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The Legendary Mo Seto #1
The Legendary Mo Seto
A fast-paced, high-kicking debut that’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Stand Up, Yumi Chung as a young taekwondo artist uses an ancient book to help save her dreams—and her father.
Twelve-year-old Modesty “Mo” Seto dreams of being a taekwondo champion. Even though her mom disapproves, Mo can always count on her dad, who is her number one fan and biggest supporter. Lately, Mo has been on a losing streak, and it doesn’t help that she keeps losing to her archnemesis, Dax, who’s much bigger than her. If only she were faster, stronger, not so petite. Mo can’t even lean on her dad like usual with how distracted he’s been lately.
When Mo learns about the chance to audition to star alongside her idol and legendary martial artist and movie star Cody Kwok, she knows this her chance to prove to her dad, to the world, and to herself that she can compete with anyone, no matter her size. Unfortunately, Dax is auditioning, too. As Mo and her nemesis progress to callbacks, someone attempts to sabotage the movie set and Mo’s dad disappears—and both events seem linked to a mysterious book, the Book of Joy.
The book contains information on a secret dance-like martial art developed by Mo’s ancestral grandmother. Armed with these powerful moves and an unexpected ally, Mo embarks on a high-octane adventure to rescue her father, save the movie, and discover an unexpected joy in being small.
Twelve-year-old Modesty “Mo” Seto dreams of being a taekwondo champion. Even though her mom disapproves, Mo can always count on her dad, who is her number one fan and biggest supporter. Lately, Mo has been on a losing streak, and it doesn’t help that she keeps losing to her archnemesis, Dax, who’s much bigger than her. If only she were faster, stronger, not so petite. Mo can’t even lean on her dad like usual with how distracted he’s been lately.
When Mo learns about the chance to audition to star alongside her idol and legendary martial artist and movie star Cody Kwok, she knows this her chance to prove to her dad, to the world, and to herself that she can compete with anyone, no matter her size. Unfortunately, Dax is auditioning, too. As Mo and her nemesis progress to callbacks, someone attempts to sabotage the movie set and Mo’s dad disappears—and both events seem linked to a mysterious book, the Book of Joy.
The book contains information on a secret dance-like martial art developed by Mo’s ancestral grandmother. Armed with these powerful moves and an unexpected ally, Mo embarks on a high-octane adventure to rescue her father, save the movie, and discover an unexpected joy in being small.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published June 4, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
June 10, 2024
In a Nutshell A power-packed adventurous ride for middle-graders. Loved the characters, the martial arts, and the focus on Chinese culture. An excellent OwnVoices debut. Much recommended!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Bookish Yays:
👊🏼 Mo’s character, to a great extent, is perfect for a MG work. She is determined, courageous, loyal, and spunky. A good protagonist for a middle-grade work, except for one thing. (This is clarified in the next section.)
👊🏼 Mo’s best friend “Nacho” is also a fabulous character, as are his funky t-shirt slogans. Loved the banter and the mutual support between the two friends.
👊🏼 Mo is of Chinese origin, and this is utilised well in the plot without resorting to typical stereotypes. The information about Chinese handwriting, martial arts, and even the legendary tale of the three sisters is excellently presented. Always love a good OwnVoices work!
👊🏼 Love the focus on Mo’s insecurity about being short. MG adventures are usually filled with protagonists who are tall for their age, so it was a delight to stumble upon a story where the main character is upset about her shortness, does her best to become ‘taller”, and finally learns to accept her height and see the positives of it.
👊🏼 The storyline is so relatable, despite having so many extraordinary elements. All kids will relate to being die-hard fans of larger-than-life movie stars or wanting to star in a movie. Love how the book highlights the reality behind the cameras.
👊🏼 The story is nicely paced and never slackens. Despite a multitude of subplots, it is easy to keep track of everything and the author brings all arcs neatly to a close by the end.
👊🏼 The plot uses diversity without making it seem forced in. The characters come from varied ethnic backgrounds, but the book never stresses on their cultural heritage, and treats them like humans than as representatives of their roots: the best approach to true inclusivity.
👊🏼 The plot regularly refers to Cody Kwok’s movie titles and provides a brief one-line description about them in brackets. These are hilarious!
👊🏼 It’s great to see martial arts play a central role. Not that I was ever into martial arts, but reading about the various moves and rules was thrilling. The author is a black belt in Taekwondo and also trained in four other martial arts, and her knowledge and experience come out clearly through her words.
👊🏼 A separate yay for having a female protagonist with not just an interest in but also a talent for taekwondo! Go girl power!
👊🏼 The book spans various genres: family, mystery, drama, adventure, action thriller, and even Chinese lore, but it doesn’t feel over the top as the themes are limited to the necessary few. No ‘kitchen sink syndrome.’
👊🏼 A couple of scenes take digs at silly character actions in movies – enjoyed these little add-ons! Avid readers will notice that the same flaws are common in contemporary adult thriller novels as well. I couldn’t help but laugh at the comment about the phone!
👊🏼 Appreciate the book’s message about accepting yourself and your body instead of always striving to be something you are not and cannot be. As they say, great things come in small packages, and Mo is one heck of a small package, though it takes her long to realise this truth.
👊🏼 The cover is stunningly kick-ass! So perfect for the story!
Bookish Nays: (These points might not be ‘nays’ to every reader.)
🏮 As a middle grader, I doubt I wouldn’t have liked anything about this book. But as a parent, I do have some reservations about how Mo constantly goes against her parents’ instructions, even lying, forging, and cheating to get her way. I might have let this go if Mo received some sort of comeuppance for her misdemeanours, but she gets away with everything with barely a harsh word. Of course, kids won’t be bothered by all this, but I feel it sets the wrong example.
🏮 There are many exaggerations in the story. While this is a fairly common scenario in kids’ books, some of the situations are really tough to digest, like adding 5 inches of height by stuffing your shoes and walking/jumping/running/kicking in them without any pain whatsoever – impossible!
🏮 I never like MG books to talk about crushes and tingly feelings and the like. Granted, it is done at a “barely there” level in this book, with words like ‘crush’ or ‘love’ not even mentioned. But the various references to Mo feeling something funny and/or tingly when she begins to see a certain someone with fresh eyes didn’t make me happy. These weren’t needed in the plot and could have been easily left out.
All in all, my reservations are relatively minor. I mostly enjoyed this fun book that flows almost like a movie with its high-octane dialogues and thrilling action scenes. (In fact, it would make a great movie!) At no point does this seem like a debut work. I am not sure if the author intends a sequel to the story, but if she does, I am certainly on board.
Definitely recommended to all middle-graders, as long as they realise that Mo needs to be emulated for all her positive traits but not in her negative tendencies. 😉
4.25 stars.
My thanks to the author, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Aladdin, and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Legendary Mo Seto”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Modesty Seto, aka Mo, is a highly competitive twelve-year-old taekwondo champ who always seeks the gold medal. Her mother isn’t happy with her passion for martial arts, but her dad is her biggest supporter. Lately though, her dad seems to have other priorities, and this hampers Mo’s confidence, as does her losing streak against her archnemesis Dax, who has grown much bigger than her. Oh, why does she have to be so petite?
When Mo hears of a chance to audition for the latest movie of Cody Kwok, her favourite actor and a mind-blowing martial artist, she is willing to do whatever it takes to star in the movie, even if it means going against some explicit instructions. Her plan is aided by a mysterious book, though it soon becomes clear that the book comes with its share of dangers as well.
The story comes to us in Mo’s first person perspective.
Bookish Yays:
👊🏼 Mo’s character, to a great extent, is perfect for a MG work. She is determined, courageous, loyal, and spunky. A good protagonist for a middle-grade work, except for one thing. (This is clarified in the next section.)
👊🏼 Mo’s best friend “Nacho” is also a fabulous character, as are his funky t-shirt slogans. Loved the banter and the mutual support between the two friends.
👊🏼 Mo is of Chinese origin, and this is utilised well in the plot without resorting to typical stereotypes. The information about Chinese handwriting, martial arts, and even the legendary tale of the three sisters is excellently presented. Always love a good OwnVoices work!
👊🏼 Love the focus on Mo’s insecurity about being short. MG adventures are usually filled with protagonists who are tall for their age, so it was a delight to stumble upon a story where the main character is upset about her shortness, does her best to become ‘taller”, and finally learns to accept her height and see the positives of it.
👊🏼 The storyline is so relatable, despite having so many extraordinary elements. All kids will relate to being die-hard fans of larger-than-life movie stars or wanting to star in a movie. Love how the book highlights the reality behind the cameras.
👊🏼 The story is nicely paced and never slackens. Despite a multitude of subplots, it is easy to keep track of everything and the author brings all arcs neatly to a close by the end.
👊🏼 The plot uses diversity without making it seem forced in. The characters come from varied ethnic backgrounds, but the book never stresses on their cultural heritage, and treats them like humans than as representatives of their roots: the best approach to true inclusivity.
👊🏼 The plot regularly refers to Cody Kwok’s movie titles and provides a brief one-line description about them in brackets. These are hilarious!
👊🏼 It’s great to see martial arts play a central role. Not that I was ever into martial arts, but reading about the various moves and rules was thrilling. The author is a black belt in Taekwondo and also trained in four other martial arts, and her knowledge and experience come out clearly through her words.
👊🏼 A separate yay for having a female protagonist with not just an interest in but also a talent for taekwondo! Go girl power!
👊🏼 The book spans various genres: family, mystery, drama, adventure, action thriller, and even Chinese lore, but it doesn’t feel over the top as the themes are limited to the necessary few. No ‘kitchen sink syndrome.’
👊🏼 A couple of scenes take digs at silly character actions in movies – enjoyed these little add-ons! Avid readers will notice that the same flaws are common in contemporary adult thriller novels as well. I couldn’t help but laugh at the comment about the phone!
👊🏼 Appreciate the book’s message about accepting yourself and your body instead of always striving to be something you are not and cannot be. As they say, great things come in small packages, and Mo is one heck of a small package, though it takes her long to realise this truth.
👊🏼 The cover is stunningly kick-ass! So perfect for the story!
Bookish Nays: (These points might not be ‘nays’ to every reader.)
🏮 As a middle grader, I doubt I wouldn’t have liked anything about this book. But as a parent, I do have some reservations about how Mo constantly goes against her parents’ instructions, even lying, forging, and cheating to get her way. I might have let this go if Mo received some sort of comeuppance for her misdemeanours, but she gets away with everything with barely a harsh word. Of course, kids won’t be bothered by all this, but I feel it sets the wrong example.
🏮 There are many exaggerations in the story. While this is a fairly common scenario in kids’ books, some of the situations are really tough to digest, like adding 5 inches of height by stuffing your shoes and walking/jumping/running/kicking in them without any pain whatsoever – impossible!
🏮 I never like MG books to talk about crushes and tingly feelings and the like. Granted, it is done at a “barely there” level in this book, with words like ‘crush’ or ‘love’ not even mentioned. But the various references to Mo feeling something funny and/or tingly when she begins to see a certain someone with fresh eyes didn’t make me happy. These weren’t needed in the plot and could have been easily left out.
All in all, my reservations are relatively minor. I mostly enjoyed this fun book that flows almost like a movie with its high-octane dialogues and thrilling action scenes. (In fact, it would make a great movie!) At no point does this seem like a debut work. I am not sure if the author intends a sequel to the story, but if she does, I am certainly on board.
Definitely recommended to all middle-graders, as long as they realise that Mo needs to be emulated for all her positive traits but not in her negative tendencies. 😉
4.25 stars.
My thanks to the author, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Aladdin, and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Legendary Mo Seto”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
August 3, 2024
Mo wants to become a taekwondo champion. But right now that seems like a very far away dream as she keeps losing to her rival Dax.
When she finds out there are open auditions to star in a movie with movie star and martial artist Cody Kwok, she leaps on the opportunity. But her rival Dax also enters the auditions.
Then her dad goes missing. Her once biggest supporter who seemed to be drifting away from her lately. He was one of the reasons why she wanted to audition for the movie in the first place. To make him proud. And it seems there’s a big family secret he’s been hiding from her.
Mo is the kind of underdog protagonist who’s very easy to like and root for. And her character arc is executed almost perfectly. She may be small in stature but what she lacks in height, she makes up for with determination, spirit and heart. And her wanting to make her parents feel proud of her is a universal theme that anyone should be able to relate to. Another core theme I’d like to highlight here is the danger of lying and keeping secrets. Because once you start saying a little lie, it becomes easier to tell another lie. And those quickly add up.
The author has to be commended for the fight scenes. Those are harder to pull off than you might think. The fight scenes are exciting and dramatic without going overboard, and the author makes it look so easy. It’s also clear she wrote from personal fighting experience as they feel very authentic. Not just the fighting itself but also all the interesting little details surrounding the fight that elevate the fight scene as a whole.
The one big gripe I have is that Mo explicitly gets told not to do something by multiple people and for a very good and clear reason. And Mo’s like: I only promised not to tell anyone, but I can still show it to the whole world! Now, if the clues she’d been given about this had been subtle, you couldn’t exactly have blamed Mo for this. But since it’s repeated explicitly so many times, it does feel like Mo’s making a conscious decision purely motivated by her own selfishness. It’s on one hand a good character flaw that makes her even more relatable, especially for children. But on the other hand, it’s like “don’t feed the Gremlins after midnight.” If someone tells you not to do a very simple thing and you do it anyway, you kind of deserve what’s coming for you.
This is my jam! It’s fun and funny. It has a strong protagonist in every sense of the word. A fast and steady pace. Some good themes. And there are a lot of action scenes, fights, and a few twists and turns to keep you hooked from start to finish. A big thank you goes out to my friend Rosh for bringing this book to my attention.
