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Mindy Kim #7
Mindy Kim and the Fairy-Tale Wedding
Mindy’s dad and Julie get married!
It’s time for a big celebration in Mindy Kim’s family: Dad and Julie are getting married! Mindy can’t wait to be the flower girl, wear her new hanbok, and officially welcome Julie into the family.
It’s time for a big celebration in Mindy Kim’s family: Dad and Julie are getting married! Mindy can’t wait to be the flower girl, wear her new hanbok, and officially welcome Julie into the family.
96 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2022
7 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Lyla Lee
22 books843 followersLyla Lee is the bestselling author of books for all ages. Inspired by her Korean heritage and love of pop culture, she writes cute and sometimes swoony stories that have been translated into multiple languages around the world. Originally from South Korea, she’s lived in various cities throughout the United States, worked in Hollywood, and studied Psychology and Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California. She now lives in Dallas, Texas. Visit Lyla at lylaleebooks.com or on social media (Kid lit: @literarylyla and adult romance: @authorlylalee).
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
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May 5, 2022So cute!!
"So cute!"
Yeah, that's what these are.
And they're very simple, so for this jaded reader they go down way too quickly.
So, am I missing something? What are those birds Mindy is holding on the cover?
And did Mom leave them, literally, or is she dead?
"So cute!"
Yeah, that's what these are.
And they're very simple, so for this jaded reader they go down way too quickly.
So, am I missing something? What are those birds Mindy is holding on the cover?
And did Mom leave them, literally, or is she dead?
May 14, 2022
I think that this book is my favorite in the series. What really made this book so great is the amount of research that went towards preparing this book and what is not to love about an author who do their homework before writing such an incredible piece. The acknowledgement at the end of the book even indicated that the author watched many of what happened in the book on YouTube.
As much as how great of a relationship Mindy and her dad have in other books of the series, I particularly loved this book because of the immense of support and care Mindy and her dad have towards one another. There's so much understanding and overall just wonderful support in everything one did. There's so much patience that sometimes I wish that Mindy's dad is my dad haha! One of my favorite dialogues from Mindy's dad is:
What really hit close to my heart was when Mindy's dad said that even though things didn't work out with Mindy's biological mother, Julie became their happily ever after. It kind of hurts my heart that Mindy's dad is getting remarried, yet there's also relief and happiness for him because of how great of a husband he will be. Sometimes moving on will lead towards a happily ever after, only if one chooses to go down that route.
I also enjoyed Mindy and her dad's nightly discussions about practical things like how Mindy felt about Julie becoming part of the family. And as in life, children are a reflection of their parents and when Mindy responded with:
that really showed how accepting and how beautiful Mindy is growing up through her father's guidance. Even though this is a fiction book, I really do appreciate the author's remain in the positivity and showing children how to cope with life changes. It's a hard topic after all, having to go through losing a mother and then to a father remarrying.
Lastly, I just love LOVE the author's continuous information-throwing with the whole wedding preparation. What I REALLY LOVE was how the author went through BOTH cultures' customs in the wedding. For examples for the Chinese part (Julie's)
- when Mindy saw a website saying,
- the process of picking up Julie for the wedding by playing door games on the morning of the wedding where the groom has to pass a few tests by the bride's family and friends to prove himself worthy of the bride.
1. The first door-game challenge is to answer questions about the bride. If you get a question wrong, you'll have to do pushups/punishments of choice.
2. Have to give the bride's friends red envelopes full of money that were in multiples of lucky Chinese numbers like eight and nine.
3. Passing the Seaweed, in which one has to pass pieces of seaweed around via the mouths.
- Bride's friends blindfolding the groom and walking him into the house while he talks about all the reasons why he loved the bride and then picking up the bride's shoes while still being blindfolded.
During the Chinese tea ceremony,
- "Since Julie and Dad are both the youngest in their families, they had to serve tea to their siblings as well as their parents."
During the Korean ceremony paebaek,
1. Bride and groom pay respects to the groom's family. Traditionally, the parents are supposed to drink a shot of rice wine to show that they approve of the bride.
2. game where the grandparents and Julie's parents had to throw chestnuts and dates to see how many children Dad and Julie were going to have.
3. game to see what gender the first baby will be by taking a date in their mouths and bite into it together to see which person got the pit. Winner goes to whichever gender the person wanted.
4. "Dad had to carry Julie around piggyback to show that he could support her and the rest of our family."
