This is a cute middle grade book on how growing up can be challenging. Great introductory on how hormones can change how you look and learning to accept those changes and accept others. It's also a great way to introduce middle graders to another culture.

Karma Khullar's Mustache is a touching middle grade novel about Indian-American sixth-grader, Karma. Middle school is just beginning, and, already, everything seems to be going wrong. A new girl has moved across the street from Karma’s best friend, Sara, causing a rift between the two girls. Suddenly, Karma’s dad is home all day, and her mom is away at work. And, worst of all, Karma has suddenly grown a mustache—seventeen dark hairs on either side of her mouth—that she now feels like everyone can see.

Wientge pitches this story just right. The friendship, social life, and family drama in this novel are all realistically written and wonderfully expressed. Karma’s first person voice is filled with deep anxiety that will speak to any kid who has felt like they couldn’t do anything right. Though the characterization of Karma’s father sometimes shifts without much development to support it, Wientge does a wonderful job weaving Indian culture and Sikh beliefs into the story, making them feel a part of Karma without exoticizing either. They are part of Karma and cause her both joy and strife.

The ending is realistic and sweetly done. Any middle grade reader—especially those struggling with difference—will enough this diverse and wonderfully written novel.

I loved this novel about middle school life, friendship, religion, culture, and body hair/image issues. I will be adding a copy to my classroom library.

The title and cover of this one really caught my eye. It sounded like such a fun book and it turned out it really was! I felt that it really shows Karma's story over her first year of sixth grade and middle school. It reminded me of Judy Blume books, which I loved reading her books when I was growing up. Karma has started growing a mustache as she goes through puberty, but her family is of a religious faith that doesn't cut hair, which complicates her already difficult and awkward situation. Her story is a very realistic depiction of navigating bullies, friendship, religious beliefs, and family.
This book will be a great addition to our library with great themes of religion, family and diversity..

I do not look upon my middle school years with much fondness, in fact, that is a part of my life that I would probably rather forget entirely and while this book brought back many memories of that time, it did so in such a real way that I feel like so many girls could relate to.

Karma is about to start the sixth grade, a time when most people feel awkward, friendships change, and your body is changing as well. For Karma this means that she has started to sprout a mustache and due to her half Sikh/ half Methodist family is not supposed to remove any hair. Then a new girl moves in across the street from her best friend and the balance starts to shift within friendships. Throughout this novel Karma has to navigate teasing, friends, enemies, body hair, and changing family dynamics all while entering middle school.

I really enjoyed this book for many reasons. First is because of how real it felt. I felt the embarrassment and shame alongside Karma and I feel like these are feelings that both people going through this at the moment and those that have passed that time in their lives are able to relate too. Also enjoyable is the diversity and how it is presented and how Karma grows to embrace her culture that she is originally embarrassed by.

Karma is about to start middle school, but there is much for her to be worried about. First, she has seventeen hairs on her upper lip. Her friend, Sara, is acting different around Karma and starts to spend more time with a new classmate. The situation at home isn't so easy either, as Karma's dad is out of a job and she misses her Dadima who has recently died. Karma's story is reflective of the experiences of those who are in their middle grade years. Her self-conscious related to the changes her body is going through is something that middle school-aged children can relate to. Karma's challenges with friends and family are also realistic and can help to show young readers that the ups-and-downs of middle school are a part of growing up. Karma is humorous and kind. While wanting to make her situation better, she also tries to make the right choices. I think middle grade readers will enjoy reading about Karma and how she manages the challenges of middle school.