When she finds out there are open auditions to star in a movie with movie star and martial artist Cody Kwok, she leaps on the opportunity. But her rival Dax also enters the auditions.
Then her dad goes missing. Her once biggest supporter who seemed to be drifting away from her lately. He was one of the reasons why she wanted to audition for the movie in the first place. To make him proud. And it seems there’s a big family secret he’s been hiding from her.
Mo is the kind of underdog protagonist who’s very easy to like and root for. And her character arc is executed almost perfectly. She may be small in stature but what she lacks in height, she makes up for with determination, spirit and heart. And her wanting to make her parents feel proud of her is a universal theme that anyone should be able to relate to. Another core theme I’d like to highlight here is the danger of lying and keeping secrets. Because once you start saying a little lie, it becomes easier to tell another lie. And those quickly add up.
The author has to be commended for the fight scenes. Those are harder to pull off than you might think. The fight scenes are exciting and dramatic without going overboard, and the author makes it look so easy. It’s also clear she wrote from personal fighting experience as they feel very authentic. Not just the fighting itself but also all the interesting little details surrounding the fight that elevate the fight scene as a whole.
The one big gripe I have is that Mo explicitly gets told not to do something by multiple people and for a very good and clear reason. And Mo’s like: I only promised not to tell anyone, but I can still show it to the whole world! Now, if the clues she’d been given about this had been subtle, you couldn’t exactly have blamed Mo for this. But since it’s repeated explicitly so many times, it does feel like Mo’s making a conscious decision purely motivated by her own selfishness. It’s on one hand a good character flaw that makes her even more relatable, especially for children. But on the other hand, it’s like “don’t feed the Gremlins after midnight.” If someone tells you not to do a very simple thing and you do it anyway, you kind of deserve what’s coming for you.
This is my jam! It’s fun and funny. It has a strong protagonist in every sense of the word. A fast and steady pace. Some good themes. And there are a lot of action scenes, fights, and a few twists and turns to keep you hooked from start to finish. A big thank you goes out to my friend Rosh for bringing this book to my attention.
August 16, 2024
The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan
4.5/5 stars
The Legendary Mo Seto is a brilliant, addictive, exciting and fast paced middle grade book. Even though I am nearly 36, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
The book starts with Modesty aka Mo taking part in a taekwondo tournament. Mo is a small but a skilled and tenacious fighter. But ever since Dax got a growth spurt she keeps losing to him. And is only raking in number two trophies. She is so disappointed. One thing that keeps her afloat is watching Cody Kwok movies. He is a skilled martial art actor who performs all of his own stunts. And he is her greatest hero.
At home things get a bit strange. Her father suddenly needs to go away for work and she can barely reach him.
Her best friend Nacho is a huge support to her. And supports her in all her endeavors. So when there are open auditions for the new Cody Kwok movie, he is right by her side. But things aren't easy. Dax is auditioning as well. And there is a height requirement she doesn't make. But that doesn't deter her.
And that is what this book is about. How can she prove to Cody and the movie people that she is the right fit? And why is her father so unavailable? And how does that all tie together with a book she finds at home? And why do her parents warn her away from the book?
I loved this story so much. In every chapter something was happening. And the character arc of one character was just brilliant to read.
And gramps is by faaaaaaaaaaaaar my favorite character! My goodness I love him to pieces! His will to love, to support and encourage had my heart thumping in my chest.
I love the themes of friendship, trust, forgiveness and openness in this book. I love how complex certain characters are. And how madly in love I fell with others. I think lots of middle graders are gonna love this book. And I think it's even a fun book for older people as well! It's very well written and super addictive.
The book has a few loose ends! So I hope there will be a sequel and I will happily go on Mo Seto's next adventure!
4.5 huge stars from me for this brilliant book!
4.5/5 stars
The Legendary Mo Seto is a brilliant, addictive, exciting and fast paced middle grade book. Even though I am nearly 36, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
The book starts with Modesty aka Mo taking part in a taekwondo tournament. Mo is a small but a skilled and tenacious fighter. But ever since Dax got a growth spurt she keeps losing to him. And is only raking in number two trophies. She is so disappointed. One thing that keeps her afloat is watching Cody Kwok movies. He is a skilled martial art actor who performs all of his own stunts. And he is her greatest hero.
At home things get a bit strange. Her father suddenly needs to go away for work and she can barely reach him.
Her best friend Nacho is a huge support to her. And supports her in all her endeavors. So when there are open auditions for the new Cody Kwok movie, he is right by her side. But things aren't easy. Dax is auditioning as well. And there is a height requirement she doesn't make. But that doesn't deter her.
And that is what this book is about. How can she prove to Cody and the movie people that she is the right fit? And why is her father so unavailable? And how does that all tie together with a book she finds at home? And why do her parents warn her away from the book?
I loved this story so much. In every chapter something was happening. And the character arc of one character was just brilliant to read.
And gramps is by faaaaaaaaaaaaar my favorite character! My goodness I love him to pieces! His will to love, to support and encourage had my heart thumping in my chest.
I love the themes of friendship, trust, forgiveness and openness in this book. I love how complex certain characters are. And how madly in love I fell with others. I think lots of middle graders are gonna love this book. And I think it's even a fun book for older people as well! It's very well written and super addictive.
The book has a few loose ends! So I hope there will be a sequel and I will happily go on Mo Seto's next adventure!
4.5 huge stars from me for this brilliant book!
April 23, 2024
Review: The Legendary Mo Seto by AY Chan
This middle grade novel is a delight! It’s a high impact, triple kick of a story full of action, lovable characters, and a heroine who inspires.
I’ve often read a lot of contemporary or historically based middle grade novels, but this is a fun fusion of fantasy and contemporary starring Mo Seto, a small taekwondo champion who learns the importance of being oneself and solves a mystery along the way.
This story will have you on the edge of your seat and make you want every pun shirt Mo’s best friend, Nacho, wears. Whether you read a lot of middle grade, a little bit, or have a middle grader who loves adventure and martial arts, I recommend preordering The Legendary Mo Seto or checking it out June 4th!
This middle grade novel is a delight! It’s a high impact, triple kick of a story full of action, lovable characters, and a heroine who inspires.
I’ve often read a lot of contemporary or historically based middle grade novels, but this is a fun fusion of fantasy and contemporary starring Mo Seto, a small taekwondo champion who learns the importance of being oneself and solves a mystery along the way.
This story will have you on the edge of your seat and make you want every pun shirt Mo’s best friend, Nacho, wears. Whether you read a lot of middle grade, a little bit, or have a middle grader who loves adventure and martial arts, I recommend preordering The Legendary Mo Seto or checking it out June 4th!
March 29, 2024
I received an ARC of The Legendary Mo Seto, and woowhee! It was a fun ride. It’s like being plopped down in the middle of a movie. The pace of this book was exciting and kept me more than entertained with the fun movie auditions plot and all the movie titles and quippy dialogue. I loved reading about the different types of martial arts, then seeing them come to life and in action and also the legend of the three sisters.
Mo and movie star Cody Kwok are such likeable and relatable characters - but hands down, I’m a total Sanjay-stan! As an educator, I highly recommend to middle grade readers and adults alike!
Mo and movie star Cody Kwok are such likeable and relatable characters - but hands down, I’m a total Sanjay-stan! As an educator, I highly recommend to middle grade readers and adults alike!
November 25, 2024
Mo Seto has always dreamt of being a taekwondo champion but has been coming in second place to her rival, Dax. She finds that there were open auditions to star in a movie by her very own martial arts idol, Cody Kwok and went ahead to auditions but was told that she was too small to be a part of it. Through sheer determination and some help of play-doh, oversize clothing and her bestie, Nachos she made it through the first round of auditions. As she goes through the rounds of auditions, family secrets begin to come into light making her doubt if this is what she really wants.
I adore Mo. She is such a determined and feisty little person that you cannot help but root for her due to her sheer grit and spirit to reach her goals. I just love that her Chinese culture is wonderfully rooted in this book from her relationship with her parents, to learning Chinese, martial arts and the legendary tales. She strives to make her dad proud of her especially when he wholeheartedly supports her goal in participating in taekwondo while her relationship with her mum is avoidable as her mum wants her to strive for other things more suitable to her due to her small size. I really love the author’s explorative moments to Mo’s relationship with her mother where while they are not always in harmony with one another, there are times where Mo and her mother have slivers of moments together and Mo gets to understand her mother more. This is a classical Chinese upbringing I can relate to where my parents would nag and scold because they love you but never outright say I love you.
The pacing and the plot is relatively fast. I love that the chapters are short with wonderfully quirky chapter headings. The supporting characters from Nacho, her bestie, Nacho’s gramps, Dax, and Sanjay and their interactions makes this such a fun and grippy book to read. I honestly COULD NOT STOP reading the book and was looking forward to what happens next. I also have to applaud the author for their descriptions of the fight scenes - it’s never an easy thing to do and I especially love their additions to some small elements of it to make it imaginable.
The heart of the story is seeing Mo overcome her insecurity of being small. I also like how the author explores how one small lie can turn into big lies and this can lead to more trouble than it’s worth and how determination can get you to your goals. Definitely worth reading for all ages!
It also seems that while this book ended wonderfully, the overarching story feels open-ended. Dare I say there might be Book 2 and possibly Book 3 in the works? Hehehe.
Big shout out to the author, A.Y Chan and Simon & Schuster for sending me a #gifted finished copy. I did annotate my version!
I adore Mo. She is such a determined and feisty little person that you cannot help but root for her due to her sheer grit and spirit to reach her goals. I just love that her Chinese culture is wonderfully rooted in this book from her relationship with her parents, to learning Chinese, martial arts and the legendary tales. She strives to make her dad proud of her especially when he wholeheartedly supports her goal in participating in taekwondo while her relationship with her mum is avoidable as her mum wants her to strive for other things more suitable to her due to her small size. I really love the author’s explorative moments to Mo’s relationship with her mother where while they are not always in harmony with one another, there are times where Mo and her mother have slivers of moments together and Mo gets to understand her mother more. This is a classical Chinese upbringing I can relate to where my parents would nag and scold because they love you but never outright say I love you.
The pacing and the plot is relatively fast. I love that the chapters are short with wonderfully quirky chapter headings. The supporting characters from Nacho, her bestie, Nacho’s gramps, Dax, and Sanjay and their interactions makes this such a fun and grippy book to read. I honestly COULD NOT STOP reading the book and was looking forward to what happens next. I also have to applaud the author for their descriptions of the fight scenes - it’s never an easy thing to do and I especially love their additions to some small elements of it to make it imaginable.
The heart of the story is seeing Mo overcome her insecurity of being small. I also like how the author explores how one small lie can turn into big lies and this can lead to more trouble than it’s worth and how determination can get you to your goals. Definitely worth reading for all ages!
It also seems that while this book ended wonderfully, the overarching story feels open-ended. Dare I say there might be Book 2 and possibly Book 3 in the works? Hehehe.
Big shout out to the author, A.Y Chan and Simon & Schuster for sending me a #gifted finished copy. I did annotate my version!
August 19, 2024
This review was originally posted on my blog https://booksare42.com/
Thank you to the Write Reads for organizing this tour and for providing me with the materials for it. Thank you to the publisher (Aladdin Books) for providing me with a digital copy of this book for the blog tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for a fun middle-grade book full of action and adventure, The Legendary Mo Seto is the book for you!
The Legendary Mo Seto follows Modesty (Mo) Seto as she tries to land a role in a martial arts movie. Unfortunately for Mo, there are quite a few obstacles in her way, including not meeting the minimum height requirement for the role. With help from her best friend Nacho, Mo perseveres and works hard to try to land the role.
The Legendary Mo Seto has some great messages in it about bravery, perseverance, believing in yourself, friendship, that size isn’t everything, and how things aren’t always what they seem. This book has some great character development and it was fun seeing Mo’s personal growth throughout the story.
This book had some very loveable characters that I was rooting for along the way. I wanted Mo to succeed. I loved her friendship with Nacho. I also loved learning more about some of the secondary character and how Mo’s relationship with them evolved throughout the book.
This book also had a bit of a fun mystery element to it. Something weird is going on with Mo’s dad and she doesn’t know what’s it is. She also found a mysterious book in her basement that outlines a mysterious martial art. When she asks her dad about it, he evades her questions and forbids her from learning more about it. On top of all of that, weird things keep on happening on the film set. These elements made me want to keep reading to find out how they were connected and to find out what was going on.
The Legendary Mo Seto was also full of lots of fun action scenes. I enjoyed the martial art scenes and how dedicated Mo was to learning and trying to be the best. This book had some adventure elements to it and they did not disappoint.
Overall, The Legendary Mo Seto is a fun middle-grade book. It’s full of lovable characters and it has plenty of action to keep readers on their toes, wondering what will happen next.
Thank you to the Write Reads for organizing this tour and for providing me with the materials for it. Thank you to the publisher (Aladdin Books) for providing me with a digital copy of this book for the blog tour. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’re looking for a fun middle-grade book full of action and adventure, The Legendary Mo Seto is the book for you!
The Legendary Mo Seto follows Modesty (Mo) Seto as she tries to land a role in a martial arts movie. Unfortunately for Mo, there are quite a few obstacles in her way, including not meeting the minimum height requirement for the role. With help from her best friend Nacho, Mo perseveres and works hard to try to land the role.
The Legendary Mo Seto has some great messages in it about bravery, perseverance, believing in yourself, friendship, that size isn’t everything, and how things aren’t always what they seem. This book has some great character development and it was fun seeing Mo’s personal growth throughout the story.
This book had some very loveable characters that I was rooting for along the way. I wanted Mo to succeed. I loved her friendship with Nacho. I also loved learning more about some of the secondary character and how Mo’s relationship with them evolved throughout the book.
