ON THIN ICE

Twelve-year-old Korean American twins Phoebe and Dex Bae reluctantly team up on the ice.

When Phoebe’s figure skating partner, Pete, has to sit out a major competition due to an injury, she’s crushed. It’s only two months until the pairs invitational that would have allowed Phoebe to move from the recreational league to the competitive division. The twins’ mom steps in, making a deal with Dex: If he partners with Phoebe, she’ll buy him the expensive skates he believes will get him back on the ice hockey team he was cut from. The struggles the siblings face are ultimately worth it: Dex finds a healthy outlet to support his emotional well-being and comes to appreciate the effort it takes to master figure skating, while Phoebe learns that competition isn’t everything and rediscovers her reasons for being on the ice. Skating together also brings the twins closer and renews their relationship with their mom; they’ve all been out of sync ever since Dad’s death two years ago. In the twins’ alternating first-person perspectives, Kim movingly depicts the family members’ paths to being present for each other and sharing their burdens and feelings. Side plots featuring friendship conflict, a crush, and relationships with coaches keep the story moving and advance character development, but the quick resolutions undercut the tension. Fans of Kim’s 2020 debut, Stand Up, Yumi Chung!, will enjoy a cameo by Mrs. Chung.

An entertaining and reassuring story of discovery, healing, and reconnection.