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Maizy Chen's Last Chance:
NEWBERY HONOR AWARD • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST •
ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE WINNER • Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family’s Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family.
Welcome to the Golden Palace!
Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota . . . until now. Her mom’s plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time in Last Chance (where she and her family are the only Asian Americans) and at the Golden Palace—the restaurant that’s been in her family for generations—she makes some discoveries. For
But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions she has. Like, why are her mom and her grandmother always fighting? Who are the people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a beloved family treasure has gone missing—and someone has left a racist note—Maizy decides it’s time to find the answers.
“Heartfelt, personal, and real—this book is a gift.” —TAE KELLER, Newbery Medal–winning author of When You Trap a Tiger
ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR YOUTH LITERATURE WINNER • Twelve year-old Maizy discovers her family’s Chinese restaurant is full of secrets in this irresistible novel that celebrates food, fortune, and family.
Welcome to the Golden Palace!
Maizy has never been to Last Chance, Minnesota . . . until now. Her mom’s plan is just to stay for a couple weeks, until her grandfather gets better. But plans change, and as Maizy spends more time in Last Chance (where she and her family are the only Asian Americans) and at the Golden Palace—the restaurant that’s been in her family for generations—she makes some discoveries. For
But the more Maizy discovers, the more questions she has. Like, why are her mom and her grandmother always fighting? Who are the people in the photographs on the office wall? And when she discovers that a beloved family treasure has gone missing—and someone has left a racist note—Maizy decides it’s time to find the answers.
“Heartfelt, personal, and real—this book is a gift.” —TAE KELLER, Newbery Medal–winning author of When You Trap a Tiger
304 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2022
171 people are currently reading
6306 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Yee
40 books557 followersLisa Yee has written over 20 novels. Her most recent book, Maizy Chen's Last Chance, is about a fifth-generation Chinese American girl, and is a National Book Award Finalist, Newbery Honor, and the Asian Pacific American Children's Literature Award winner.
Lisa's debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. Other books include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes), illustrated by Dan Santat.
Lisa is also the author of several American Girl books and the DC Super Hero Girls series. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa's books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.
Lisa lives In Western Massachusetts, but spends a lot of time in Los Angeles, especially when it's cold. Her next book, an awkward and hilarious mystery, is called The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, and is illustrated by Dan Santat.
You can visit Lisa at www.lisayee.com.
Lisa's debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. Other books include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes), illustrated by Dan Santat.
Lisa is also the author of several American Girl books and the DC Super Hero Girls series. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa's books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.
Lisa lives In Western Massachusetts, but spends a lot of time in Los Angeles, especially when it's cold. Her next book, an awkward and hilarious mystery, is called The Misfits: A Royal Conundrum, and is illustrated by Dan Santat.
You can visit Lisa at www.lisayee.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 834 reviews
February 13, 2022
It's been a while since I've read a story within a story and this one does a great job of incorporating historical fiction with realistic fiction.
Maizy Chen's Last Chance focuses on Maizy Chen as she moves temporarily to Last Chance, Minnesota for the summer with her mother. They are making the trip to help Maizy's grandparents with their restaurant after her grandfather gets sick. While there Maizy meets a host of different characters who later serve as her support system. After a racially charged incident impacts the family, Maizy begins to talk to her grandfather about their family history. He tells her about Lucky Chen who immigrated from China to California for work. Through the stories, we learn that, like Maizy, Lucky Chen also faces more than a fair share of racially charged incidents. One incident in which he was accused of stealing money from an employer pushed him to move to Minnesota to work in restaurant.
There were a couple of things that I really enjoyed about this novel including the writing style and the historical elements. Yee has a writing style that's easy to follow and really captures the attention of readers. The decision to include family history as a separate narrative from Maizy's story was ingenious. It was a unique form of storytelling that had me wanting to learn more about Lucky Chen. It was also a great way to show the paralleling of discrimination faced by the Asian community that has continued on to Maizy's generation. While that is a huge part of the story, I loved all the other things that readers see Maizy do in this book like building a relationship with her grandfather, getting to know other people in town like Daisy. This book also isn't all roses and there are some difficult things that occur outside of the on the page racism. A lot of middle grade readers will connect to Maizy's reluctance to go to Minnesota and live in a new environment as well as the struggles that she has fitting in. This was such an emotional and impactful read and I learned a lot myself.
Maizy Chen's Last Chance focuses on Maizy Chen as she moves temporarily to Last Chance, Minnesota for the summer with her mother. They are making the trip to help Maizy's grandparents with their restaurant after her grandfather gets sick. While there Maizy meets a host of different characters who later serve as her support system. After a racially charged incident impacts the family, Maizy begins to talk to her grandfather about their family history. He tells her about Lucky Chen who immigrated from China to California for work. Through the stories, we learn that, like Maizy, Lucky Chen also faces more than a fair share of racially charged incidents. One incident in which he was accused of stealing money from an employer pushed him to move to Minnesota to work in restaurant.
There were a couple of things that I really enjoyed about this novel including the writing style and the historical elements. Yee has a writing style that's easy to follow and really captures the attention of readers. The decision to include family history as a separate narrative from Maizy's story was ingenious. It was a unique form of storytelling that had me wanting to learn more about Lucky Chen. It was also a great way to show the paralleling of discrimination faced by the Asian community that has continued on to Maizy's generation. While that is a huge part of the story, I loved all the other things that readers see Maizy do in this book like building a relationship with her grandfather, getting to know other people in town like Daisy. This book also isn't all roses and there are some difficult things that occur outside of the on the page racism. A lot of middle grade readers will connect to Maizy's reluctance to go to Minnesota and live in a new environment as well as the struggles that she has fitting in. This was such an emotional and impactful read and I learned a lot myself.
January 29, 2022
As a tribute to her grandparents and their immigration to America early in the 20th century, this works very well. There is a story within the story that Maizy's Opa is telling her bit by bit. It is the story of Lucky and his coming to America and the origins of The Golden Palace, the family restaurant in Last Chance, Minnesota. That was my favorite part of the book. Maizy's summer in Last Chance had too many issues crammed in. I did especially love her relationship with her Opa and the custom fortunes she started inserting in the cookies. The subject of Paper Sons is also well covered in this book and that is an important piece of history for Chinese Americans. After the story, the author includes some family photos and a nonfiction narrative summarizing some facts about the arc of Chinese immigration in the US. Overall, a bit of a disappointment due to the all the stuff crammed into Maizy's summer, but the Golden Palace story saves the day.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2023
3.5 Stars
A great middle grade novel that seamlessly weaves historical and contemporary fiction together through the grandfather's absorbing storytelling. I found myself eager to see what Lucky's fate was as the story progressed. I always find intergenerational stories heartwarming and important as they tackle significant family plotlines/themes that everyone can relate to. There were some confronting scenes as racial hate crimes take place in the town of Last Chance. To balance these out there were incredible acts of kindness and many townspeople were inclusive and caring community members. I look forward to reading more books from Lisa Yee.