This book also had a bit of a fun mystery element to it. Something weird is going on with Mo’s dad and she doesn’t know what’s it is. She also found a mysterious book in her basement that outlines a mysterious martial art. When she asks her dad about it, he evades her questions and forbids her from learning more about it. On top of all of that, weird things keep on happening on the film set. These elements made me want to keep reading to find out how they were connected and to find out what was going on.
The Legendary Mo Seto was also full of lots of fun action scenes. I enjoyed the martial art scenes and how dedicated Mo was to learning and trying to be the best. This book had some adventure elements to it and they did not disappoint.
Overall, The Legendary Mo Seto is a fun middle-grade book. It’s full of lovable characters and it has plenty of action to keep readers on their toes, wondering what will happen next.
December 23, 2024
Mo Seto, martial arts movie star! Has a nice ring to it doesn't it? If only there wasn't a height restriction to audition. But 12-year-old Modesty (Mo) Seto has never let her height get in the way before, not when she became a black belt, or when she fought the meanest boy in her class, and she's not going to let it stop her this time! Now if only she can figure out a way to grow five inches and fool everyone at the auditions... Join Mo on an adventure (and audition) of a lifetime and find out if powerful things really do come in small packages!
About the Author:
A.Y. Chan is the author of The Legendary Mo Seto, a story about a 12-year-old female martial artist who auditions for a movie role opposite her favorite martial arts movie hero—only to find out she's too small for the role. Growing up in Canada's Greater Toronto Area, A.Y. read all the middle grade and young adult books she could get her hands on. To this day, those remain her favorite genres. After achieving her black belt in Taekwondo, she explored a range of other types of martial arts, and she draws upon her experiences in learning new techniques and philosophies to inspire her writing. These days, she continues her martial arts training some mornings, writes in the afternoons, takes long walks to muddle out plot points, and falls asleep reading.
Why I wrote this book:
I started training in taekwondo when I was six and, growing up, I longed to read books about kick-butt girls doing kick-butt things, but there really weren't as many as I had hoped for. The idea for this book has been percolating in my head ever since. I wish to inspire kids not only to be brave and never give up, but also to be proud of who they are.
My inspiration for my story came from a real city-wide competition, where, like Mo, my protagonist, I faced off against a bigger, stronger boy during the final match. At that time, pairings were determined by belt-level and age, not by weight class. I ended up losing. I remember feeling so crushed by my second-place finish, and I kept replaying the fight in my head, wondering what I could have done differently.
I was also inspired by martial arts movies—especially the stunt actors and body doubles, and the thugs in the background serving as punching bags for the protagonist. As an introvert, I never wanted to be the main character...but to get beat up by the main character? That seemed awesome. After achieving my black belt in Taekwondo, I explored other types of martial arts and came away with an appreciation for the similarities and differences in the different forms, and how each has a unique philosophy linking the physical to the mental (and spiritual). Martial arts is about discipline and practice, but it's also about respect (for oneself and for others) and integrity. And, of course, indomitable spirit, the all-encompassing light within us all that shines with determination and hope and an unshakable optimism for a brighter tomorrow.
Best,
A.Y.
This was such a light easy read. And while I have recently been ill it was a perfect pick me up book that got me through it all.
About the Author:
A.Y. Chan is the author of The Legendary Mo Seto, a story about a 12-year-old female martial artist who auditions for a movie role opposite her favorite martial arts movie hero—only to find out she's too small for the role. Growing up in Canada's Greater Toronto Area, A.Y. read all the middle grade and young adult books she could get her hands on. To this day, those remain her favorite genres. After achieving her black belt in Taekwondo, she explored a range of other types of martial arts, and she draws upon her experiences in learning new techniques and philosophies to inspire her writing. These days, she continues her martial arts training some mornings, writes in the afternoons, takes long walks to muddle out plot points, and falls asleep reading.
Why I wrote this book:
I started training in taekwondo when I was six and, growing up, I longed to read books about kick-butt girls doing kick-butt things, but there really weren't as many as I had hoped for. The idea for this book has been percolating in my head ever since. I wish to inspire kids not only to be brave and never give up, but also to be proud of who they are.
My inspiration for my story came from a real city-wide competition, where, like Mo, my protagonist, I faced off against a bigger, stronger boy during the final match. At that time, pairings were determined by belt-level and age, not by weight class. I ended up losing. I remember feeling so crushed by my second-place finish, and I kept replaying the fight in my head, wondering what I could have done differently.
I was also inspired by martial arts movies—especially the stunt actors and body doubles, and the thugs in the background serving as punching bags for the protagonist. As an introvert, I never wanted to be the main character...but to get beat up by the main character? That seemed awesome. After achieving my black belt in Taekwondo, I explored other types of martial arts and came away with an appreciation for the similarities and differences in the different forms, and how each has a unique philosophy linking the physical to the mental (and spiritual). Martial arts is about discipline and practice, but it's also about respect (for oneself and for others) and integrity. And, of course, indomitable spirit, the all-encompassing light within us all that shines with determination and hope and an unshakable optimism for a brighter tomorrow.
Best,
A.Y.
This was such a light easy read. And while I have recently been ill it was a perfect pick me up book that got me through it all.
April 19, 2024
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the ARC copy of this novel!
The Legendary Mo Seto gives the vibes of Mulan and Shang Chi and the Ten Rings. It was incredibly fun to read, and hard to put down because I always wanted to know what happened next. Mo is fierce, and her character shows that you don’t need to be tall to do great things.
I’ll definitely be buying copies of this for my nieces.
The Legendary Mo Seto gives the vibes of Mulan and Shang Chi and the Ten Rings. It was incredibly fun to read, and hard to put down because I always wanted to know what happened next. Mo is fierce, and her character shows that you don’t need to be tall to do great things.
I’ll definitely be buying copies of this for my nieces.
October 23, 2025
This was an action packed adventure story for middle grade readers. I was invested in Mo's journey to be a champion. The Chinese culture was rich through this story as well. I loved the progression of Mo's character and felt her journey was relatable. This was a solid, entertaining read.
June 5, 2024
In the blistering heat of summer, young Modesty Seto gives her all to become an expert Tae Kwon Do martial artist. But due to her diminutive size, Mo constantly finds challenges her peers do not face, as she constantly battles opponents much bigger and stronger than she is. Wracked with emotion after yet another failed battle, and her parents’ seeming disappointment in her skills, everything seems sideways for Mo. But everything changes when a chance to star in a movie alongside her favorite action hero, Cody Kwok, appears. With her best friend Nacho by her side, Mo attempts to tackle her feelings of failure and impress her parents by getting the part. However, there is much more to Mo’s family history than she ever could have realized, as the tiny 12-year-old finds herself drawn ever deeper into a web of mysteries and lies.
The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan is nothing short of exceptional. I cannot remember the last time I had this much unbridled fun while reading a middle-grade novel. A cross between a Jackie Chan film, a Bollywood action movie, and a family-friendly flick, this is a real page-turner where the action never stops. The book is written in first-person present tense, which threw me at first. However, after reading a few pages, I found that the perspective works well, as I found myself fully immersed in Mo’s world. I liked it that Mo is a movie buff, and I loved how well martial arts are represented in the book.
Another high point is that the cast is incredibly diverse. Nacho, Mo’s best friend, is always there for her, and adorable little Sanjay reminded me of one of my younger family members. Mo’s mom is highly nuanced, and Cody Kwok’s dark secret was one of the best parts of the narrative. I was able to see some of the twists in the plot coming, while others completely surprised me, and the story itself is both highly intelligent and extremely entertaining.
The only issue I had with the story at all was that one of the characters went to some pretty extreme lengths to achieve their goal. While the character’s motivation made perfect sense, there were actual crimes committed and people injured, and the character faces absolutely no consequences in the wrap-up phase, which I found a bit odd. However, the rest of the story is just great, and I loved the Chinese culture that pervades this truly incredible tale of overcoming the odds. Though Mo faces many setbacks, she faces each new day with her incredible determination, proving Master Yoda’s statement that “size matters not”.
A thrilling tale of martial arts, the true nature of people, and accepting yourself for who you are, this exciting narrative is perfect for readers 12 and up who love action, adventure, and rooting for the underdog. This story contains violence, blood, dangerous situations, and danger/injury to minors. Great for readers who love cinematic narratives that pull you out of your world, this awesome story earns five out of five stars for its excellent storytelling, compelling plot, and incredible characters with exceptional depth.
May 25, 2024
The only bad thing about The Legendary Mo Seto is that it didn’t come out when I was younger. This would have been exactly the type of book I would have been carrying around in middle school and, let’s be honest, high school as well. But despite reading it in college, I still loved it all the same. And that’s exactly the point. It’s not only a great MG story, it’s simply a great story.
A. Y. Chan’s debut is a beautiful blend of fun characters, mystery, and martial arts, with a touch of magic. It’s a story about determination, struggling to live up to parental expectations, and friendship.
Mo was a great protagonist. I particularly loved the sheer determination she had despite everything working against her. In general, there wasn’t a single character I didn’t like or felt didn’t belong in the story. I think the dialogue definitely played a part in my enjoyment of the characters. It was snappy, intelligent, and often made me laugh out loud.
This is definitely a “just one more chapter” type of book. I kept reading simply because I wanted to know what the next chapter’s title was going to be, but there would be something interesting going on, and I had to read one more chapter. The cycle kept repeating itself late into the night. Another reason I couldn’t put the book down was the mystery, which I wasn’t expecting. There is a surprising amount of intrigue in The Legendary Mo Seto as Mo uncovers the secrets of her family, with each revelation being more awesome than the previous one and having an immediate effect on the plot.
Another thing I really appreciated about this book was the cultural aspects. Even as an adult, I walked away from the story having learned so much about Chinese-American culture. Aside from the linguistic aspects—which were very educational—I found myself eager to learn more about the family dynamics, traditions, and questions surrounding identity. As a son of immigrants myself, this part really resonated with me.
The Legendary Mo Seto is a fantastic debut by A. Y. Chan. It’s a must-read for anyone looking for an exciting adventure and an incredibly courageous protagonist.
Sidenote: I need an animated version of this book, and I need it now. Please!
A. Y. Chan’s debut is a beautiful blend of fun characters, mystery, and martial arts, with a touch of magic. It’s a story about determination, struggling to live up to parental expectations, and friendship.
Mo was a great protagonist. I particularly loved the sheer determination she had despite everything working against her. In general, there wasn’t a single character I didn’t like or felt didn’t belong in the story. I think the dialogue definitely played a part in my enjoyment of the characters. It was snappy, intelligent, and often made me laugh out loud.
This is definitely a “just one more chapter” type of book. I kept reading simply because I wanted to know what the next chapter’s title was going to be, but there would be something interesting going on, and I had to read one more chapter. The cycle kept repeating itself late into the night. Another reason I couldn’t put the book down was the mystery, which I wasn’t expecting. There is a surprising amount of intrigue in The Legendary Mo Seto as Mo uncovers the secrets of her family, with each revelation being more awesome than the previous one and having an immediate effect on the plot.
Another thing I really appreciated about this book was the cultural aspects. Even as an adult, I walked away from the story having learned so much about Chinese-American culture. Aside from the linguistic aspects—which were very educational—I found myself eager to learn more about the family dynamics, traditions, and questions surrounding identity. As a son of immigrants myself, this part really resonated with me.
The Legendary Mo Seto is a fantastic debut by A. Y. Chan. It’s a must-read for anyone looking for an exciting adventure and an incredibly courageous protagonist.
Sidenote: I need an animated version of this book, and I need it now. Please!
July 1, 2024
Middle school me would have fan-girled over this book. I felt an instant connection to the main character Mo, as I was the only girl in the martial arts dojo I attended as a kid and also very small (still am 😑). Even as an adult, I found myself completely engrossed in the story, racing through the pages, unable to put it down. The plot was filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making me say "Just one more chapter!" as I read way past my bedtime. I really enjoyed the portrayal of different martial arts styles and Chinese history in the book. It was presented in a way that was entertaining for young readers but also had enough depth for adults to appreciate.
Mo's character is truly inspiring for young girls who are constantly told that they can't do things because they're "too small". I firmly believe that even small people can achieve big things, albeit in their own unique way, and Mo's journey perfectly encapsulates this.
I think the character Dax, who is Mo's rival, is important for young readers as it shows that the seemingly "cool guy" who has everything might not actually have it all, and that showing kindness can break down their walls and lead to a great friendship or at least a common understanding.
Mo's relationship with her best friend Nacho is also noteworthy because they stand by each other even when they disagree. After a disagreement, they apologized and continued their friendship, which is a valuable lesson in today's world where friendships often end due to unresolved arguments. I really liked Nacho as a character, and if he were real, I would definitely want to be friends with him (his quirky t-shirts are just legendary 😆).
The ending of the book was very satisfying and well-paced. The mystery was solved, burning questions were answered, and there was just enough room for a sequel without leaving us on a frustrating cliffhanger. I highly recommend this book to any middle-grade reader looking for a unique mystery and adventure. Happy reading! 📚
Key Features:
- Suitable for middle-grade readers
- Strong female MC
- A classic whodunnit mystery with a modern twist
- Martial arts history
*Special thanks to A.Y. Chan for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Mo's character is truly inspiring for young girls who are constantly told that they can't do things because they're "too small". I firmly believe that even small people can achieve big things, albeit in their own unique way, and Mo's journey perfectly encapsulates this.
I think the character Dax, who is Mo's rival, is important for young readers as it shows that the seemingly "cool guy" who has everything might not actually have it all, and that showing kindness can break down their walls and lead to a great friendship or at least a common understanding.
