John Cho’s debut novel Troublemaker is now available in paperback, WBUR reports.
The novel, geared towards middle-grade readers, follows a 12-year-old Korean-American boy name Jordan living in Los Angeles during the acquittal of the men who brutally beat Rodney King. He said he wanted to write for middle-grade readers because that is the age kids begin to form their identities.
“That’s the age when kids are learning and forming their identities and learning how the world sees them, as well. I think it was around that age that I became very aware of the model minority myth,” Cho said in an interview with NBC News. “Prior to that, my Asianness was more about being an outsider and not belonging. But it was at that age with school heating up and you’re thinking about college that the model minority myth became a thing in my life.”
The Harold & Kumar star added that he hopes that readers can enjoy the story while digesting the heavy material.
“I hope that they just enjoy the story — it’s a fast-paced adventure story, and essentially it’s a story about two kids navigating the city at night,” Cho told NBC News. “I hope that kids get something out of it that way, without it feeling too heavy for them. But if there is an opportunity to ask questions about reading a book like this, it would honor me if this was the excuse to talk about something that was maybe difficult.”
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The actor is slated to speak about his book in an upcoming talk, “A Conversation with John Cho,” at Fresno City College, ABC 30 reports. He will also discuss his acting career and activism. The talk will be held on April 18.
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