A great middle grade novel that seamlessly weaves historical and contemporary fiction together through the grandfather's absorbing storytelling. I found myself eager to see what Lucky's fate was as the story progressed. I always find intergenerational stories heartwarming and important as they tackle significant family plotlines/themes that everyone can relate to. There were some confronting scenes as racial hate crimes take place in the town of Last Chance. To balance these out there were incredible acts of kindness and many townspeople were inclusive and caring community members. I look forward to reading more books from Lisa Yee.
Read
January 10, 2022I wish I could turn back the clock to when I was a sixth grade teacher because I would so be reading this book out loud to my class, and enjoying the discussions I know it would spark.
Mazy Chen is eleven, living with her mom in Los Angeles when they suddenly drop everything to drive back to the tiny town of Last Chance, Minnesota, to visit the grandparents Maizy has only seen once on a single occasional memorable for its discomfort.
Her Oma and Opa run a Chinese restaurant, the only one in the tiny town. And there's a reason her grandparents, both of Chinese ancestry, go by the German nicknames for grandparents, which we find out later.
At the beginning, Maizy is not happy to be stuck in a dull little town at a restaurant that is the center of her grandparents' lives; Opa is ill, and it's Maizy's job to keep him occupied so that he doesn't get stressed with work.
Once Maizy starts getting to know Opa, the book opens up like a lotus, one absorbing petal after another. I especially appreciated the little snips of ancestor "Lucky" Chen's life, beginning in China in 1853, then coming to America, as told by Opa to Maizy.
The prose is simple without ever being simplistic (In my family, sometimes what's not said takes up more space than what is), the characters a wide range from repellent to lovely, with plenty of complexity between; the pacing is brisk enough to keep me turning the pages until I suddenly found myself done. I can see a kid reader racing through this book.
I think what I appreciated most was Yee's clarity of vision. She gives us characters representing all the warts and foibles of human nature, with a strong glimmering of compassion tying everything together. This is not a flowers and rainbows book of everybody simple and happy, which can hit false notes, especially for kids today who hear their parents' worries and who might have family stories about racial slurs, or have been hit with them themselves.
But it is also not one of those dreary seventies Problem Novels that (in my classroom experience) put more kids off reading than not, and also implied somehow that being other than white cis het was A Problem--not a message that is helpful to anyone.
The book is funny and scary by turns, thoughtful and wise, as adults as well as kids make mistakes and learn from them--or don't. I would have bought this in hardback for my classroom shelf. Two copies.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Mazy Chen is eleven, living with her mom in Los Angeles when they suddenly drop everything to drive back to the tiny town of Last Chance, Minnesota, to visit the grandparents Maizy has only seen once on a single occasional memorable for its discomfort.
Her Oma and Opa run a Chinese restaurant, the only one in the tiny town. And there's a reason her grandparents, both of Chinese ancestry, go by the German nicknames for grandparents, which we find out later.
At the beginning, Maizy is not happy to be stuck in a dull little town at a restaurant that is the center of her grandparents' lives; Opa is ill, and it's Maizy's job to keep him occupied so that he doesn't get stressed with work.
Once Maizy starts getting to know Opa, the book opens up like a lotus, one absorbing petal after another. I especially appreciated the little snips of ancestor "Lucky" Chen's life, beginning in China in 1853, then coming to America, as told by Opa to Maizy.
The prose is simple without ever being simplistic (In my family, sometimes what's not said takes up more space than what is), the characters a wide range from repellent to lovely, with plenty of complexity between; the pacing is brisk enough to keep me turning the pages until I suddenly found myself done. I can see a kid reader racing through this book.
I think what I appreciated most was Yee's clarity of vision. She gives us characters representing all the warts and foibles of human nature, with a strong glimmering of compassion tying everything together. This is not a flowers and rainbows book of everybody simple and happy, which can hit false notes, especially for kids today who hear their parents' worries and who might have family stories about racial slurs, or have been hit with them themselves.
But it is also not one of those dreary seventies Problem Novels that (in my classroom experience) put more kids off reading than not, and also implied somehow that being other than white cis het was A Problem--not a message that is helpful to anyone.
The book is funny and scary by turns, thoughtful and wise, as adults as well as kids make mistakes and learn from them--or don't. I would have bought this in hardback for my classroom shelf. Two copies.
Copy provided by NetGalley
October 27, 2025
In the 2023 Newbery honour winning middle grade novel Maizy Chen’s Last Chance (2022), Lisa Yee's delightfully readable as well as poignant text shows and also lovingly tells how eleven year old Maizy Chen (who loves living in Los Angeles, California) and her single-by-choice mother spend the summer helping out her grandparents in a small town called Last Chance, Minnesota (not only to assist with running the family's Golden Palace Chinese restaurant but also because Opa's health is precarious, is seriously declining and that he definitely should not be working, is not even physically able to do anything remotely strenuous). So while Oma and Maizy's mother work at and run the restaurant, Maizy keeps her grandfather company as he tends to his many health struggles but also regales his granddaughter with accounts of their ancestors’ journeys from China to a new and more prosperous, successful life in the USA.
And Yee throughout Maizy Chen's Last Chance using very readable and thankfully also never distracting textual incursions (with Yee showing Opa's storytelling organically but readers also easily figuring out the change from Maizy's kindred spirit like and nicely age appropriate first person to her grandfather's third person narration through specific dates and no chapter number headings for the recounted tales), Maizy learns about her family and also about American history, about great-great grandfather Lucky Chen who immigrated to the USA from China in the 1860s and the impacts of his story on the family even today, which in turn then leads and inspires Maizy to equally so help others uncover their own family secrets as well, but that when a "kidnapped" and defaced bear mascot (which has always stood outside of the restaurant and is very important to and for Opa and Oma) and anti Chinese racist notes attempt to blackmail the Golden Palace, Maizy Chen leans on the strength and resilience she has learned from her grandfather's, from Opa's stories to speak out and to also actively fight back against the prejudices her family are facing (and to figure out who the main villains in Maizy Chen's Last Chance are, including someone, including the Last Chance mayor, whom Maizy originally was respecting and even considered as being friendly and supportive).
