor, and leader facing moments of discrimination, bullying, and self-doubt. Lin is introduced as “someone who looks like you,” a line that hints at the importance of representation to self-image, before the book segues into a cursory overview of Lin’s life. Stylized digital illustrations from Hu`ynh and Phùng build to a triumphant moment in Lin’s career before the second-person text asks, “Have you ever cheered for someone who shattered stereotypes, burst through barriers, and made you feel proud of who you are?” Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. A biography, author’s note, and bibliography conclude. Ages 7–10. (Apr.)