Mo's relationship with her best friend Nacho is also noteworthy because they stand by each other even when they disagree. After a disagreement, they apologized and continued their friendship, which is a valuable lesson in today's world where friendships often end due to unresolved arguments. I really liked Nacho as a character, and if he were real, I would definitely want to be friends with him (his quirky t-shirts are just legendary 😆).
The ending of the book was very satisfying and well-paced. The mystery was solved, burning questions were answered, and there was just enough room for a sequel without leaving us on a frustrating cliffhanger. I highly recommend this book to any middle-grade reader looking for a unique mystery and adventure. Happy reading! 📚
Key Features:
- Suitable for middle-grade readers
- Strong female MC
- A classic whodunnit mystery with a modern twist
- Martial arts history
*Special thanks to A.Y. Chan for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review*
August 25, 2024
Thank you to The Write Reads and the publisher for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions contained within are my own.
One thing I love about a middle grade novel is the level of fun that infused into the book. I always go in hoping for a good time and, usually, I’m treated to a good experience. The Legendary Mo Seto was no exception! It was an action-filled story that had me engaged from page one!
The story follows a young girl named Modesty Seto. Mo has a black belt in Taekwondo but, lately, he size has started to be a disadvantage. She can’t seem to beat her main rival, Dax, and Mo is certain it’s because she is so small. On top of that, she’s afraid that her constant second place finishes are driving her father away. He seems distant is always out of town on business trips. So when she sees a poster advertising for a tryout for the movie role of a lifetime, starring next to her long time idol, Cody Kwok, she knows this is her opportunity to get back on top. And after discovering a mysterious book filled with special martial arts moves, she thinks she has a fighting chance.
I’m gonna keep saying it, but this book is so much fun! It was a good time from beginning to end and had me absolutely wrapped up in the story. I loved the action and how it read like a movie. I loved the inclusion of the martial arts. And I especially loved the quick peek into the movie business and Mo was striving to land her role of a lifetime!
My absolutely favorite part of this book, though, was Mo. What an incredible character! She was such a joy to follow as she learned that, even though she’s small, it doesn’t mean she can’t be mighty. Mo’s personality practically leapt off the page! It made reading this book so enjoyable because I loved reading from her perspective. She’s feisty, quick-witted, and a wonderful role model for young girls. All the other characters were well-written, as well, but Mo was definitely my favorite!
Overall, this was an incredible read that had great characters, lots of action, and a beautiful message interwoven throughout the story. I highly recommend for anyone looking for a quick, exciting read!
One thing I love about a middle grade novel is the level of fun that infused into the book. I always go in hoping for a good time and, usually, I’m treated to a good experience. The Legendary Mo Seto was no exception! It was an action-filled story that had me engaged from page one!
The story follows a young girl named Modesty Seto. Mo has a black belt in Taekwondo but, lately, he size has started to be a disadvantage. She can’t seem to beat her main rival, Dax, and Mo is certain it’s because she is so small. On top of that, she’s afraid that her constant second place finishes are driving her father away. He seems distant is always out of town on business trips. So when she sees a poster advertising for a tryout for the movie role of a lifetime, starring next to her long time idol, Cody Kwok, she knows this is her opportunity to get back on top. And after discovering a mysterious book filled with special martial arts moves, she thinks she has a fighting chance.
I’m gonna keep saying it, but this book is so much fun! It was a good time from beginning to end and had me absolutely wrapped up in the story. I loved the action and how it read like a movie. I loved the inclusion of the martial arts. And I especially loved the quick peek into the movie business and Mo was striving to land her role of a lifetime!
My absolutely favorite part of this book, though, was Mo. What an incredible character! She was such a joy to follow as she learned that, even though she’s small, it doesn’t mean she can’t be mighty. Mo’s personality practically leapt off the page! It made reading this book so enjoyable because I loved reading from her perspective. She’s feisty, quick-witted, and a wonderful role model for young girls. All the other characters were well-written, as well, but Mo was definitely my favorite!
Overall, this was an incredible read that had great characters, lots of action, and a beautiful message interwoven throughout the story. I highly recommend for anyone looking for a quick, exciting read!
Read
August 21, 2024I received an ARC copy and am leaving this review voluntarily.
A. Y. Chan’s The Legendary Mo Seto captivates with its dynamic cover featuring a martial arts heroine against a dramatic moonlit backdrop, symbolizing Mo’s journey from self-doubt to legendary status.
The novel shines in its portrayal of Mo’s steadfast friend, Nacho, whose unwavering support highlights the true essence of friendship. Chan skillfully weaves themes of self-acceptance, the significance of role models, and the impact of a father figure into Mo’s story.
The narrative unfolds with gripping tension, driven by Mo’s disguised auditions and her father’s elusive behaviour. Chan’s accessible writing style, infused with authentic martial arts knowledge, promises middle graders an engaging and thoughtful read.
As Mo discovers that true heroes often come from unexpected places, readers are left reflecting on the true nature of heroism and personal growth.
Please read the complete review on my blog: https://readorrot.com/the-legendary-m...
A. Y. Chan’s The Legendary Mo Seto captivates with its dynamic cover featuring a martial arts heroine against a dramatic moonlit backdrop, symbolizing Mo’s journey from self-doubt to legendary status.
The novel shines in its portrayal of Mo’s steadfast friend, Nacho, whose unwavering support highlights the true essence of friendship. Chan skillfully weaves themes of self-acceptance, the significance of role models, and the impact of a father figure into Mo’s story.
The narrative unfolds with gripping tension, driven by Mo’s disguised auditions and her father’s elusive behaviour. Chan’s accessible writing style, infused with authentic martial arts knowledge, promises middle graders an engaging and thoughtful read.
As Mo discovers that true heroes often come from unexpected places, readers are left reflecting on the true nature of heroism and personal growth.
Please read the complete review on my blog: https://readorrot.com/the-legendary-m...
May 5, 2025
I'd like to first thank the author and publisher for my beautiful hard cover review copy. I'm certainly not the target audience for this book, as it's middle grade and meant for readers aged 8 - 12, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy it! It was fast paced and entertaining and I think young readers will really enjoy it.
It does take a bit to get into the action, but once we do, it's jam packed. It's about a young girl, very interested in martial arts who gets the chance of a lifetime to audition for a movie featuring her favourite actor and martial arts icon. But she always worries about her size. Her competitors in every competition are bigger, taller and stronger than her and in worrying, she tends to hold herself back a bit.
I love how she finally went for it and gave it her all. Throw in a little bit of mystery, a secret society, and a powerful book of ancient martial arts techniques and you've got a pretty entertaining read! It's a story about friendship, family, finding yourself, being proud of your heritage, believing in yourself and finding the joy in being exactly who you are.
It does take a bit to get into the action, but once we do, it's jam packed. It's about a young girl, very interested in martial arts who gets the chance of a lifetime to audition for a movie featuring her favourite actor and martial arts icon. But she always worries about her size. Her competitors in every competition are bigger, taller and stronger than her and in worrying, she tends to hold herself back a bit.
I love how she finally went for it and gave it her all. Throw in a little bit of mystery, a secret society, and a powerful book of ancient martial arts techniques and you've got a pretty entertaining read! It's a story about friendship, family, finding yourself, being proud of your heritage, believing in yourself and finding the joy in being exactly who you are.
August 17, 2024
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S THE LEGENDARY MO SETO ABOUT?
This is one of those books that I could easily tell you everything in my enthusiasm, but that'd take away the need for you to read the book—and Chan's much more entertaining than I could be. So, I'll try to keep it to the essentials.
Modesty (please call her Mo) Seto is a devoted student of taekwondo and has been competing—and dominating—in competitions for years. But a fellow student recently hit a growth spurt that passed Mo by and he has started to beat her in competitions. This is getting to her, it's just not fair. After coming in second to him (again), she sees a call for open auditions for people in her age range for a role in an upcoming martial arts movie starring her favorite movie star/martial artist in the world.
Technically, Mo is too short for their requirements—the height issue again, will she ever just grow? She comes up with a cunning plan* to get into the auditions anyway with the help of her best friend and his grandfather posing as her guardian. Why a faux grandfather? There's no way that her mother would allow her to do anything like this and her father is away on a sudden business trip and isn't communicating with Mo or her mother the way he usually would.
* Slightly more elaborate than anything Clark Kent has tried, and just as believable. Just roll with it.
We follow Mo through the audition process—which starts to take on unexpected peril as the set becomes plagued by threats and unexpected problems—possibly caused by sabotage. Oh, yeah, and her classmate/rival is also going up for the part.
Can Mo get the part without the truth being discovered? Will Mo be disillusioned by seeing behind the Movie Magic? Will Mo's dad start responding to her? And what's up with this old book with a little-known martial arts form Mo just found in her basement? More importantly, can she use any of it to her advantage?
THE BTS STUFF
Let's get this out of the way: This is an MG Novel, not Cinéma vérité. There's no way that the auditions can work the way portrayed in the novel—especially when it comes to kids. It is impossible that any of Mo's antics and hijinks to get her into—much less stay in—the auditions would work. If you're looking for accuracy and an honest look at making martial arts movies with actors under 18, look elsewhere.
That said, there's enough of a flavor of Hollywood to all of this to work. The attitudes of the casting people—the shallowness of the initial assessments, the stress of the director, the attitude toward the fight choreographer/stunt professionals, and so on—really feel like what you expect. They're entertaining enough that you really don't care how realistic things might be, too—feeling about right is good enough.
For my money, the best part of this is watching Cody Kwok in action and how everyone reacts to him. Kwok is a Jackie Chan-esque figure (only younger). He's known for doing his own stunts—many of which are just incredible—as well as not being tied down to any one genre (but making them all, eventually, about martial arts). Kwok, his entourage, and the film's executives know what they're doing when it comes to preserving his image and promoting it, and the auditioning kids (and media) see exactly what they're supposed to. Chan does an excellent job portraying both that and showing the reader that the Superstar's image might not really be the truth.
CHARACTERS WHO AREN'T MO
There's a really strong cast of supporting characters who are as engaging as you want, I want to touch on just a few of them because it'd be too easy just to talk about Mo, and that's not giving Chan's work the credit it needs.
Mo's rivals in the auditions are largely bullies when it comes to Mo (and some of the others), but they're not all that bad. They're just adolescent twerps who are probably covering up insecurities (well, a couple of them are entitled jerks who are on their way to being 80s movie villains)—the way they treat Mo is bad enough so you don't make the mistake of liking them, can root for Mo against them, but you're not going to worry about what they'll do to her.
On the other hand, you get Mo's friends who just make you like her more—if someone as cool as Nacho (real name, Ignacio) is her best friend, she must be pretty cool herself. And Nacho is cool—he's supportive, understanding, artistic, and nerdy in all the ways that Mo isn't. Mo's a little too hyper-focused on herself at the moment, but Nacho gets it and is willing to wait for her.
His grandfather is a hoot. Gramps is an honorary grandparent to Mo, as well as Nacho's actual grandfather. He's recently widowed and lonely, but he hasn't let it get him down—at least not in front of the kids. He's a loving and goofy character who really comes through for Nacho and Mo—he's the kind of grandfather I'd like to be.
One of the auditioners who befriends Mo is named Sanjay. I hope they find a way to bring him back for the rest of the books in the series. He's apparently pretty good at karate and is as gregarious as the others are antagonistic. He's one of those kids who cannot stop talking once he starts and is not self-aware enough to realize he's doing it or how people react to him. He'd probably be pretty annoying in real life but as a comic relief character? He's great.
Lastly—Mo's parents. Parents in MG novels are so tricky to get right (I've often thought), and Chan gets it right. Not just the characters, but how they treat Mo—and how Mo sees them and how they treat her. Mo's dad introduced her to taekwondo and Cody Kwok. He's her biggest fan and source of encouragement—he also pushes her (generally) in the way she needs to keep going. When he's not there, the impact on Mo's confidence and emotions cannot be overstated.
Things are complicated with her mother. Mom comes close to being a stereotype, at least the way the narration describes her. But I'm not sure she is, essentially they don't get each other—from Mo's perspective, her Mom doesn't like who Mo is. She doesn't want a daughter into taekwondo (especially not to the near-obsessive level Mo is), but would rather she pursued something more acceptable, like dancing and Chinese immersion camp, a dainty academic superstar in the waiting. The reader will see that Mo's not understanding her mother quite right, but there's nothing malicious in it. It's just a tricky mother/daughter dynamic (that appears to be starting to work itself out).
MO HERSELF
In case I gave the wrong impression when I talked about Nacho, Mo is a cool person, but since we see the whole book from her point of view, it might seem biased. Mo is a confident, optimistic, go-getter. The fact that she's probably not going to keep growing past her 4'9" stature while everyone around her (especially Dax) is still growing, isn't doing her esteem any favors. Her recent tournament loss is doing a number on her—she's upset that Dax's size puts her at a disadvantage and is ready to give up, but she's also so determined that she just can't. Chan portraying both competing impulses is a tricky proposition, but she pulls it off.
The chance to work with Kwok is the opportunity of a lifetime for Mo. She's re-read his autobiography a few times (can quote portions of it), and has watched countless interviews—she knows him as well as anyone who hasn't met him can (and as well as many people who have met him could). She's such a superfan that it's hard not to want to see a few Kwok movies yourself. When she describes one of his films, she always introduces it as "my favorite Cody Kwok movie"—it doesn't matter which one she's talking about. It's a tiny touch, but I loved it. Her enthusiasm is infectious.
Actually, not just her enthusiasm for Kwok—but for everything. Her despondency is a little catching, too, and comes when it should. But her personality can't stay down for long. She grows a lot over the course of the novel*—as she needs to, it's the point of adolescence anyway. But she also has plenty of room to grow, and that's easy to see, too. It'll be fun watching that over the rest of the series.