With every member of a large cast of characters from multiple times and locations being vividly portrayed and described in Maizy Chen's Last Chance (both positively and when necessary negatively) and a variety of subplots that actually work and do not get either confusing or frustrating (at least not for me), yes indeed, Lisa Yee's lively and engaging textual pace combined with strong writing seamlessly weave together themes of belonging, racially focused anti-immigrant and anti-immigration sentiments, the importance of family and also of friendship (and with the friendship, family and immigration stories also being unilaterally and all-encompassingly tied to and celebrated with food, including having a Chinese-American fusion recipe for cream cheese wontons on page 271 to 272 of Maizy Chen's Last ChanceMaizy Chen's Last Chance, that both of us do jointly highly recommend Yee's story and that we also rate Maizy Chen's Last Chance with a solid and delightful five stars (with in my opinion, Maizy Chen's Last Chance being suitable for ALL readers from about the age of nine or so onwards, and yes, even though Opa in fact does not get better in Maizy Chen's Last Chance, the ending for Maizy Chen's Last Chance is still upliftingly encouraging in many ways, with Maizy Chen having found an appreciation of her family and also of her background and that even when she and her mother return home to Los Angeles California, Last Chance, Minnesota and the Golden Palace restaurant now are and mean home to and for Maizy).
Now looking at Maizy Chen’s Last Chance from an instructional standpoint, for me, what Lisa Yee is textually providing is not only an engaging, entertaining, emotionally satisfying (and most definitely and totally Newbery worthy) independent reading experience, but that I can also see Maizy Chen’s Last Chance being used as part of a book club focused on stories of immigration, family history, bullying, racism and acceptance (and indeed, for middle school English classes as well). And for me personally speaking and as a German Canadian, I have also really and truly enjoyed the character of Werner, that by the end of Maizy Chen's Last Chance, Opa and Werner are friends again, how Maizy's Opa also taught Werner English and that Werner also during WWII never ever denigrated Philip Chen because of his Chinese, because of his Asian background (since even though China was officially an American ally during the Second World War, many Americans and even lawmakers, politicians etc. still considered Chinese Americans to be lesser, to be enemies and deserving of racial discrimination), not to mention that how in Maizy Chen's Last Chance in the Chen family grandparents are called by the German terms Opa and Oma (for reasons that are delightfully and engagingly explained by Yee but of course in actual fact by Maizy's grandfather when Maizy ask him if Opa and Oma are the Chinese names for Grandma and Grandpa), yes indeed, this really made and makes me massively smile (and makes me also consider Maizy Chen's Last Chance delightfully fusion-like and celebrating what I would consider to be combinatory diversity).
But unfortunately, for some (and likely even for many) extremist social conservative parents, lawmakers, politicians and the like, there is unfortunately also much to be en countered in Maizy Chen's Last Chance that could likely and sadly trigger challenges and even potential book bans even though for no justifiable reasons whatsoever in my not so humble opinion (the school principal being in a same sex relationship, racism, that Chinese nationals were actually not legally permitted to immigrate to the USA from 1882 until 1943 and which was why there were so-called paper sons, since if someone had Chinese family members already legally in the United States of America, immigration was still at least possible, so that potential immigrants from China were often sponsored by strangers and claimed to be family members). And while I am hoping that my worries regarding Maizy Chen's Last Chance being banned will end up proving to be unfounded and that there will be no moves to have Maizy Chen's Last Chance censored and restricted, I reading online how a reviewer while generally liking what Lisa Yee has written in Maizy Chen's Last Chance also claims that the school principal being in a same sex marriage could make young readers supposedly reject heterosexual marriage out of hand, sorry, but that is seriously frightening and worrisome (and well, I could also see some "people" upon reading about the paper sons in Maizy Chen's Last Chance wanting to get the Chinese American descendants of those same paper sons rounded up, stripped of their American citizenships and deported en masse).
And Yee throughout Maizy Chen's Last Chance using very readable and thankfully also never distracting textual incursions (with Yee showing Opa's storytelling organically but readers also easily figuring out the change from Maizy's kindred spirit like and nicely age appropriate first person to her grandfather's third person narration through specific dates and no chapter number headings for the recounted tales), Maizy learns about her family and also about American history, about great-great grandfather Lucky Chen who immigrated to the USA from China in the 1860s and the impacts of his story on the family even today, which in turn then leads and inspires Maizy to equally so help others uncover their own family secrets as well, but that when a "kidnapped" and defaced bear mascot (which has always stood outside of the restaurant and is very important to and for Opa and Oma) and anti Chinese racist notes attempt to blackmail the Golden Palace, Maizy Chen leans on the strength and resilience she has learned from her grandfather's, from Opa's stories to speak out and to also actively fight back against the prejudices her family are facing (and to figure out who the main villains in Maizy Chen's Last Chance are, including someone, including the Last Chance mayor, whom Maizy originally was respecting and even considered as being friendly and supportive).
With every member of a large cast of characters from multiple times and locations being vividly portrayed and described in Maizy Chen's Last Chance (both positively and when necessary negatively) and a variety of subplots that actually work and do not get either confusing or frustrating (at least not for me), yes indeed, Lisa Yee's lively and engaging textual pace combined with strong writing seamlessly weave together themes of belonging, racially focused anti-immigrant and anti-immigration sentiments, the importance of family and also of friendship (and with the friendship, family and immigration stories also being unilaterally and all-encompassingly tied to and celebrated with food, including having a Chinese-American fusion recipe for cream cheese wontons on page 271 to 272 of Maizy Chen's Last ChanceMaizy Chen's Last Chance, that both of us do jointly highly recommend Yee's story and that we also rate Maizy Chen's Last Chance with a solid and delightful five stars (with in my opinion, Maizy Chen's Last Chance being suitable for ALL readers from about the age of nine or so onwards, and yes, even though Opa in fact does not get better in Maizy Chen's Last Chance, the ending for Maizy Chen's Last Chance is still upliftingly encouraging in many ways, with Maizy Chen having found an appreciation of her family and also of her background and that even when she and her mother return home to Los Angeles California, Last Chance, Minnesota and the Golden Palace restaurant now are and mean home to and for Maizy).
