Student Review: TJ Powar Has Something to Prove by Jasmeen Kaur Deo is a realistic fiction story that is unapologetically honest. The story follows high school senior TJ Powar and her relationship with her cousin Simran. The two cousins are partners on their school’s debate team. Outwardly, they seem to be similar enough, that is until there is a meme circulating their school with a picture of TJ and Simran with the caption, “Dating a Persian girl: expectation vs. reality.” It is suddenly brought to TJ’s attention that Simran is often the victim of rude jokes due to her facial hair that she doesn’t get rid of because of her religion. TJ, whose facial hair ridding process is practically a religion in and of itself, makes a resolution: “This house believes that TJ Powar can be her hairy self and still be beautiful.” Easy enough, right? Or at least that’s what TJ thought. After making the resolution, TJ finds herself struggling to believe that she can be beautiful even with facial hair. Jasmeen Kaur Deo has created a story that not only has elements of comedy, but is also very raw and truthful as it examines body image. Many brown girls will be able to see their own reflection in these pages.