* That's growth in terms of character. Much to her chagrin, she's as tall at the end of the summer as she was at the beginning.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE LEGENDARY MO SETO?
I had about as much fun as is permitted by law while reading this.
Sure, it's an MG book, so I'm a few decades older than the target audience. I guessed almost all of the big reveals (I think attentive MG readers will get most of them, too), I'm pretty sure I know how the next two books are going to go, and I rolled my eyes at some of the sillier aspects of the book. That's not a problem with Chan's writing—I think it means she hit her target. The fact that she was able to write for them while keeping an old guy like me entertained is to be commended.
This is a fast, engaging read that will entice readers from the jump and keep them turning pages (likely with a grin) almost as fast as Mo can dash around. Older readers will want to adopt Mo and Nacho as kid siblings (or false grandparents), and younger readers will want to be like Mo—and hang out with her friends. As good as the story and the writing are (and Chan's subtle prose is deceptively easy)—readers are going to walk away from this book thinking primarily of this determined and brave girl, who will muster up whatever she has to in order to get a shot at her dreams.
I'm leaving things out that I should be saying, I know I am—but I can't think of what they are at the moment. So be sure to see what other people on the Tour are saying. So let me just wrap up by saying that for the young or young-at-heart reader, this is a sure-fire win.
---
WHAT'S THE LEGENDARY MO SETO ABOUT?
This is one of those books that I could easily tell you everything in my enthusiasm, but that'd take away the need for you to read the book—and Chan's much more entertaining than I could be. So, I'll try to keep it to the essentials.
Modesty (please call her Mo) Seto is a devoted student of taekwondo and has been competing—and dominating—in competitions for years. But a fellow student recently hit a growth spurt that passed Mo by and he has started to beat her in competitions. This is getting to her, it's just not fair. After coming in second to him (again), she sees a call for open auditions for people in her age range for a role in an upcoming martial arts movie starring her favorite movie star/martial artist in the world.
Technically, Mo is too short for their requirements—the height issue again, will she ever just grow? She comes up with a cunning plan* to get into the auditions anyway with the help of her best friend and his grandfather posing as her guardian. Why a faux grandfather? There's no way that her mother would allow her to do anything like this and her father is away on a sudden business trip and isn't communicating with Mo or her mother the way he usually would.
* Slightly more elaborate than anything Clark Kent has tried, and just as believable. Just roll with it.
We follow Mo through the audition process—which starts to take on unexpected peril as the set becomes plagued by threats and unexpected problems—possibly caused by sabotage. Oh, yeah, and her classmate/rival is also going up for the part.
Can Mo get the part without the truth being discovered? Will Mo be disillusioned by seeing behind the Movie Magic? Will Mo's dad start responding to her? And what's up with this old book with a little-known martial arts form Mo just found in her basement? More importantly, can she use any of it to her advantage?
THE BTS STUFF
Let's get this out of the way: This is an MG Novel, not Cinéma vérité. There's no way that the auditions can work the way portrayed in the novel—especially when it comes to kids. It is impossible that any of Mo's antics and hijinks to get her into—much less stay in—the auditions would work. If you're looking for accuracy and an honest look at making martial arts movies with actors under 18, look elsewhere.
That said, there's enough of a flavor of Hollywood to all of this to work. The attitudes of the casting people—the shallowness of the initial assessments, the stress of the director, the attitude toward the fight choreographer/stunt professionals, and so on—really feel like what you expect. They're entertaining enough that you really don't care how realistic things might be, too—feeling about right is good enough.
For my money, the best part of this is watching Cody Kwok in action and how everyone reacts to him. Kwok is a Jackie Chan-esque figure (only younger). He's known for doing his own stunts—many of which are just incredible—as well as not being tied down to any one genre (but making them all, eventually, about martial arts). Kwok, his entourage, and the film's executives know what they're doing when it comes to preserving his image and promoting it, and the auditioning kids (and media) see exactly what they're supposed to. Chan does an excellent job portraying both that and showing the reader that the Superstar's image might not really be the truth.
CHARACTERS WHO AREN'T MO
There's a really strong cast of supporting characters who are as engaging as you want, I want to touch on just a few of them because it'd be too easy just to talk about Mo, and that's not giving Chan's work the credit it needs.
Mo's rivals in the auditions are largely bullies when it comes to Mo (and some of the others), but they're not all that bad. They're just adolescent twerps who are probably covering up insecurities (well, a couple of them are entitled jerks who are on their way to being 80s movie villains)—the way they treat Mo is bad enough so you don't make the mistake of liking them, can root for Mo against them, but you're not going to worry about what they'll do to her.
On the other hand, you get Mo's friends who just make you like her more—if someone as cool as Nacho (real name, Ignacio) is her best friend, she must be pretty cool herself. And Nacho is cool—he's supportive, understanding, artistic, and nerdy in all the ways that Mo isn't. Mo's a little too hyper-focused on herself at the moment, but Nacho gets it and is willing to wait for her.
His grandfather is a hoot. Gramps is an honorary grandparent to Mo, as well as Nacho's actual grandfather. He's recently widowed and lonely, but he hasn't let it get him down—at least not in front of the kids. He's a loving and goofy character who really comes through for Nacho and Mo—he's the kind of grandfather I'd like to be.
One of the auditioners who befriends Mo is named Sanjay. I hope they find a way to bring him back for the rest of the books in the series. He's apparently pretty good at karate and is as gregarious as the others are antagonistic. He's one of those kids who cannot stop talking once he starts and is not self-aware enough to realize he's doing it or how people react to him. He'd probably be pretty annoying in real life but as a comic relief character? He's great.
Lastly—Mo's parents. Parents in MG novels are so tricky to get right (I've often thought), and Chan gets it right. Not just the characters, but how they treat Mo—and how Mo sees them and how they treat her. Mo's dad introduced her to taekwondo and Cody Kwok. He's her biggest fan and source of encouragement—he also pushes her (generally) in the way she needs to keep going. When he's not there, the impact on Mo's confidence and emotions cannot be overstated.
Things are complicated with her mother. Mom comes close to being a stereotype, at least the way the narration describes her. But I'm not sure she is, essentially they don't get each other—from Mo's perspective, her Mom doesn't like who Mo is. She doesn't want a daughter into taekwondo (especially not to the near-obsessive level Mo is), but would rather she pursued something more acceptable, like dancing and Chinese immersion camp, a dainty academic superstar in the waiting. The reader will see that Mo's not understanding her mother quite right, but there's nothing malicious in it. It's just a tricky mother/daughter dynamic (that appears to be starting to work itself out).
MO HERSELF
In case I gave the wrong impression when I talked about Nacho, Mo is a cool person, but since we see the whole book from her point of view, it might seem biased. Mo is a confident, optimistic, go-getter. The fact that she's probably not going to keep growing past her 4'9" stature while everyone around her (especially Dax) is still growing, isn't doing her esteem any favors. Her recent tournament loss is doing a number on her—she's upset that Dax's size puts her at a disadvantage and is ready to give up, but she's also so determined that she just can't. Chan portraying both competing impulses is a tricky proposition, but she pulls it off.
The chance to work with Kwok is the opportunity of a lifetime for Mo. She's re-read his autobiography a few times (can quote portions of it), and has watched countless interviews—she knows him as well as anyone who hasn't met him can (and as well as many people who have met him could). She's such a superfan that it's hard not to want to see a few Kwok movies yourself. When she describes one of his films, she always introduces it as "my favorite Cody Kwok movie"—it doesn't matter which one she's talking about. It's a tiny touch, but I loved it. Her enthusiasm is infectious.
Actually, not just her enthusiasm for Kwok—but for everything. Her despondency is a little catching, too, and comes when it should. But her personality can't stay down for long. She grows a lot over the course of the novel*—as she needs to, it's the point of adolescence anyway. But she also has plenty of room to grow, and that's easy to see, too. It'll be fun watching that over the rest of the series.
* That's growth in terms of character. Much to her chagrin, she's as tall at the end of the summer as she was at the beginning.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE LEGENDARY MO SETO?
I had about as much fun as is permitted by law while reading this.
Sure, it's an MG book, so I'm a few decades older than the target audience. I guessed almost all of the big reveals (I think attentive MG readers will get most of them, too), I'm pretty sure I know how the next two books are going to go, and I rolled my eyes at some of the sillier aspects of the book. That's not a problem with Chan's writing—I think it means she hit her target. The fact that she was able to write for them while keeping an old guy like me entertained is to be commended.
This is a fast, engaging read that will entice readers from the jump and keep them turning pages (likely with a grin) almost as fast as Mo can dash around. Older readers will want to adopt Mo and Nacho as kid siblings (or false grandparents), and younger readers will want to be like Mo—and hang out with her friends. As good as the story and the writing are (and Chan's subtle prose is deceptively easy)—readers are going to walk away from this book thinking primarily of this determined and brave girl, who will muster up whatever she has to in order to get a shot at her dreams.
I'm leaving things out that I should be saying, I know I am—but I can't think of what they are at the moment. So be sure to see what other people on the Tour are saying. So let me just wrap up by saying that for the young or young-at-heart reader, this is a sure-fire win.
June 28, 2024
Adorable and Fun adventure, my son and I both loved it!
April 18, 2024
This was a fun read exploring Chinese mythology and living up to parental expectations. I throughly enjoyed the story, Mo's spunky determination, and the loyal support of her friends and family. It was like reading a more heart-full Wendy Wu, and I loved it!
November 18, 2024
3.5? Still deciding..
August 4, 2024
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
The premise of this book was a little distasteful.
For this book, I have lots to critique. For some reason, I feel like this book was kind of written emotionless?? Like all the emotions felt fake and weren't really descriptive enough. Like when Mo fought with Nacho, I thought it was for a really stupid reason. Also, the pacing of this book was really confusing. It took 200 pages for the book to actually get started and interesting. But I swear all the action and plot twists happened in the last 30 pages. All the plot twists didn't feel like plot twists because the emotion of this book did not hit hard at all. Also, this book seems like it would rather be a trilogy, but I'm not sure it even is. Book of Joy Book of Sorrow, Book of Calm, you get my point. So many things are left unfinished, like Mo's dad (in my opinion) has so much more to explain. And I felt like Nacho was crushing on Mo the whole book, so I was waiting for a confession, but that never happened. And in my opinion, Mo was kind of a pick me girl, which was random, but I guess it added to her character?? Also, the weird five claw society feels really stupid and, once again, emotionless! How did they find Mo's dad again in America? See, none of this is explained in the book.
But some things I liked were the detail that Cody Kwok was actually a fraud. That added on to the story and intrigued me. And Dax's sudden change of heart also was a good aspect of the story. But once again, the writing doesn't know how to execute emotion. The ideas for these scenes were great, but I never truly felt the emotions at all, and the whole book kind of seemed dumb at the end. I wouldn't recommend this book, nor do I feel it to be a valuable read.
The premise of this book was a little distasteful.
For this book, I have lots to critique. For some reason, I feel like this book was kind of written emotionless?? Like all the emotions felt fake and weren't really descriptive enough. Like when Mo fought with Nacho, I thought it was for a really stupid reason. Also, the pacing of this book was really confusing. It took 200 pages for the book to actually get started and interesting. But I swear all the action and plot twists happened in the last 30 pages. All the plot twists didn't feel like plot twists because the emotion of this book did not hit hard at all. Also, this book seems like it would rather be a trilogy, but I'm not sure it even is. Book of Joy Book of Sorrow, Book of Calm, you get my point. So many things are left unfinished, like Mo's dad (in my opinion) has so much more to explain. And I felt like Nacho was crushing on Mo the whole book, so I was waiting for a confession, but that never happened. And in my opinion, Mo was kind of a pick me girl, which was random, but I guess it added to her character?? Also, the weird five claw society feels really stupid and, once again, emotionless! How did they find Mo's dad again in America? See, none of this is explained in the book.
But some things I liked were the detail that Cody Kwok was actually a fraud. That added on to the story and intrigued me. And Dax's sudden change of heart also was a good aspect of the story. But once again, the writing doesn't know how to execute emotion. The ideas for these scenes were great, but I never truly felt the emotions at all, and the whole book kind of seemed dumb at the end. I wouldn't recommend this book, nor do I feel it to be a valuable read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2024
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
Modesty "Mo" Seto is twelve, and hugely involved in Taekwondo. She is especially small for her age, so finds it hard to compete with people like Dax, who is larger. When she is momentarily distracted by her father stepping outside during her competition, Dax exploits her weakness, and she ends up with second place in the tournament. This is all part of a downward slide that has her worried, but when she finds out that there is an open audition for a role in a film starring her idol, martial arts expert Cody Kwok, she thinks that it is a way to redeem herself. With her father having to go to China for work, she knows that her busy mother will not sign the permission form, so she and her best friend Ingnacio "Nacho" Garcia, try to sneak in and get an early audition. Mo is distraught to discover that she doesn't meet the heighth requirement, but the casting director thinks Nacho would be perfect and gives him an audition folder for a call back. Using memory foam and Play-Doh in her shoes to make herself taller, swathed in a number of sweatshirts to make her seems bulkier, and wearing a ballcap to disguise herself, she shows up for the next call. At home, tensions are high because her mother wants her to pursue more feminine pursuits like embroidery or maybe ballet. Mo has also uncovered some old documents when cleaning out the basement, and begins to realize that an ancestor was a practioner of xiaoxi fu, a martial art based on a mythical small female warrior that includes many elements of dance. In a phone call, her father warns her that this is not for her, and her m other tries to take away the book. This doesn't stop Mo from making a copy and practicing a lot of the moves. When she needs a parent at the audition training, she manages to finagle Nacho's grandfather into coming. Things don't go well; she's accused of putting itching powder in equipment, and the set has several accidents, including some with Cody Kwok, whom Mo is thrilled to meet. Despite all odds, Mo manages to advance, and starts to work with her nemesis, Dax, on figuring out why bad things are happening. She finds out secrets about the planned film, as well as some about her family and their involvement with martial arts. Will she be able to overcome all of her shortcomings and get a role in the film?
Strengths: It was fun to see a tiny twelve year old portrayed, especially because I once was one myself! There are many girls this age who are under five feet tall, like Mo, and it can lead to some difficulties. Mo's interest in martial arts is good to see, and I love how Nacho supports her even when her mother (for reasons that are later revealed as solid) does not. Many middle school students would love to be in films and meet their idols, so Mo's interactions with Cody Kwok are fascinating, especially when she learns that he is not necessarily everything the media have purported him to be. There's a decent mystery with the father and the family secrets as well.There are very few books about martial arts, except for Dutton's Jiu-Jitsu Girl, and many students who are involved in the sport, so this will have an audience.
Weaknesses: It stretched credulity a bit to think that Mo could add four or five inches to her height by putting things in her shoes, and I wasn't too thrilled with her mother not knowing about what she was doing, but younger readers won't mind.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed books that include martial arts, like Tashjian's My Life as a Ninja, or stories where children engage in subterfuge to follow their passions, like Kim's Stand Up, Yumi Chung.
Modesty "Mo" Seto is twelve, and hugely involved in Taekwondo. She is especially small for her age, so finds it hard to compete with people like Dax, who is larger. When she is momentarily distracted by her father stepping outside during her competition, Dax exploits her weakness, and she ends up with second place in the tournament. This is all part of a downward slide that has her worried, but when she finds out that there is an open audition for a role in a film starring her idol, martial arts expert Cody Kwok, she thinks that it is a way to redeem herself. With her father having to go to China for work, she knows that her busy mother will not sign the permission form, so she and her best friend Ingnacio "Nacho" Garcia, try to sneak in and get an early audition. Mo is distraught to discover that she doesn't meet the heighth requirement, but the casting director thinks Nacho would be perfect and gives him an audition folder for a call back. Using memory foam and Play-Doh in her shoes to make herself taller, swathed in a number of sweatshirts to make her seems bulkier, and wearing a ballcap to disguise herself, she shows up for the next call. At home, tensions are high because her mother wants her to pursue more feminine pursuits like embroidery or maybe ballet. Mo has also uncovered some old documents when cleaning out the basement, and begins to realize that an ancestor was a practioner of xiaoxi fu, a martial art based on a mythical small female warrior that includes many elements of dance. In a phone call, her father warns her that this is not for her, and her m other tries to take away the book. This doesn't stop Mo from making a copy and practicing a lot of the moves. When she needs a parent at the audition training, she manages to finagle Nacho's grandfather into coming. Things don't go well; she's accused of putting itching powder in equipment, and the set has several accidents, including some with Cody Kwok, whom Mo is thrilled to meet. Despite all odds, Mo manages to advance, and starts to work with her nemesis, Dax, on figuring out why bad things are happening. She finds out secrets about the planned film, as well as some about her family and their involvement with martial arts. Will she be able to overcome all of her shortcomings and get a role in the film?
Strengths: It was fun to see a tiny twelve year old portrayed, especially because I once was one myself! There are many girls this age who are under five feet tall, like Mo, and it can lead to some difficulties. Mo's interest in martial arts is good to see, and I love how Nacho supports her even when her mother (for reasons that are later revealed as solid) does not. Many middle school students would love to be in films and meet their idols, so Mo's interactions with Cody Kwok are fascinating, especially when she learns that he is not necessarily everything the media have purported him to be. There's a decent mystery with the father and the family secrets as well.There are very few books about martial arts, except for Dutton's Jiu-Jitsu Girl, and many students who are involved in the sport, so this will have an audience.
Weaknesses: It stretched credulity a bit to think that Mo could add four or five inches to her height by putting things in her shoes, and I wasn't too thrilled with her mother not knowing about what she was doing, but younger readers won't mind.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed books that include martial arts, like Tashjian's My Life as a Ninja, or stories where children engage in subterfuge to follow their passions, like Kim's Stand Up, Yumi Chung.
November 10, 2024
A Legendary Debut: A Review of “Legendary Mo Seto”
📍Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
📍Synopsis:
Modesty Seto, a twelve-year-old taekwondo prodigy with a heart of gold, dreams of winning the gold medal. When she stumbles upon an opportunity to audition for a movie, she embarks on a thrilling adventure filled with martial arts, friendship, and self-discovery. This isn't just a story about a girl with a dream; it's a tale of courage, resilience, and the power of believing in oneself.
📍Review:
“Legendary Mo Seto” isn’t merely a book; it’s an immersive experience. It’s a whirlwind of emotions, a rollercoaster of laughter and tears, and a celebration of youth, friendship, and the indomitable human spirit.
📍What I Loved:
❤️🔥 * Unforgettable Characters: Mo, the spirited protagonist, isn’t just a talented martial artist; she’s a complex and relatable character who grapples with insecurities and dreams big. Her friendship with Nacho is pure comedy gold, filled with witty banter and unwavering loyalty. And let’s not forget Dax, the formidable rival turned unlikely ally. The complex dynamics between these characters add depth and intrigue to the story.
❤️🔥 * Engrossing Plot: The author masterfully weaves together elements of family drama, coming-of-age, and martial arts into a compelling narrative. The pacing is perfect, keeping the reader hooked from the first page to the last. Every chapter is filled with unexpected twists and turns, ensuring that the reader is always eager to know what happens next.
❤️🔥 * Authentic Cultural Representation: The author’s deep understanding of Chinese culture shines through in every page. The incorporation of Chinese mythology, traditions, and martial arts adds depth and authenticity to the story. The author manages to balance the cultural elements seamlessly with the universal themes of friendship, family, and self-discovery.
❤️🔥 * Heartwarming Themes: The book explores a variety of themes, including the importance of friendship, the power of perseverance, and the value of embracing one’s individuality. The author manages to convey these themes in a way that is both heartfelt and inspiring.
❤️🔥 * Humorous and Heartfelt: The book is filled with humorous moments, especially the banter between Mo and Nacho, and Dax and Nacho. Their witty exchanges add a layer of lightheartedness to the story. However, the book also tackles serious themes, such as the pressure to succeed and the importance of self-acceptance.
❣️Positive Criticism:
While the book is nearly perfect, there's room for even greater character development. While the height difference is a relatable challenge, perhaps delving deeper into Mo's unique strengths and strategies in martial arts could further enhance her character. Perhaps showcasing how her smaller stature allows for agility and precision, or how she uses her intelligence to outsmart larger opponents, would be a powerful way to emphasize that true strength comes in many forms.
📍Overall:
“Legendary Mo Seto” is a must-read for young adults and anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story. It’s a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us in the next installment of Mo’s adventures.
📍Rating: 4.9/5 just because of Cody 🤛
📍P.S. I’m still not over Nacho’s grandpa. What a gem! Oh, and my least favorite character was Cody, but still loved how he stood up to have Mo.... For what?? Ah, for that you have to buy the book now!
📍Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
📍Synopsis:
Modesty Seto, a twelve-year-old taekwondo prodigy with a heart of gold, dreams of winning the gold medal. When she stumbles upon an opportunity to audition for a movie, she embarks on a thrilling adventure filled with martial arts, friendship, and self-discovery. This isn't just a story about a girl with a dream; it's a tale of courage, resilience, and the power of believing in oneself.
📍Review:
“Legendary Mo Seto” isn’t merely a book; it’s an immersive experience. It’s a whirlwind of emotions, a rollercoaster of laughter and tears, and a celebration of youth, friendship, and the indomitable human spirit.
📍What I Loved:
❤️🔥 * Unforgettable Characters: Mo, the spirited protagonist, isn’t just a talented martial artist; she’s a complex and relatable character who grapples with insecurities and dreams big. Her friendship with Nacho is pure comedy gold, filled with witty banter and unwavering loyalty. And let’s not forget Dax, the formidable rival turned unlikely ally. The complex dynamics between these characters add depth and intrigue to the story.
❤️🔥 * Engrossing Plot: The author masterfully weaves together elements of family drama, coming-of-age, and martial arts into a compelling narrative. The pacing is perfect, keeping the reader hooked from the first page to the last. Every chapter is filled with unexpected twists and turns, ensuring that the reader is always eager to know what happens next.
❤️🔥 * Authentic Cultural Representation: The author’s deep understanding of Chinese culture shines through in every page. The incorporation of Chinese mythology, traditions, and martial arts adds depth and authenticity to the story. The author manages to balance the cultural elements seamlessly with the universal themes of friendship, family, and self-discovery.
❤️🔥 * Heartwarming Themes: The book explores a variety of themes, including the importance of friendship, the power of perseverance, and the value of embracing one’s individuality. The author manages to convey these themes in a way that is both heartfelt and inspiring.
❤️🔥 * Humorous and Heartfelt: The book is filled with humorous moments, especially the banter between Mo and Nacho, and Dax and Nacho. Their witty exchanges add a layer of lightheartedness to the story. However, the book also tackles serious themes, such as the pressure to succeed and the importance of self-acceptance.
❣️Positive Criticism:
While the book is nearly perfect, there's room for even greater character development. While the height difference is a relatable challenge, perhaps delving deeper into Mo's unique strengths and strategies in martial arts could further enhance her character. Perhaps showcasing how her smaller stature allows for agility and precision, or how she uses her intelligence to outsmart larger opponents, would be a powerful way to emphasize that true strength comes in many forms.
📍Overall:
“Legendary Mo Seto” is a must-read for young adults and anyone who loves a good coming-of-age story. It’s a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page. I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us in the next installment of Mo’s adventures.
📍Rating: 4.9/5 just because of Cody 🤛
📍P.S. I’m still not over Nacho’s grandpa. What a gem! Oh, and my least favorite character was Cody, but still loved how he stood up to have Mo.... For what?? Ah, for that you have to buy the book now!
December 30, 2024
This is such a fun, brilliant and exciting story! Twelve year old Modesty ‘Mo’ Seto is a junior black belt in taekwondo, but during a local championship match, she isn’t able to defeat her opponent, and long time nemesis, Dax because she’s just too short. Mo hates being small compared to others her age, and is extra upset when her dad leaves right before she has finished her fight. But when a film company comes to town looking for young people who are trained in martial arts to star alongside Mo’s movie screen idol Cody Kwok, she jumps at the chance to audition, even though she doesn’t meet the criteria for auditioning.
This is such a wonderful story that I loved reading from the start. Mo is upset about her taekwondo defeat to Dax, but cheers up when she sees a chance to audition to star alongside martial arts movie star and Mo’s hero Cody Kwok. But Mo soon discovers a big problem with the auditions, she’s just too short. I love how this story develops with Mo struggling to be comfortable being small and how upset she can get about it, while at the same time being determined to not let it defeat her and I love the idea she and her best friend Nacho come up with to help her get into the auditions.
As the story continues we see Mo also coming across an old book written in Chinese, which Mo has trouble reading, but filled with something interesting that Mo can’t stop thinking about. The story weaves in an interesting Chinese myth and martial art that Mo soon learns about and I love how this mixes with the wider story of Mo auditioning, making the book so interesting and different. I can relate to Mo’s obsession with the martial arts movie star Cody Kwok, having been a little obsessed with watching and re-watching Kung Fu movies to death when I was younger (and still do but not as obsessively, lol 😅), so I enjoyed Mo’s constant narration about how in awe she is with Cody and her favourite movies he’s been in, though I also like what we learn later about his character and how Mo deals with the things she learns.
The book has some good and funny moments, and some light-hearted ones between her and her best frind Nacho, and it also has some twists that I never saw coming. The whole story is exciting and fast paced throughout and with short chapters it keeps you wanting to read it and it was so good I ended up reading this whole book in just one day! Although I’m interested in martial arts so this book had some extra appeal to me, the way it is written it can be enjoyed by anyone even those who are new to martial arts and don’t know much, and it might even spark an interest in those who’ve never experienced any martial arts before. The book’s chapters have some cloud images for the chapter headers and each chapter has a fun title.
The story builds up to an exciting ending and I love how things wrap up for all the main characters, especially Mo, her family and her relationship with a couple of characters including Nacho. The story does however leave things open for the next book in the series which I am now very keen to read when it’s published. Overall I recommend this book to everyone who likes an exciting middle grade read with a protagonist who’s small and determined and a story that’s a little different. It’s a great book and great start to an exciting series.
-Thanks to The Write Reads for a free copy.
This is such a wonderful story that I loved reading from the start. Mo is upset about her taekwondo defeat to Dax, but cheers up when she sees a chance to audition to star alongside martial arts movie star and Mo’s hero Cody Kwok. But Mo soon discovers a big problem with the auditions, she’s just too short. I love how this story develops with Mo struggling to be comfortable being small and how upset she can get about it, while at the same time being determined to not let it defeat her and I love the idea she and her best friend Nacho come up with to help her get into the auditions.
As the story continues we see Mo also coming across an old book written in Chinese, which Mo has trouble reading, but filled with something interesting that Mo can’t stop thinking about. The story weaves in an interesting Chinese myth and martial art that Mo soon learns about and I love how this mixes with the wider story of Mo auditioning, making the book so interesting and different. I can relate to Mo’s obsession with the martial arts movie star Cody Kwok, having been a little obsessed with watching and re-watching Kung Fu movies to death when I was younger (and still do but not as obsessively, lol 😅), so I enjoyed Mo’s constant narration about how in awe she is with Cody and her favourite movies he’s been in, though I also like what we learn later about his character and how Mo deals with the things she learns.