Now looking at Maizy Chen’s Last Chance from an instructional standpoint, for me, what Lisa Yee is textually providing is not only an engaging, entertaining, emotionally satisfying (and most definitely and totally Newbery worthy) independent reading experience, but that I can also see Maizy Chen’s Last Chance being used as part of a book club focused on stories of immigration, family history, bullying, racism and acceptance (and indeed, for middle school English classes as well). And for me personally speaking and as a German Canadian, I have also really and truly enjoyed the character of Werner, that by the end of Maizy Chen's Last Chance, Opa and Werner are friends again, how Maizy's Opa also taught Werner English and that Werner also during WWII never ever denigrated Philip Chen because of his Chinese, because of his Asian background (since even though China was officially an American ally during the Second World War, many Americans and even lawmakers, politicians etc. still considered Chinese Americans to be lesser, to be enemies and deserving of racial discrimination), not to mention that how in Maizy Chen's Last Chance in the Chen family grandparents are called by the German terms Opa and Oma (for reasons that are delightfully and engagingly explained by Yee but of course in actual fact by Maizy's grandfather when Maizy ask him if Opa and Oma are the Chinese names for Grandma and Grandpa), yes indeed, this really made and makes me massively smile (and makes me also consider Maizy Chen's Last Chance delightfully fusion-like and celebrating what I would consider to be combinatory diversity).
But unfortunately, for some (and likely even for many) extremist social conservative parents, lawmakers, politicians and the like, there is unfortunately also much to be en countered in Maizy Chen's Last Chance that could likely and sadly trigger challenges and even potential book bans even though for no justifiable reasons whatsoever in my not so humble opinion (the school principal being in a same sex relationship, racism, that Chinese nationals were actually not legally permitted to immigrate to the USA from 1882 until 1943 and which was why there were so-called paper sons, since if someone had Chinese family members already legally in the United States of America, immigration was still at least possible, so that potential immigrants from China were often sponsored by strangers and claimed to be family members). And while I am hoping that my worries regarding Maizy Chen's Last Chance being banned will end up proving to be unfounded and that there will be no moves to have Maizy Chen's Last Chance censored and restricted, I reading online how a reviewer while generally liking what Lisa Yee has written in Maizy Chen's Last Chance also claims that the school principal being in a same sex marriage could make young readers supposedly reject heterosexual marriage out of hand, sorry, but that is seriously frightening and worrisome (and well, I could also see some "people" upon reading about the paper sons in Maizy Chen's Last Chance wanting to get the Chinese American descendants of those same paper sons rounded up, stripped of their American citizenships and deported en masse).
October 8, 2024
4 stars
I enjoyed Maizy’s story in ‘Maizy Chen’s Last Chance’. Not only did we get her story, but we got the story of her family members when her grandfather talked about his grandfather, Lucky. This book hit important topics, but was also entertaining.
I enjoyed Maizy’s story in ‘Maizy Chen’s Last Chance’. Not only did we get her story, but we got the story of her family members when her grandfather talked about his grandfather, Lucky. This book hit important topics, but was also entertaining.
Audio book source: Libby
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Yu-Li Alice Shen
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Middle Grade
Length: 4h 41m
March 6, 2023
A wonderful, wonderful book! Maizy and her adventures in Last Chance, Minnesota, discovering her family, discovering history, discovering herself, is just perfection.
Yee did an amazing job of balancing the heartache with humor, of laying out grim facts from the past but keeping it light enough to not traumatize younger readers. I would love to eat at the Golden Palace, and give Bud the Bear a pat on the paw, and see what special fortune Maizy put in my cookie!
Yee did an amazing job of balancing the heartache with humor, of laying out grim facts from the past but keeping it light enough to not traumatize younger readers. I would love to eat at the Golden Palace, and give Bud the Bear a pat on the paw, and see what special fortune Maizy put in my cookie!
March 13, 2023
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance is a spellbinding middle grade book about one Chinese family’s heritage and the granddaughter who ties it all together. This book highlights the challenges that Chinese people have faced while immigrating to the US. It also shows how immigrants can find family among themselves and in their communities. Maizy Chen’s Last Chance also depicts a protagonist whose father was a sperm donor, like Nikki in Nikki on the Line. Some kids with unique family situations may appreciate this detail. I loved this one and I always enjoy Lisa Yee’s storytelling. This is a must-read.
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/maizy-...
Full review: https://readingmiddlegrade.com/maizy-...
November 30, 2021
A fabulous middle grade novel!
Would be a great pairing with MG novels Front Desk & The Parker Inheritance + picture book Paper Son.
Would be a great pairing with MG novels Front Desk & The Parker Inheritance + picture book Paper Son.
May 15, 2022
i LOVED this. maizy chen's last chance is a heartfelt story with earnest characters and themes i rooted for wholeheartedly - and it was exactly what i needed to read today, a day when i could've really used a pick-me-up. i can't wait to reread this!
Was Lucky happy here in Last Chance? When I near the Golden Palace, I try to look at it the way Lucky would have the first time he got off the train. I’m not just walking into a building—it feels like I’m walking into a story.
June 11, 2022
I'd say 3.5 stars. This was an engaging read that would be a great way to start conversations with teens about immigration, as well as introducing them to Chinese immigration in US history. I did feel like some of the side characters were either under-developed or unnecessary, making them hard to keep track of and remember, and (again, in my opinion) some of the "extra" issues she tacked on as themes felt forced, like she was trying to check boxes to appeal to others. But the main characters were super lovable and I enjoyed the "story within a story" element.
March 11, 2023
2.5 stars: This story started out very strong, but it didn’t come together for me. I really liked how the author incorporated Chinese history and culture into this story. The relationships in this book felt very surface level and I never felt connected to the story or the characters. I felt like the author wanted to hit so many points in this story, so nothing felt fleshed out or impactful. This book won the Newbery Honor award and I just don’t think this story is distinctive or memorable.
August 13, 2023
As a reread, I enjoyed this even more than I did the first time and have upped the rating from 4⭐s to 5⭐s.
8/8/23 Well-written and well researched, Lisa Yee's book is a wonderful story about a Chinese American girl from Los Angeles who finds herself living in small town Minnesota for a summer with her Mom and grandparents who run a Chinese restaurant in town. Maizy learns poker, hears family stories and experiences prejudice. She speaks up for herself and solves a mystery. She has quite the summer and it turns out Last Chance wasn't the boring small town she thought it would be.
11/16/23 Alas, it did not win the NBA for Young People's Literature. The winner was All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir.
10/4/22 Update - Now an NBA finalist for Young People's Literature, winner to be announced on November 16, watch the awards live.
9/25/22 Only child Maizy and her Mom travel from big city California to spend the summer in small town Minnesota where Mom grew up as the daughter of the local Chinese restaurant owners. Is it possible for Maizy to have a relationship with grandparents that she barely knows? What secrets does the town of Last Chance hold for Mom and Maizy?
Not everyone is who they seem or appear to be in this story about family secrets & histories, prejudice and Chinese American immigrants. Give this one to anyone who likes stories about families and family dynamics.