As much as how great of a relationship Mindy and her dad have in other books of the series, I particularly loved this book because of the immense of support and care Mindy and her dad have towards one another. There's so much understanding and overall just wonderful support in everything one did. There's so much patience that sometimes I wish that Mindy's dad is my dad haha! One of my favorite dialogues from Mindy's dad is:
Life doesn't have to be perfect, Mindy. Sure, trying our best is important, but at the end of the day, it's the good memories we have together that count. Because those last forever.
What really hit close to my heart was when Mindy's dad said that even though things didn't work out with Mindy's biological mother, Julie became their happily ever after. It kind of hurts my heart that Mindy's dad is getting remarried, yet there's also relief and happiness for him because of how great of a husband he will be. Sometimes moving on will lead towards a happily ever after, only if one chooses to go down that route.
I also enjoyed Mindy and her dad's nightly discussions about practical things like how Mindy felt about Julie becoming part of the family. And as in life, children are a reflection of their parents and when Mindy responded with:
Julie's been part of Dad's and my family for a long time," I said. "This wedding is a big deal, but it's just one more memory we're going to share together. And hopefully we'll have a lot more after that!
that really showed how accepting and how beautiful Mindy is growing up through her father's guidance. Even though this is a fiction book, I really do appreciate the author's remain in the positivity and showing children how to cope with life changes. It's a hard topic after all, having to go through losing a mother and then to a father remarrying.
Lastly, I just love LOVE the author's continuous information-throwing with the whole wedding preparation. What I REALLY LOVE was how the author went through BOTH cultures' customs in the wedding. For examples for the Chinese part (Julie's)
- when Mindy saw a website saying,
... that the guests at the wedding should give the bride and groom money in red envelopes so they'll have good luck.
- the process of picking up Julie for the wedding by playing door games on the morning of the wedding where the groom has to pass a few tests by the bride's family and friends to prove himself worthy of the bride.
1. The first door-game challenge is to answer questions about the bride. If you get a question wrong, you'll have to do pushups/punishments of choice.
2. Have to give the bride's friends red envelopes full of money that were in multiples of lucky Chinese numbers like eight and nine.
3. Passing the Seaweed, in which one has to pass pieces of seaweed around via the mouths.
- Bride's friends blindfolding the groom and walking him into the house while he talks about all the reasons why he loved the bride and then picking up the bride's shoes while still being blindfolded.
During the Chinese tea ceremony,
- "Since Julie and Dad are both the youngest in their families, they had to serve tea to their siblings as well as their parents."
During the Korean ceremony paebaek,
1. Bride and groom pay respects to the groom's family. Traditionally, the parents are supposed to drink a shot of rice wine to show that they approve of the bride.
2. game where the grandparents and Julie's parents had to throw chestnuts and dates to see how many children Dad and Julie were going to have.
3. game to see what gender the first baby will be by taking a date in their mouths and bite into it together to see which person got the pit. Winner goes to whichever gender the person wanted.
4. "Dad had to carry Julie around piggyback to show that he could support her and the rest of our family."
October 21, 2023
5 stars. Good reminders for each book about her name and age and other info from previous books, don’t necessarily have to read them in order - seems I’ve read the odd numbered books. Cool to learn about Korean and Chinese wedding traditions mixed in with American things. Adore this easy chapter book series and could see a young me loving it too!
May 14, 2023
Super cute. Fun way to introduce kids to different cultural wedding traditions from China and Korea. My daughter says this is her favorite so far!
August 11, 2022
A sweet story about the continuing adventures of Mindy Kim, a Korean American girl. In this installment, her dad is getting married to a Chinese woman named Julie. The melding of Korean, Chinese, and American wedding traditions were interesting even for me as an adult.
The chapter book age is a tough level to make interesting. An author has to keep a balance between plot & easy enough vocab for kids to understand. I think the author could have put in a bit more plot (it was very description-heavy) but I understand that this is common in chapter books. I was very interested in learning about the Korean & Chinese traditions, so that kept me going to the end.
I should also mention that finding chapter books about Asian characters in US publishing is like finding a needle in a haystack. I am glad this book series exists for my students!
I would definitely recommend this to my students who are just getting into chapter books and/or looking for Asian characters.
Good for 2nd -3rd grade, perhaps even a really advanced 1st grader.
The chapter book age is a tough level to make interesting. An author has to keep a balance between plot & easy enough vocab for kids to understand. I think the author could have put in a bit more plot (it was very description-heavy) but I understand that this is common in chapter books. I was very interested in learning about the Korean & Chinese traditions, so that kept me going to the end.
I should also mention that finding chapter books about Asian characters in US publishing is like finding a needle in a haystack. I am glad this book series exists for my students!