The book has some good and funny moments, and some light-hearted ones between her and her best frind Nacho, and it also has some twists that I never saw coming. The whole story is exciting and fast paced throughout and with short chapters it keeps you wanting to read it and it was so good I ended up reading this whole book in just one day! Although I’m interested in martial arts so this book had some extra appeal to me, the way it is written it can be enjoyed by anyone even those who are new to martial arts and don’t know much, and it might even spark an interest in those who’ve never experienced any martial arts before. The book’s chapters have some cloud images for the chapter headers and each chapter has a fun title.
The story builds up to an exciting ending and I love how things wrap up for all the main characters, especially Mo, her family and her relationship with a couple of characters including Nacho. The story does however leave things open for the next book in the series which I am now very keen to read when it’s published. Overall I recommend this book to everyone who likes an exciting middle grade read with a protagonist who’s small and determined and a story that’s a little different. It’s a great book and great start to an exciting series.
-Thanks to The Write Reads for a free copy.
June 5, 2024
The Legendary Mo Seto by AY Chan
Book review: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Genre: middle school
Themes: martial arts, coming of age
📖 Read if you like: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Mulan, Jackie Chan
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for this ARC.
This was a high octane martial arts focused ride for middle school readers. Modesty (Mo) Seto is a self-conscious young girl who just wishes she were a little taller, a little larger, a little better understood by her mother and a little more recognized by her father. A junior taekwondo black belt, Mo has recently been on a loosing streak as all her competitors grow and she continues to be small. As her archnemesis Dax once again beats her during a final competition in which her Dad and number one fan walks out of, Mo’s life begins to spiral.
As she attempts to win back her place at the top and make her Dad proud Mo is drawn into the world of Hollywood with the chance to meet and star alongside her favourite martial arts movie star Cody Kwok. Needing to set herself apart, Mo is determined to learn Xiaoxi Fu, an ancient and secret dance-like martial arts sequence passed down from her ancestors that she uncovered hidden away in the basement. But, all is not as it seems in this star crusted world and Mo will have to learn to see the truth for herself. As someone attempts to sabotage the movie auditions, while Mo’s Dad is once again missing in action she must solve the mystery for herself and find her confidence.
Fully equipped with secret societies, espionage, and some thrilling stunts this was certainly a page turner. The underlying morals are of course about recognizing your own strength, living up to parental expectations, valuing those who have always been there for you and learning to be happy with who you are making it a great book for those in middle school dealing with changing bodies and a new consciousness. It is written in the style of a junior reader with far-fetched events, and certain plot twists that were fairly predictable, but I didn’t mind so much as an adult reader given how layered the story was. It reads just like a movie and I thoroughly enjoyed the plot-forward narrative, and could recognize some of my former self in Mo.
I adored Mo’s best friend with his collection of hilariously quirky shirts and well researched facts. He was the yin to her yang and the pair made a good duo. The one thing I found problematic in this book was that he was nicknamed Nacho. Having your one Latin American character with a super stereotypical reference and no funny origin story to back up the name just reads as really inappropriate to me. He had so many other interesting characteristics and hobbies that could have inspired a nickname, but instead one was selected that purely reflected his culture. I don’t think kids need any more reasons to discriminate, but perhaps I am sensitive to this having grown up a rare splash of colour with a different cultural background in my community. It just felt odd given the Mo’s arc was about finding her identity outside of appearances. Dropped half a star for this.
Book review: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Genre: middle school
Themes: martial arts, coming of age
📖 Read if you like: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Mulan, Jackie Chan
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for this ARC.
This was a high octane martial arts focused ride for middle school readers. Modesty (Mo) Seto is a self-conscious young girl who just wishes she were a little taller, a little larger, a little better understood by her mother and a little more recognized by her father. A junior taekwondo black belt, Mo has recently been on a loosing streak as all her competitors grow and she continues to be small. As her archnemesis Dax once again beats her during a final competition in which her Dad and number one fan walks out of, Mo’s life begins to spiral.
As she attempts to win back her place at the top and make her Dad proud Mo is drawn into the world of Hollywood with the chance to meet and star alongside her favourite martial arts movie star Cody Kwok. Needing to set herself apart, Mo is determined to learn Xiaoxi Fu, an ancient and secret dance-like martial arts sequence passed down from her ancestors that she uncovered hidden away in the basement. But, all is not as it seems in this star crusted world and Mo will have to learn to see the truth for herself. As someone attempts to sabotage the movie auditions, while Mo’s Dad is once again missing in action she must solve the mystery for herself and find her confidence.
Fully equipped with secret societies, espionage, and some thrilling stunts this was certainly a page turner. The underlying morals are of course about recognizing your own strength, living up to parental expectations, valuing those who have always been there for you and learning to be happy with who you are making it a great book for those in middle school dealing with changing bodies and a new consciousness. It is written in the style of a junior reader with far-fetched events, and certain plot twists that were fairly predictable, but I didn’t mind so much as an adult reader given how layered the story was. It reads just like a movie and I thoroughly enjoyed the plot-forward narrative, and could recognize some of my former self in Mo.
I adored Mo’s best friend with his collection of hilariously quirky shirts and well researched facts. He was the yin to her yang and the pair made a good duo. The one thing I found problematic in this book was that he was nicknamed Nacho. Having your one Latin American character with a super stereotypical reference and no funny origin story to back up the name just reads as really inappropriate to me. He had so many other interesting characteristics and hobbies that could have inspired a nickname, but instead one was selected that purely reflected his culture. I don’t think kids need any more reasons to discriminate, but perhaps I am sensitive to this having grown up a rare splash of colour with a different cultural background in my community. It just felt odd given the Mo’s arc was about finding her identity outside of appearances. Dropped half a star for this.
June 26, 2024
GO, GO, MO!! ALSO, PLEASE TELL ME WHERE TO FIND NACHOS. 😂 AND HIS TEES.
The Book Title and Cover
When I first saw the cover, I squealed. I love, love, the detailed Asian looking clouds at the bottom of the illustration, not to mention the presence of a young girl soaring free, close to the moon, in a classic martial arts move. I can already hear her screaming “Hiyaaah” all the way here. Additionally, the framing works very well as she is placed against a pale moon, and framed by a couple of clouds, not to mention the color combinations which stand out and are quick to grab attention.
Then, there is the title. Judging by the words and the cover placed together, I could only assume a lot of martial arts were involved. And this proved right! Mo Seto, our main character, is a legend on her own, as she carries some rather important blood in her veins. She also writes history for herself and her friends with everything she does throughout the story. But more on that right below!
The Characters and Plot
Modesty (Mo) Seto is a seemingly ordinary girl who lives in the United States. She is the daughter of immigrant parents and, as one may expect, she was raised to be competitive and fierce. The reader is introduced to her first as she participates in a taekwondo championship where she fights Dax, the best student in her class. As she fights the kid who is larger than her, she struggles to take him down. Then, as she witnesses her father leaving the audience early, her whole world comes crashing down.
Following all the events that unfold in such a small amount of time, Mo’s confidence takes a downward turn and she continuously beats herself up for everything which seems to be going South. Eventually, she discovers that auditions are open for the role of a protege in a new Cody Kwok martial arts movie. Taking over this chance of proving her worth, the girl concocts a plan to join her favorite star on set.
Thoughts
Those who know me know I am a sucker for martial arts movies and books. It is thus no surprise I got myself mesmerized by all the various moves and styles, following Mo’s every step with great interest. The cool part was that the author herself is a martial artist with a black belt in taekwondo, and this shows very well through her writing. The images were very clear.
Although Mo was a bit too repetitive with her constant disdain towards her smaller frame, I also found this extremely relatable, as when you’re stuck on something you hate about yourself, there is no way your head isn’t filled with all those negative emotions. The key, as Mo demonstrates, is to find a plan to change what you can change and accept what you cannot. Finally, it is all about personal growth and the ability to use what is available to your advantage.
Overall and even though the story is told from the perspective of a twelve year old, I believe this is a solid read for both kids and adults alike, as they can all learn something useful, be it a inward appreciation for their own cultural heritage, their appearance, or their wit.
To be honest, I actually received this novel, The Legendary Mo Seto, as a gift from the author herself (thank you so much, A.Y. Chan!) right on the day of its publication, however, all opinions expressed herein are my own.
Full review and more here: https://witsandtwists.wordpress.com/
The Book Title and Cover
When I first saw the cover, I squealed. I love, love, the detailed Asian looking clouds at the bottom of the illustration, not to mention the presence of a young girl soaring free, close to the moon, in a classic martial arts move. I can already hear her screaming “Hiyaaah” all the way here. Additionally, the framing works very well as she is placed against a pale moon, and framed by a couple of clouds, not to mention the color combinations which stand out and are quick to grab attention.
Then, there is the title. Judging by the words and the cover placed together, I could only assume a lot of martial arts were involved. And this proved right! Mo Seto, our main character, is a legend on her own, as she carries some rather important blood in her veins. She also writes history for herself and her friends with everything she does throughout the story. But more on that right below!
The Characters and Plot
Modesty (Mo) Seto is a seemingly ordinary girl who lives in the United States. She is the daughter of immigrant parents and, as one may expect, she was raised to be competitive and fierce. The reader is introduced to her first as she participates in a taekwondo championship where she fights Dax, the best student in her class. As she fights the kid who is larger than her, she struggles to take him down. Then, as she witnesses her father leaving the audience early, her whole world comes crashing down.
Following all the events that unfold in such a small amount of time, Mo’s confidence takes a downward turn and she continuously beats herself up for everything which seems to be going South. Eventually, she discovers that auditions are open for the role of a protege in a new Cody Kwok martial arts movie. Taking over this chance of proving her worth, the girl concocts a plan to join her favorite star on set.
Thoughts
Those who know me know I am a sucker for martial arts movies and books. It is thus no surprise I got myself mesmerized by all the various moves and styles, following Mo’s every step with great interest. The cool part was that the author herself is a martial artist with a black belt in taekwondo, and this shows very well through her writing. The images were very clear.
Although Mo was a bit too repetitive with her constant disdain towards her smaller frame, I also found this extremely relatable, as when you’re stuck on something you hate about yourself, there is no way your head isn’t filled with all those negative emotions. The key, as Mo demonstrates, is to find a plan to change what you can change and accept what you cannot. Finally, it is all about personal growth and the ability to use what is available to your advantage.
Overall and even though the story is told from the perspective of a twelve year old, I believe this is a solid read for both kids and adults alike, as they can all learn something useful, be it a inward appreciation for their own cultural heritage, their appearance, or their wit.
To be honest, I actually received this novel, The Legendary Mo Seto, as a gift from the author herself (thank you so much, A.Y. Chan!) right on the day of its publication, however, all opinions expressed herein are my own.
Full review and more here: https://witsandtwists.wordpress.com/
July 1, 2024
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Mo can't seem to win. She keeps coming in second place at taekwondo tournaments, her mom wants to take her out of taekwondo classes, and her dad is constantly distracted until he suddenly disappears! When Mo finds out her idol, Cody Kwok, is starring in another movie and auditions are open to star alongside him, she just knows this will be her chance to prove to her dad - and to everyone else - that she can be the best. When her small size gets in the way of achieving her dreams, what will Mo do? And what secrets are hidden in the mysterious book in the basement?
I honestly agreed to this request because I absolutely adore the cover, and the author pitched this to me as "cinematic as an actual action movie" and let me tell you, she is 100% correct in doing so because I was not expecting such a thrilling, action movie-essence story, but that is exactly what we got and I am here for it all the way.
Despite Mo's tendencies to skirt around her parents rules, you can tell how determined and hard-working she is, and it's so easy to see her passion of taekwondo. She's such a loveable MC, even when she isn't making the best of choices. It's easy to tell how much she detests her height, and seeing her be able to work through that throughout the book felt so rewarding.
I loved both Nacho and Dax so much (although Dax did take awhile to grow on me, haha), and let's not forget Sanjay! They all had such big parts to play within the story, and seeing how different all their personalities were and Mo's interactions with them was done so well and realistically from the competitiveness, the fights, and the resolves.
We can't forget Cody Kwok either. I could tell from the get-go that there was just something about him, but I love the way his character played out, and I adored all of Mo's (favorite) Cody Kwok movie descriptions.
I only had two things in this that I kinda disliked. (1) The romance that was hinted at but wasn't quite there. This is a middle grade book, plus there's already so much other to focus on that this seemed unnecessary. (2) I am slightly upset that Mo got away with everything so easily without any sort of punishment or discipline... both legally speaking AND with her parents... Also how did her mom not question the constant headwear and towels? Regardless, neither of these things made me dislike the story or theme presented.
I would definitely recommend this for any upcoming middle grade readers (especially the smaller girls! And maybe even the YA group, honestly.) Especially for those who prefer a fast-paced, action packed story. The story didn't seem to stay in any one genre, and yet somehow it still worked and fell together perfectly. I had never been a huge fan of martial arts, but that definitely didn't take away from this story at all... in fact, it was so much fun getting to learn more about it! I would definitely love to return to Mo's world again! Maybe even get to see a bit of her time in China and some more info about the other two books, but regardless, I definitely can't wait to see what the author has in store for the future!
Mo can't seem to win. She keeps coming in second place at taekwondo tournaments, her mom wants to take her out of taekwondo classes, and her dad is constantly distracted until he suddenly disappears! When Mo finds out her idol, Cody Kwok, is starring in another movie and auditions are open to star alongside him, she just knows this will be her chance to prove to her dad - and to everyone else - that she can be the best. When her small size gets in the way of achieving her dreams, what will Mo do? And what secrets are hidden in the mysterious book in the basement?
I honestly agreed to this request because I absolutely adore the cover, and the author pitched this to me as "cinematic as an actual action movie" and let me tell you, she is 100% correct in doing so because I was not expecting such a thrilling, action movie-essence story, but that is exactly what we got and I am here for it all the way.
Despite Mo's tendencies to skirt around her parents rules, you can tell how determined and hard-working she is, and it's so easy to see her passion of taekwondo. She's such a loveable MC, even when she isn't making the best of choices. It's easy to tell how much she detests her height, and seeing her be able to work through that throughout the book felt so rewarding.
I loved both Nacho and Dax so much (although Dax did take awhile to grow on me, haha), and let's not forget Sanjay! They all had such big parts to play within the story, and seeing how different all their personalities were and Mo's interactions with them was done so well and realistically from the competitiveness, the fights, and the resolves.
We can't forget Cody Kwok either. I could tell from the get-go that there was just something about him, but I love the way his character played out, and I adored all of Mo's (favorite) Cody Kwok movie descriptions.
I only had two things in this that I kinda disliked. (1) The romance that was hinted at but wasn't quite there. This is a middle grade book, plus there's already so much other to focus on that this seemed unnecessary. (2) I am slightly upset that Mo got away with everything so easily without any sort of punishment or discipline... both legally speaking AND with her parents... Also how did her mom not question the constant headwear and towels? Regardless, neither of these things made me dislike the story or theme presented.
I would definitely recommend this for any upcoming middle grade readers (especially the smaller girls! And maybe even the YA group, honestly.) Especially for those who prefer a fast-paced, action packed story. The story didn't seem to stay in any one genre, and yet somehow it still worked and fell together perfectly. I had never been a huge fan of martial arts, but that definitely didn't take away from this story at all... in fact, it was so much fun getting to learn more about it! I would definitely love to return to Mo's world again! Maybe even get to see a bit of her time in China and some more info about the other two books, but regardless, I definitely can't wait to see what the author has in store for the future!
August 14, 2024
The Legendary Mo Seto is a vibrant, action-packed middle-grade novel that blends action, martial arts, adventure, heart, and all the feels, it is also rich with cultural heritage.
Mo is a fierce 12-year-old taekwondo enthusiast who may be small in size but has a big heart, don’t let her size fool you—she’s fierce, determined, and totally unstoppable.
Struggling with self-doubt after a tough losing streak, Mo's world is turned upside down when she hears about an audition for a movie starring her idol, Cody Kwok. Despite the odds—and a tricky height requirement—Mo dives headfirst into the challenge, leading to a whirlwind adventure filled with secret techniques, family mysteries, and intense rivalries, all while trying to prove that being small is just another way of being mighty.
Mo is a character I rooted for every step of the way. Her journey from self-doubt to self-love is inspiring and oh-so-relatable, being a short person myself, I can relate to her struggles. Her complex relationships with her parents are also relatable. Mo is not just a martial artist—she’s a girl learning to embrace who she truly is.
Both main and side characters are well developed and realistic. We have Nacho, Dax, Gramps, Sanjay, and Cody, characters from varying backgrounds and cultures. I loved the banter and rivalry between Mo, Nacho, and Dax, they are spot on. Whether they’re bickering or backing each other up, their relationships are real, messy, and full of heart, and their interactions, hilarious. The bond between Mo and her best friend Nacho is pure gold. Their loyalty and humor add a sweet balance to the story’s more intense moments.
The taekwondo scenes are vivid and thrilling, perfectly showcasing the author’s deep knowledge of martial arts. They’re not just action—they’re metaphors for Mo’s inner battles, these scenes are expertly crafted, bringing a level of authenticity that’s rare in middle-grade fiction.
The Storytelling is cinematic, fast-paced, dynamic scenes made me feel like I was right there with Mo, kicking butt and chasing her dreams.
With martial arts, touches of Chinese mythology, and a trip to Hong Kong, the story weaves in rich cultural elements that add depth and excitement.
Mo Seto may be small, but her story is big on impact. Perfect for middle-grade readers and anyone who loves a fierce, feel-good adventure.
Overall, The Legendary Mo Seto is a heartwarming and adventurous tale about finding your place in the world, the power of perseverance, and believing in yourself. Perfect for fans of martial arts, cultural exploration, and underdog stories.
Do not miss out on this gem!
Mo is a fierce 12-year-old taekwondo enthusiast who may be small in size but has a big heart, don’t let her size fool you—she’s fierce, determined, and totally unstoppable.
Struggling with self-doubt after a tough losing streak, Mo's world is turned upside down when she hears about an audition for a movie starring her idol, Cody Kwok. Despite the odds—and a tricky height requirement—Mo dives headfirst into the challenge, leading to a whirlwind adventure filled with secret techniques, family mysteries, and intense rivalries, all while trying to prove that being small is just another way of being mighty.
Mo is a character I rooted for every step of the way. Her journey from self-doubt to self-love is inspiring and oh-so-relatable, being a short person myself, I can relate to her struggles. Her complex relationships with her parents are also relatable. Mo is not just a martial artist—she’s a girl learning to embrace who she truly is.
Both main and side characters are well developed and realistic. We have Nacho, Dax, Gramps, Sanjay, and Cody, characters from varying backgrounds and cultures. I loved the banter and rivalry between Mo, Nacho, and Dax, they are spot on. Whether they’re bickering or backing each other up, their relationships are real, messy, and full of heart, and their interactions, hilarious. The bond between Mo and her best friend Nacho is pure gold. Their loyalty and humor add a sweet balance to the story’s more intense moments.
The taekwondo scenes are vivid and thrilling, perfectly showcasing the author’s deep knowledge of martial arts. They’re not just action—they’re metaphors for Mo’s inner battles, these scenes are expertly crafted, bringing a level of authenticity that’s rare in middle-grade fiction.
The Storytelling is cinematic, fast-paced, dynamic scenes made me feel like I was right there with Mo, kicking butt and chasing her dreams.
With martial arts, touches of Chinese mythology, and a trip to Hong Kong, the story weaves in rich cultural elements that add depth and excitement.
Mo Seto may be small, but her story is big on impact. Perfect for middle-grade readers and anyone who loves a fierce, feel-good adventure.
Overall, The Legendary Mo Seto is a heartwarming and adventurous tale about finding your place in the world, the power of perseverance, and believing in yourself. Perfect for fans of martial arts, cultural exploration, and underdog stories.
Do not miss out on this gem!
June 19, 2024
A.Y. Chan's The Legendary Mo Seto is an action-packed adventure with an engaging story starring a fierce main character.
Mo Seto has been training in taekwondo for as long as she can remember. And for as long as she can remember, she's been great at it. Sure, she has to work super hard. But she sees her hard work pay off. Until her main enemy, Dax, has a growth spurt. And Mo? Mo stays four foot six (and a half!). When the chance to star in a movie alongside her all-time favorite martial artist/actor arises, Mo knows she has to audition. Even if it means sneaking off to auditions. She's sure she'll get the part...and when she learns she's up against her old enemy, Dax, she's even more determined. But will her efforts to get the part, and connect with her recently distant dad, push her away from her best friend?
I devoured this book. Mo is such a relatable character, even when she makes not the best choices. I adored how spunky and fierce she is, even while bemoaning her size. As a fellow shorty, I was rooting for her so hard. Watching her learn to embrace her size, instead of resent it, was healing for my own inner short kid (and, ahem, as a still-short adult!).
This book was action-packed, keeping me hooked from the first page. I wanted the same answers Mo did: why was her dad being so weird? What was up with that mysterious book in the basement? Why are both of her parents being so cagey about her Dad's family history? The action scenes are written with such energy. The audition scenes are cinematic, with heart and humor offering balance to Mo's embarrassing moments.
Mo's growth expands beyond her physical abilities-- as she learns about her family, she begins to understand why her mom wants her to learn Chinese and starts to become curious about who her parents are as people outside their roles as mom and dad. Her emotional growth is tender without ever being saccharine or unrealistic.
I adored the characters in this book. From Mo and her immediate family to her best friend, Nacho, and his family, both primary and secondary characters are well developed and feel real. Even the not so easily loved characters, such as her enemy Dax, the movie director (hilariously referred to as The Beard by narrator Mo), and the movie's martial arts choreographer are all well developed and believable characters. As a result, Mo, her world, and the people in it feel real.
The conclusion leads me to believe there is a chance this could be the first book in a series. I, for one, would love to see more of Mo, her endearing friends and family, and their adventures.
This middle grade novel is perfect for fans of action packed books, martial arts, and anyone who has ever felt different because of their size.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book such that I could share my honest opinion.
Mo Seto has been training in taekwondo for as long as she can remember. And for as long as she can remember, she's been great at it. Sure, she has to work super hard. But she sees her hard work pay off. Until her main enemy, Dax, has a growth spurt. And Mo? Mo stays four foot six (and a half!). When the chance to star in a movie alongside her all-time favorite martial artist/actor arises, Mo knows she has to audition. Even if it means sneaking off to auditions. She's sure she'll get the part...and when she learns she's up against her old enemy, Dax, she's even more determined. But will her efforts to get the part, and connect with her recently distant dad, push her away from her best friend?
I devoured this book. Mo is such a relatable character, even when she makes not the best choices. I adored how spunky and fierce she is, even while bemoaning her size. As a fellow shorty, I was rooting for her so hard. Watching her learn to embrace her size, instead of resent it, was healing for my own inner short kid (and, ahem, as a still-short adult!).
This book was action-packed, keeping me hooked from the first page. I wanted the same answers Mo did: why was her dad being so weird? What was up with that mysterious book in the basement? Why are both of her parents being so cagey about her Dad's family history? The action scenes are written with such energy. The audition scenes are cinematic, with heart and humor offering balance to Mo's embarrassing moments.
Mo's growth expands beyond her physical abilities-- as she learns about her family, she begins to understand why her mom wants her to learn Chinese and starts to become curious about who her parents are as people outside their roles as mom and dad. Her emotional growth is tender without ever being saccharine or unrealistic.
I adored the characters in this book. From Mo and her immediate family to her best friend, Nacho, and his family, both primary and secondary characters are well developed and feel real. Even the not so easily loved characters, such as her enemy Dax, the movie director (hilariously referred to as The Beard by narrator Mo), and the movie's martial arts choreographer are all well developed and believable characters. As a result, Mo, her world, and the people in it feel real.
The conclusion leads me to believe there is a chance this could be the first book in a series. I, for one, would love to see more of Mo, her endearing friends and family, and their adventures.
This middle grade novel is perfect for fans of action packed books, martial arts, and anyone who has ever felt different because of their size.
Thank you to the author for providing a copy of the book such that I could share my honest opinion.
July 20, 2024
When the author of this book contacted me about a review copy of this book I was excited to get the chance to share a debut middle grade author, and to share a small-but-mighty character who can inspire girls - and perhaps get reluctant readers so engaged they won't want to put the book down, thanks to the combination of martial arts practice, Hollywood stunt scenes, family secrets with a sort of mythology/secret society twist, and even some nail-biting action scenes where Mo puts her moves to work to save her favorite movie star or protect her friends.
The adventure/rescue scenarios (sabotage on the movie set, mysterious lurking guy in a hoodie, confrontation in a warehouse) definitely feel fictional, but in a way that an action movie would - you know this stuff wouldn't happen in real life, but it's fun and engaging all the same. I thought it was clever how it read like a Karate Kid/martial arts type movie and at the same time was all about trying out for one and meeting Mo's martial arts movie idol. The frequent mentions of the various (fictional) Cody Kwok movies that she calls on to inspire or guide her cracked me up as they were pretty zany movie plots, such as Muay Thai-ger (What happens when a martial artist befriends an ambush of wild tigers and teaches them the fighting style of muay Thai?)
I will say that as an adult reader though, I had to take a bit of exception at so many unrealistic situations, and especially at the fact that Mo lied to her mom so much in order to do the movie tryout (or the veracity of the adults on the movie set being convinced by her subterfuge) - and that there were never any consequences for all of this. But I also know that in kids' fiction/movies we need to figure out ways to get the parents out of the picture so that all of the action with kid as hero can happen... so I get it.
3.5 stars - and I can see it being a hit with middle grade kids, especially girls who are in "unusual" sports like martial arts, or those who feel made fun of for their small size, as Mo goes through this but in the end learns to see the unexpected joy in being small.
The adventure/rescue scenarios (sabotage on the movie set, mysterious lurking guy in a hoodie, confrontation in a warehouse) definitely feel fictional, but in a way that an action movie would - you know this stuff wouldn't happen in real life, but it's fun and engaging all the same. I thought it was clever how it read like a Karate Kid/martial arts type movie and at the same time was all about trying out for one and meeting Mo's martial arts movie idol. The frequent mentions of the various (fictional) Cody Kwok movies that she calls on to inspire or guide her cracked me up as they were pretty zany movie plots, such as Muay Thai-ger (What happens when a martial artist befriends an ambush of wild tigers and teaches them the fighting style of muay Thai?)
I will say that as an adult reader though, I had to take a bit of exception at so many unrealistic situations, and especially at the fact that Mo lied to her mom so much in order to do the movie tryout (or the veracity of the adults on the movie set being convinced by her subterfuge) - and that there were never any consequences for all of this. But I also know that in kids' fiction/movies we need to figure out ways to get the parents out of the picture so that all of the action with kid as hero can happen... so I get it.
3.5 stars - and I can see it being a hit with middle grade kids, especially girls who are in "unusual" sports like martial arts, or those who feel made fun of for their small size, as Mo goes through this but in the end learns to see the unexpected joy in being small.
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