8/8/23 Well-written and well researched, Lisa Yee's book is a wonderful story about a Chinese American girl from Los Angeles who finds herself living in small town Minnesota for a summer with her Mom and grandparents who run a Chinese restaurant in town. Maizy learns poker, hears family stories and experiences prejudice. She speaks up for herself and solves a mystery. She has quite the summer and it turns out Last Chance wasn't the boring small town she thought it would be.
11/16/23 Alas, it did not win the NBA for Young People's Literature. The winner was All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir.
10/4/22 Update - Now an NBA finalist for Young People's Literature, winner to be announced on November 16, watch the awards live.
9/25/22 Only child Maizy and her Mom travel from big city California to spend the summer in small town Minnesota where Mom grew up as the daughter of the local Chinese restaurant owners. Is it possible for Maizy to have a relationship with grandparents that she barely knows? What secrets does the town of Last Chance hold for Mom and Maizy?
Not everyone is who they seem or appear to be in this story about family secrets & histories, prejudice and Chinese American immigrants. Give this one to anyone who likes stories about families and family dynamics.
July 25, 2025
A Chinese-American saga
Maizy Chen is an ordinary twelve-year-old girl living near Los Angeles. She also happens to be Chinese-American, but this fact has not been terribly important to her life in the past. She is the only child of a successful single mother. One summer her mother takes her off to the little town of Last Chance, Minnesota, where Maizy's grandmother and grandfather own and run a restaurant called the Golden Palace. Maizy is drawn into the life of Last Chance and the operation of the Golden Palace. Simultaneously, her grandfather tells her stories of her family -- how his grandfather (Maizy's great-great-grandfather) came to the USA during the California Gold Rush, worked on the railroad, and eventually became a successful restauranteur in Last Chance. During that time the Golden Palace became a sort of haven for Chinese Immigrants trying to make lives in the USA.
As I read Lisa Yee's Maizy Chen's Last Chance it felt familiar to me. I recently read Ken Liu's All the Flavors (in the collection The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories) and Kelly Yang's Front Desk. All the Flavors is a story about the Chinese community in Idaho (which historically had one of the largest Chinese immigrant communities of the United States.) Front Desk is about a modern Chinese family who comes to the USA and takes on the management of a motel.
Together, Front Desk and All the Flavors cover similar subjects to Maizy Chen's Last Chance. But they are, in my opinion better. The stories are better and better told. Yang's Mia Tang is, to my taste, a more interesting character than Yee's Maizy Chen, and Liu's Logan (Lao Guan) is more fascinating to me than Maizy's grandfather.
Now, I am in some mental conflict here. There is a part of me that thinks, "You should not rate Maizy Chen's Last Chance relative to other stories about the same subject. If it's a good book, then give it a good rating!" But there's also a part of me that replies, "Why not? In reality, every book I read is a choice -- I don't have time to read all the books I want to. If nothing else, Front Desk and All the Flavors suggest it could be done better." Thus three stars -- my "I'm not sorry I read this" rating.
Blog review.
Maizy Chen is an ordinary twelve-year-old girl living near Los Angeles. She also happens to be Chinese-American, but this fact has not been terribly important to her life in the past. She is the only child of a successful single mother. One summer her mother takes her off to the little town of Last Chance, Minnesota, where Maizy's grandmother and grandfather own and run a restaurant called the Golden Palace. Maizy is drawn into the life of Last Chance and the operation of the Golden Palace. Simultaneously, her grandfather tells her stories of her family -- how his grandfather (Maizy's great-great-grandfather) came to the USA during the California Gold Rush, worked on the railroad, and eventually became a successful restauranteur in Last Chance. During that time the Golden Palace became a sort of haven for Chinese Immigrants trying to make lives in the USA.
As I read Lisa Yee's Maizy Chen's Last Chance it felt familiar to me. I recently read Ken Liu's All the Flavors (in the collection The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories) and Kelly Yang's Front Desk. All the Flavors is a story about the Chinese community in Idaho (which historically had one of the largest Chinese immigrant communities of the United States.) Front Desk is about a modern Chinese family who comes to the USA and takes on the management of a motel.
Together, Front Desk and All the Flavors cover similar subjects to Maizy Chen's Last Chance. But they are, in my opinion better. The stories are better and better told. Yang's Mia Tang is, to my taste, a more interesting character than Yee's Maizy Chen, and Liu's Logan (Lao Guan) is more fascinating to me than Maizy's grandfather.
Now, I am in some mental conflict here. There is a part of me that thinks, "You should not rate Maizy Chen's Last Chance relative to other stories about the same subject. If it's a good book, then give it a good rating!" But there's also a part of me that replies, "Why not? In reality, every book I read is a choice -- I don't have time to read all the books I want to. If nothing else, Front Desk and All the Flavors suggest it could be done better." Thus three stars -- my "I'm not sorry I read this" rating.
Blog review.
September 28, 2025
At first I thought it was going to be just another city girl dragged out to nowhere to see grandparents she doesn't even know... but it became more and then even more, and got serious. Never too terribly heavy, never implausibly full of plots & adventures, with plenty of joy and hope and love.
An absolutely wonderful book for the target audience, their families and their other teachers, and their friends and fans.
I love details like principal Holmes' t-shirts. And how Maizy sticks up to the mean girls. And the custom fortunes that Maizy types, for example "Fighting is easy. Forgiving is hard." And cream cheese wonton recipe in the back (and all the food descriptions... don't eat while hungry!).
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Reread for Newbery discussion in Children's Books group. Rating and review stand... but I don't think I'd necessarily recommend the audio. It seems awkward. For example, Maizy does a lot of thinking while she's talking, and it's always hard to tell if she said something out loud (to her mom, friend, Mayor...) or not.
An absolutely wonderful book for the target audience, their families and their other teachers, and their friends and fans.
I love details like principal Holmes' t-shirts. And how Maizy sticks up to the mean girls. And the custom fortunes that Maizy types, for example "Fighting is easy. Forgiving is hard." And cream cheese wonton recipe in the back (and all the food descriptions... don't eat while hungry!).
---
Reread for Newbery discussion in Children's Books group. Rating and review stand... but I don't think I'd necessarily recommend the audio. It seems awkward. For example, Maizy does a lot of thinking while she's talking, and it's always hard to tell if she said something out loud (to her mom, friend, Mayor...) or not.
April 20, 2023
I was a bit disappointed in this book. There were things I liked and things that didn't work for me.
I really liked the characters especially Opa and Logan. Loved the story within the story with background about Lucky and Chinese immigration in the 1800s (paper sons were very interesting!). The Chinese food was fun and I enjoyed the family relationships as well both strong and strained.