I would definitely recommend this to my students who are just getting into chapter books and/or looking for Asian characters.
Good for 2nd -3rd grade, perhaps even a really advanced 1st grader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2022
I enjoy the different cultures represented in this book. One draw back to homeschooling is not having a classroom full of diverse learners. I’ve tried to pull literature what has diverse backgrounds represented. This one is a cute series and does just that.
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April 9, 2022Each and every installment of the Mindy Kim series has been adorable to read!
August 30, 2022
Mindy is excited that her dad and Julie's wedding is finally here. Her dad's family is flying in from Korea, and Julie's family is flying in from China. Mindy wants their day to be perfect, but what if she trips or Theo goes off script in his role as ring bearer?
I really liked that in telling the story readers get a cultural crash course in Korean, Chinese, and American wedding traditions. It was a fun celebration. It also felt natural for Mindy to be concerned about making the day perfect. The pre-wedding fun with her cousins felt very realistic. And to top it all off, Ms. Lee does a fabulous job of addressing the mix of feelings that would naturally come along with a widower dad getting remarried. Mindy's attitude is beautiful, acknowledging missing Mom but she also loves Julie and loves how happy she makes her Dad. Very touching. Another splendid volume in a series that is SUPER popular at our international school in Asia.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. No violence. A past death and grief that goes with that is mentioned.
I really liked that in telling the story readers get a cultural crash course in Korean, Chinese, and American wedding traditions. It was a fun celebration. It also felt natural for Mindy to be concerned about making the day perfect. The pre-wedding fun with her cousins felt very realistic. And to top it all off, Ms. Lee does a fabulous job of addressing the mix of feelings that would naturally come along with a widower dad getting remarried. Mindy's attitude is beautiful, acknowledging missing Mom but she also loves Julie and loves how happy she makes her Dad. Very touching. Another splendid volume in a series that is SUPER popular at our international school in Asia.
Notes on content: No language issues or sexual content. No violence. A past death and grief that goes with that is mentioned.
September 12, 2022
Mindy's dad is getting married to his fiancee, Julie, and Mindy couldn't be happier. Her side of the family is flying in from Korea and Julie's side is flying in from New York and China. Mindy gets to be the flower and girl and she plans for her dog, Theodore, to be the ring bearer. However, when dad finds out, he's not for it and on top of it all, Theodore creates chaos at the rehearsal! Will Theodore get to be a part of the wedding? Will it all go ok?
I really enjoyed how this wedding was representative of all three cultures involved--Korean, Chinese, and American. It's something that is not uncommon anymore and it's so nice to see it represented in this book. I could completely imagine myself attending a very similar wedding myself. The only question I had was when Mindy was actually there with her grandparents, receiving the bow of her dad and her step mom, with them. I'm not sure if this would actually be appropriate in real life. Regardless, the Mindy Kim fans at our school will be excited to get this one in their hands.
I really enjoyed how this wedding was representative of all three cultures involved--Korean, Chinese, and American. It's something that is not uncommon anymore and it's so nice to see it represented in this book. I could completely imagine myself attending a very similar wedding myself. The only question I had was when Mindy was actually there with her grandparents, receiving the bow of her dad and her step mom, with them. I'm not sure if this would actually be appropriate in real life. Regardless, the Mindy Kim fans at our school will be excited to get this one in their hands.
May 28, 2024
Another adorable MINDY KIM story has passed and I loved seeing how much Mindy has grown as a little character. She's so sweet and supportive of her dad's happiness. As a person who was partially raised by a single parent, I was so happy when my mom found someone new. And I see this reflected in this story, since Mindy just wants her dad to be happy.
I think stories like this one are so important for young readers, especially because it may be relatable to them. This is why I love that young readers read--it helps them build that empathy.
Mindy teaches kids that if you work hard, you can reach your goals (and even if you don't, or if "reaching your goals" looks a little different, then that's okay!) She's got a great head on her shoulders!
I do wish more little ones read these books, because I find that they teach so much--such as culture, how different some families may look, life lessons, and how to have good communication with those you care for.
Will be picking up the next one in the series next month!
Happy reading!
I think stories like this one are so important for young readers, especially because it may be relatable to them. This is why I love that young readers read--it helps them build that empathy.
Mindy teaches kids that if you work hard, you can reach your goals (and even if you don't, or if "reaching your goals" looks a little different, then that's okay!) She's got a great head on her shoulders!
I do wish more little ones read these books, because I find that they teach so much--such as culture, how different some families may look, life lessons, and how to have good communication with those you care for.
Will be picking up the next one in the series next month!