The book got too political for me with the college aged researcher pushing political agendas. And I had a hard time with the double standard about racism and homosexuality. I don't think some of these issues belong in a book for young kids. There was some intense language that I was surprised to see in a middle grade read as well (racial slurs, bigot, but no swearing). I'd wait to have kids read this until they are 12+ and be prepared for some heavy conversations afterwards. Which can be a positive thing.
I believe racism is wrong and we should treat all people with respect. But I felt like the political agenda was at the forefront of this story especially at the end. That didn't speak to me.
I really liked the characters especially Opa and Logan. Loved the story within the story with background about Lucky and Chinese immigration in the 1800s (paper sons were very interesting!). The Chinese food was fun and I enjoyed the family relationships as well both strong and strained.
The book got too political for me with the college aged researcher pushing political agendas. And I had a hard time with the double standard about racism and homosexuality. I don't think some of these issues belong in a book for young kids. There was some intense language that I was surprised to see in a middle grade read as well (racial slurs, bigot, but no swearing). I'd wait to have kids read this until they are 12+ and be prepared for some heavy conversations afterwards. Which can be a positive thing.
I believe racism is wrong and we should treat all people with respect. But I felt like the political agenda was at the forefront of this story especially at the end. That didn't speak to me.
September 26, 2022
This is a very sweet story about connecting with family and learning about heritage, and I generally enjoyed it. I particularly loved the stories about Maizy's ancestors and her efforts to make connections with descendants of those with similar stories to hers. The characters were well drawn and I loved the setting of Last Chance, MN, and the Golden Palace. However, I thought the writing was relatively pedestrian, with unrealistic dialogue and some leaps in logic that were difficult to ignore. Maizy is also one of those kid characters who is somehow much smarter and more insightful than all the adults in her life, a trope that always makes me roll my eyes a little. Overall, though, this is a valuable story, even if the writing occasionally lapses into the mediocre.
October 8, 2024
4.25 stars
I really enjoyed this middle-grade book. It’s about an Asian-American girl named Maizy who travels with her mom to visit her grandparents, who own a restaurant called the Golden Palace. Maizy is tasked with watching her grandpa, who isn’t doing well due to health issues. I loved the bond between them as he shares stories about his father, the original owner of the restaurant.
There’s a lot to unpack in this story, from family relationships to hardships and even racism. It’s a touching, layered read that handles these themes well.
I really enjoyed this middle-grade book. It’s about an Asian-American girl named Maizy who travels with her mom to visit her grandparents, who own a restaurant called the Golden Palace. Maizy is tasked with watching her grandpa, who isn’t doing well due to health issues. I loved the bond between them as he shares stories about his father, the original owner of the restaurant.
There’s a lot to unpack in this story, from family relationships to hardships and even racism. It’s a touching, layered read that handles these themes well.
Audiobook source: Libby
Narrator: Yu-Li Alice Shen
Length: 4h 41m
August 31, 2023
A pleasure to read!
Favorite things:
• Lucky’s story (Maizy’s great-great-grandfather) being told to Maizy by her grandfather. I loved how it was woven into the story—my only complaint is that I wanted more!
• Maizy writing personalized fortunes for fortune cookies that she’d then give to the patrons of her grandparents restaurant. She was wise and funny!
• I loved the overall message of the book: how important it is to take care of each other.
Favorite things:
• Lucky’s story (Maizy’s great-great-grandfather) being told to Maizy by her grandfather. I loved how it was woven into the story—my only complaint is that I wanted more!
• Maizy writing personalized fortunes for fortune cookies that she’d then give to the patrons of her grandparents restaurant. She was wise and funny!
• I loved the overall message of the book: how important it is to take care of each other.
October 26, 2022
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Maizy and her mother live in California, where her never-married mother works as a well-known food stylist. Maizy has only met her Oma and Opa once, when her mother's parents came to visit, but immediately left. When Opa becomes ill, Maizy and her mother decide to spend the summer in Last Chance, Minnesota, where her grandparents run a Chinese restaurant. It's certainly a different sort of life, and while she misses her best friend, Maizy settles in to small town life. She meets Logan, who is nice, and some mean girls, who seem to be making fun of her. She spends a lot of time in the restaurant, where she gets to know Daisy, the only staff member, and some of the regulars. She is also tasked with keeping Opa company, and the two spend a lot of time watching a food television show. When she learns that Werner, who runs a bratwurst stand, used to be her grandfather's best friend, but they had a falling out, she trades food from the Golden Palace for sausage sandwiches, hoping to get Opa to eat more. Eventually, Werner comes to spend time with his old friend, although they watch television rather than talk. Her mother seems to be reconnecting with a high school flame, who is now the school principal. When Maizy experiences some racial tension, since her family is the only Asian-American one in town, her grandfather starts to tell her about some family history. Going back into the mid 1800s, we find out about Lucky Chen, who left China to come work in California and fled when he was wrongly accused of stealing from his employers. He got a ticket as far as Minnesota, and got a job as a cook at the Golden Grille. Throughout the book, we see Lucky and his descendants' stories of discrimination contrasted with what is going on in Last Chance now, which includes racial slurs painted on the restaurant and the stealing of a stuffed bear mascot. Maizy learns a lot about the history of her family, her grandparents, and how the struggles that Chinese-Americans have experienced through history are still continuing today.
Strengths: Maizy was a great character who wasn't too thrilled to be away from home for the summer but who made the best of her experiences. She was glad to get to know her grandparents, to hang out in a different place, and to learn about her family history. So many middle grade characters approach new experiences with negativity, so this was great to see. I'm usually not a fan of the story-within-a-story, but Opa's tale about Lucky and the Golden Palace worked extremely well, and I was looking forward to the next installment as much as Maizy was. The secondary characters, like Principal Holmes, Daisy, and Werner help to give a good feel for the dynamics of the town; Principal Holmes is married to a man, and lives in a nearby city because he's not sure how this will go over with residents, Daisy has some learning challenges but thrives when given a chance by Oma to work, and Werner's family highlights the German residents who first came to Last Chance. I have relatives in a much smaller Iowa community, and the details about a small town Midwest community are spot on. Now, we just need some newer historical novels about Paper Sons and Chinese workers in the 1800s, and if they are written in such an engaging style, they'd see a lot of circulation.
Weaknesses: The subplot with the mayor felt a bit forced, and Maizy's interplay with the local mean girls didn't quite gel as much as it could have.
What I really think: This was a perfect balance between a fun setting and characters, and more serious issues and history. It had a lot of similarities to Johnson's The Parker Inheritance, with the blend of modern and historical problems, or Luz Alegre's Dream Weavers, with the family business. I'm always a fan of characters who get to know their grandparents and who get to experience other places in the world, and Maizy makes the most of her opportunities. Definitely glad to add this to my selection of summer adventures for my readers.
Maizy and her mother live in California, where her never-married mother works as a well-known food stylist. Maizy has only met her Oma and Opa once, when her mother's parents came to visit, but immediately left. When Opa becomes ill, Maizy and her mother decide to spend the summer in Last Chance, Minnesota, where her grandparents run a Chinese restaurant. It's certainly a different sort of life, and while she misses her best friend, Maizy settles in to small town life. She meets Logan, who is nice, and some mean girls, who seem to be making fun of her. She spends a lot of time in the restaurant, where she gets to know Daisy, the only staff member, and some of the regulars. She is also tasked with keeping Opa company, and the two spend a lot of time watching a food television show. When she learns that Werner, who runs a bratwurst stand, used to be her grandfather's best friend, but they had a falling out, she trades food from the Golden Palace for sausage sandwiches, hoping to get Opa to eat more. Eventually, Werner comes to spend time with his old friend, although they watch television rather than talk. Her mother seems to be reconnecting with a high school flame, who is now the school principal. When Maizy experiences some racial tension, since her family is the only Asian-American one in town, her grandfather starts to tell her about some family history. Going back into the mid 1800s, we find out about Lucky Chen, who left China to come work in California and fled when he was wrongly accused of stealing from his employers. He got a ticket as far as Minnesota, and got a job as a cook at the Golden Grille. Throughout the book, we see Lucky and his descendants' stories of discrimination contrasted with what is going on in Last Chance now, which includes racial slurs painted on the restaurant and the stealing of a stuffed bear mascot. Maizy learns a lot about the history of her family, her grandparents, and how the struggles that Chinese-Americans have experienced through history are still continuing today.
Strengths: Maizy was a great character who wasn't too thrilled to be away from home for the summer but who made the best of her experiences. She was glad to get to know her grandparents, to hang out in a different place, and to learn about her family history. So many middle grade characters approach new experiences with negativity, so this was great to see. I'm usually not a fan of the story-within-a-story, but Opa's tale about Lucky and the Golden Palace worked extremely well, and I was looking forward to the next installment as much as Maizy was. The secondary characters, like Principal Holmes, Daisy, and Werner help to give a good feel for the dynamics of the town; Principal Holmes is married to a man, and lives in a nearby city because he's not sure how this will go over with residents, Daisy has some learning challenges but thrives when given a chance by Oma to work, and Werner's family highlights the German residents who first came to Last Chance. I have relatives in a much smaller Iowa community, and the details about a small town Midwest community are spot on. Now, we just need some newer historical novels about Paper Sons and Chinese workers in the 1800s, and if they are written in such an engaging style, they'd see a lot of circulation.
Weaknesses: The subplot with the mayor felt a bit forced, and Maizy's interplay with the local mean girls didn't quite gel as much as it could have.
What I really think: This was a perfect balance between a fun setting and characters, and more serious issues and history. It had a lot of similarities to Johnson's The Parker Inheritance, with the blend of modern and historical problems, or Luz Alegre's Dream Weavers, with the family business. I'm always a fan of characters who get to know their grandparents and who get to experience other places in the world, and Maizy makes the most of her opportunities. Definitely glad to add this to my selection of summer adventures for my readers.
January 22, 2022
This was my first novel by the author and I really enjoyed it! It is a standalone novel about a girl, Maizy Chen, who lives with her single mother in Los Angeles. They spend the summer with her grandparents, because her grandfather (Opa) is not in good health and her mother wants to help her parents out. They end up in the fictional town of Last Chance, Minnesota, which was on the railroad line a hundred years ago, connecting the Midwest with the West Coast. Her grandparents have not had much of a presence in her life and the relationship between her mother and grandparents seems to be strained. Her grandparents own the only Chinese restaurant in town, and as Maizy spends the days, she becomes closer to her Opa, who tells her story about Lucky, his grandfather. In the meantime, some of the townsfolk target Maizy for bullying because her family is the only Chinese family in town. Without revealing any spoilers, I learned a lot from this book, even if the place and story is fictional. In particular, I learned about the transcontinental railroad and how 20,000 Chinese immigrants were instrumental in getting it built. I also learned about the "paper sons" which I have never heard of and I love how the author tied it into Maizy's family history. And I loved the food, both the food cooked by her Oma/restaurant, as well as the Brats made by Werner.
This story is written children, and I would say the target audience is about 3rd-6th grade, depending on the reading level of the kids. The chapters are short, and parents could easily read a few chapters at bedtime. I think this book is thought-provoking and could lead to many positive discussions. I would definitely recommend this to my students.
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This story is written children, and I would say the target audience is about 3rd-6th grade, depending on the reading level of the kids. The chapters are short, and parents could easily read a few chapters at bedtime. I think this book is thought-provoking and could lead to many positive discussions. I would definitely recommend this to my students.
I received an advance review copy from NetGalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 16, 2025
Alright. This is Goodreads, and I’m going stream of consciousness on this review, so don’t expect anything groundbreaking. I do have some stUfF to say though.
First off, I made the mistake of reading reviews after finishing this book, and guess what? A good chunk of them made me mad. I fear this story went over a lot of heads, which is wild to me due to how blatant everything is in here. What the adults reading this book don’t realize is that,,, it’s a children’s book. A child’s reading comprehension and understanding of the world is completely different than that of an adult’s. Therefore, the explanations and experiences in this book are going to be more in your face than a novel exploring the same themes for an adult audience(where subtly is okay/the norm because you have a basis for the topics at play).
Another thing that pissed me off is how many people were saying that this isn’t a book for children because it educates kids about racism, slurs, death, and topics that are generally hard for parents to explain. Hey! Newsflash! Kids experience racism! Kids experience being called slurs! Kids meet gay people! Kids need to learn about recycling! Kids need to know history! I fundamentally do not understand full grown, white adults feeling the need to shield their white kids from learning about the experiences that other kids may have. Fr pisses me tf off.
Anyway, despite all that, I thought this book was lovely. It packed a lot of social issues in, and gave an introduction to topics that kids can later ask about/research into. It’s also great for the kids that have experienced these things to know that they’re not alone, and that there is power in community, history, and your words.
First off, I made the mistake of reading reviews after finishing this book, and guess what? A good chunk of them made me mad. I fear this story went over a lot of heads, which is wild to me due to how blatant everything is in here. What the adults reading this book don’t realize is that,,, it’s a children’s book. A child’s reading comprehension and understanding of the world is completely different than that of an adult’s. Therefore, the explanations and experiences in this book are going to be more in your face than a novel exploring the same themes for an adult audience(where subtly is okay/the norm because you have a basis for the topics at play).
Another thing that pissed me off is how many people were saying that this isn’t a book for children because it educates kids about racism, slurs, death, and topics that are generally hard for parents to explain. Hey! Newsflash! Kids experience racism! Kids experience being called slurs! Kids meet gay people! Kids need to learn about recycling! Kids need to know history! I fundamentally do not understand full grown, white adults feeling the need to shield their white kids from learning about the experiences that other kids may have. Fr pisses me tf off.
Anyway, despite all that, I thought this book was lovely. It packed a lot of social issues in, and gave an introduction to topics that kids can later ask about/research into. It’s also great for the kids that have experienced these things to know that they’re not alone, and that there is power in community, history, and your words.
March 10, 2023
Didn't like it and neither did my kids-- really pushed the whole racism thing - and hit your head with it over and over. and then the gay couple at the end-- not happy she threw that in- can't believe this was a finalist for book of the year-- it wasn't even written that well
October 29, 2022
This is a book for younger readers but was a page tuner for me as well. This story touches on everything - families, communities, racism, death/dying, friendships, Chinese American history; it has something for everyone. I chose it as it is up for the National Book award and I see why! The author grew up in the same city as I did in an adjacent community which was an added bonus.
August 22, 2023
A great historical fiction novel.
July 1, 2024
This is a new favorite MG contemporary. I really love how it tied in the story of Maizy's ancestor, Lucky.
June 2, 2023
While sweet and short, Maizy Chen's Last Chance just didn't strike me as anything powerful or memorable. Maizy was a okay character who lacked a strong character or personality. The side characters were sweet but felt rather unexplored. I wish this book could have tackled darker subjects or delved deeper in others such as hate crimes, racism, and systematic racism.
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March 21, 2024reading a middle reader every month is healing my inner child everyone shut up!!!!!!!
November 16, 2022
"Not everything illegal is wrong..." p.97
"When you're in a position to help, that means you're in a good place in your own life..." p.97
"Things aren't always what they seem. The same goes for people." p.201
"When you're in a position to help, that means you're in a good place in your own life..." p.97
"Things aren't always what they seem. The same goes for people." p.201
March 6, 2022
I got this audiobook as a whim on Libby, so I didn't go in with any expectations, and I was pleasently surprised.
This book follows Maizy Chen throughout her summer at her mom's hometown, Last Chance. She and her mother are there because Maizy's Opa, her grandfather, is sick. Her summer doesn't really begin on a good start with her dropping her phone down a well and some mean girls being, well, mean. She quickly finds her summer changing for the better, though, when her Opa begins to tell her stories about Lucky, Opa's grandfather.
I didn't really start to get into this until the second half. The writing was a bit clunky, and you could definitely tell that it was meant for younger kids. The transitions between scenes were rough and there were some scenes that served no purpose at all to the story. I was really caught up on that for the first fifty percent. The chapters are also super short and sometimes cut off in places that don't make sense, but if you can get past that, I think this story is phenomenal.
The second half of the story was really when my love for the main character began to grow. Maizy Chen is the perfect middle-grade protagonist. She's smart, she's lovable, she's kind, and I just wanted to hug her. Ever since To Kill a Mockingbird, I have been fascinated with the way dark subjects such as racism and homophobia are seen through the eyes of a child, and the way the author portrays racism is still dark but not so scary that it would make children (especially non-white children) fear the world.
Maizy's grandparents, Opa and Oma, were adorable and they made me squee. Opa's Lucky stories, at least to me, were the main drive of the story for a while. I found myself wanting to jump out of the present tense and dive headfirst into Lucky's tale. After a while, I learned to appreciate Maizy's story also.
The side characters were mostly really well written. I found myself really attached to Daisy and her avid activism for recycling despite the fact she was really shy. Lady McBeth (Idk if I'm spelling that right because I listened to an audiobook) provided the classic 'don't judge a book by its cover' lesson and it was done really well. My only complaint regarding this aspect was Logan. He very much felt like his storyline revolved around Maisy. His only purpose was the further Maizy's story. He was still adorable and I loved him, but every time he showed up, I was kinda like 'why are you here again?'
I liked how there was never a very climactic confrontation. It was felt very rooted in reality. That being said, I don't really get
Overall, very sweet read. Definitely deserves more hype.
This book follows Maizy Chen throughout her summer at her mom's hometown, Last Chance. She and her mother are there because Maizy's Opa, her grandfather, is sick. Her summer doesn't really begin on a good start with her dropping her phone down a well and some mean girls being, well, mean. She quickly finds her summer changing for the better, though, when her Opa begins to tell her stories about Lucky, Opa's grandfather.
I didn't really start to get into this until the second half. The writing was a bit clunky, and you could definitely tell that it was meant for younger kids. The transitions between scenes were rough and there were some scenes that served no purpose at all to the story. I was really caught up on that for the first fifty percent. The chapters are also super short and sometimes cut off in places that don't make sense, but if you can get past that, I think this story is phenomenal.
The second half of the story was really when my love for the main character began to grow. Maizy Chen is the perfect middle-grade protagonist. She's smart, she's lovable, she's kind, and I just wanted to hug her. Ever since To Kill a Mockingbird, I have been fascinated with the way dark subjects such as racism and homophobia are seen through the eyes of a child, and the way the author portrays racism is still dark but not so scary that it would make children (especially non-white children) fear the world.
Maizy's grandparents, Opa and Oma, were adorable and they made me squee. Opa's Lucky stories, at least to me, were the main drive of the story for a while. I found myself wanting to jump out of the present tense and dive headfirst into Lucky's tale. After a while, I learned to appreciate Maizy's story also.
The side characters were mostly really well written. I found myself really attached to Daisy and her avid activism for recycling despite the fact she was really shy. Lady McBeth (Idk if I'm spelling that right because I listened to an audiobook) provided the classic 'don't judge a book by its cover' lesson and it was done really well. My only complaint regarding this aspect was Logan. He very much felt like his storyline revolved around Maisy. His only purpose was the further Maizy's story. He was still adorable and I loved him, but every time he showed up, I was kinda like 'why are you here again?'
I liked how there was never a very climactic confrontation. It was felt very rooted in reality. That being said, I don't really get
Overall, very sweet read. Definitely deserves more hype.
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