Happy reading!
April 19, 2022
Book seven in the early grade series, this title stands alone and neatly brings readers up to speed about Mindy and her family. Mindy is Korean American, and is so excited that her dad is finally getting married to Julie, who is Chinese. Lots of family comes to the wedding, and Mindy works hard to help entertain family, train her dog Theodore to be the ring-bearer. She wants the wedding to be fairy tale perfect. Can she manage to get Theodore trained in time to do what he is supposed to do?
This is a cozy, family centered story about the excitement of being in a wedding. I enjoyed learning about Korean and Chinese wedding traditions and foods. Happiness and good family relationships abound. Occasional black and white digital art complements the text.
I found Mindy’s friend Sally a bit unrealistic, as she gives Mindy advice that sounds much more grown up and instructive than their ages of nine years.
This is a cozy, family centered story about the excitement of being in a wedding. I enjoyed learning about Korean and Chinese wedding traditions and foods. Happiness and good family relationships abound. Occasional black and white digital art complements the text.
I found Mindy’s friend Sally a bit unrealistic, as she gives Mindy advice that sounds much more grown up and instructive than their ages of nine years.
June 15, 2022
A friend recommended I check out a book in this series, and she was totally right! It's books for sure made for younger kids (think second grade), but this is totally what we need for diverse books. It's a story young kids can get behind, the things they might not have experienced are explained, the photos support the reading and understanding of the culture and story, and when there is something a child might not have experienced introduced, it's done in a natural and normal way. Super quick read, but I think this would be a great series to have in a classroom.
May 11, 2022
This is another sweet installment in the Mindy Kim series. It has emotional depth and is very charming, but I found it somewhat disappointing, since the bulk of the book is just a play-by-play of wedding preparations and events. There isn't much of a plot or character arc, and even though I'm a huge fan of slice-of-life wedding stories, I would have liked a tighter, better-paced plot with more conflict or action propelling the narrative.
January 31, 2023
Part of a chapter book series following Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl. In this seventh novel, Mindy's dad and Julie get married! Readers learn about Korean and Chinese wedding traditions and foods.
Cozy, family-centered story is about the excitement of being in a wedding. Tone: sweet and light-hearted. Short chapters, straightforward text and language, some illustrations.
Read Alikes: Junie B. Jones, Grace Lin, Kelly Yang, Pippa Park, Just Grace
Cozy, family-centered story is about the excitement of being in a wedding. Tone: sweet and light-hearted. Short chapters, straightforward text and language, some illustrations.
Read Alikes: Junie B. Jones, Grace Lin, Kelly Yang, Pippa Park, Just Grace
April 25, 2022
Another charming and sweet Mindy Kim story. My 8yo writes the release dates on her calendar and looks forward to the day so much. This series is a nice introduction to Korean and Chinese traditions and culture and how some Asian Americans integrate the typical US lifestyle with those traditions. We celebrate the role models for our daughter to identify with. Thanks Lyla Lee!
August 25, 2022
Mindy Kim gets to stand as flower girl at her father's and Julie's wedding!
Lovely cross-cultural wedding, giving the reader insight into American wedding, Chinese wedding and Korean wedding traditions.
Lovely cross-cultural wedding, giving the reader insight into American wedding, Chinese wedding and Korean wedding traditions.
March 23, 2023
A cute story that follows a 9 year old Korean American girl as her father gets remarried after the loss of her mother. He is marrying a Chinese American woman. The author does a great job at highlighting and celebrating the different cultural traditions of a multicultural wedding.
April 17, 2023
Mindy’s is getting married to Julie and Mindy is the flower girl! Mindy wanted Theodore her puppy to be the ring bearer but rehearsal didn’t go so well. The real wedding went perfectly and they did a Korean wedding too. I would really like to be a flower girl one day!
May 11, 2022
If you enjoy the Mindy Kim series then you are going to enjoy this one too.
May 23, 2022
Mindy’s Dad and Julie getting married. Nice descriptions of Chinese and Korean wedding customs. All about family and friendship…
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May 30, 2022another cute addition
September 2, 2023
Highly suggest this early reader series as part of the Asian-American library.
June 24, 2024
I read this book and was able to imagine an interesting wedding in Korea. If I get the chance, I definitely want to visit Korea someday.
August 12, 2025
I'm a sucker for weddings
June 13, 2022
I'm so excited for this!!
UPDATE JUNE 12, 2022
I cried, I laughed! This is why I love Mindy and her family!
UPDATE JUNE 12, 2022
I cried, I laughed! This is why I love Mindy and her family!
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews