February 5, 2024
Though 10-year-old Magnolia Wu regularly sees her classmates at her Chinese immigrant parents’ New York City business, Bing Qi Ling Bubbles Laundromat, she wouldn’t consider any of them friends, especially not bully Aspen, who often makes comments about Magnolia’s parents “living off of sweaty clothing.” But when Magnolia’s mother introduces her to Iris Lam, the daughter of an old friend who just moved from Santa Cruz, the girls bond immediately. After Magnolia’s prized collection of patrons’ lost socks is deemed “disgusting” by an angry customer, an embarrassed Magnolia attempts to dispose of it, but Iris spies potential and proposes that they search for the socks’ owners. During their hunt, the friends learn more about each other, their neighbors—including
chess-playing Carl, who likens the girls to two pawns, with the city as “one big chessboard” for them to traverse—and their families; Magnolia even discovers the origin of her mother’s American name and that she likes pink sodas. Through distinctive dialogue, detailed scenery, and cartoony drawings of pivotal objects and scenes, Miller (Know My Name, for adults) crafts an endearing romp in which Magnolia makes her first ride-or-die friend and learns to appreciate her life in new ways. Iris’s mother is from Vietnam. Ages 7–11.
March 15, 2024
Miller, author of the award-winning memoir Know My Name (2019), makes her middle-grade debut with the story of a Chinese American girl working to reunite the lost socks of New York City with their owners. Inventive but lonely Magnolia Wu, 10, is resigned to a summer stuck at her parents' laundromat, but her fortunes change when she meets Iris Lam, a Vietnamese American girl who's just moved to New York. In Iris, Magnolia finds a kindred spirit who's game to share lychee Popsicles, play at making cocoons out of sheets, and give cockroaches silly names to make them less scary. It's Iris who notices the collection of partnerless socks in the laundromat and decides that the two of them should track down their rightful owners. Each sock mystery takes them somewhere new as they meet the queen of crossword puzzles, a girl who stars in ice cream commercials, and a pancake chef with a passion for knitting. Thoughtful, creative, and compassionate, Magnolia and Iris are an enchanting pair. Miller's pitch-perfect narrative voice balances humor and whimsy with harsher realities. While both girls struggle when they and their immigrant parents encounter racism, they're buoyed by a cast of kind supporting characters as they process their emotions. Magnolia isn't insulated from negative feelings; rather, her world is one where strength can be quiet, empathy can be learned, and community is critical. Final art not seen. Wildly funny, charming, and deeply heartfelt. (author's note) (Fiction. 7-11)
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2024
What began as a quest to reunite lost socks with their owners soon leads to new friendships, important discoveries about neighbors, and a deeper sense of community for two Asian American girls in New York City. Ten-year-old Magnolia Wu lives with her parents and their dog, Mister Pants, in a tiny apartment above their laundromat. Magnolia helps her parents run the business, including keeping track of lost socks on a bulletin board, and her world feels complete. One day, Magnolia meets Iris Lam, newly arrived from California. Despite initial awkwardness, the two find a common interest in reuniting socks and owners, using Magnolia's knowledge of the customers and Iris's guidance to "look for the little things." Each new mission teaches them a little more about their neighbors, their families, and each other, amidst a shared trauma of anti-Asian microaggressions and harassment. Fittingly, their strong personalities lead to a heated argument and estrangement that shows Magnolia she needs her friend to make a complete pair, just like the lost socks. Miller's fresh and honest storytelling approach and her endearing characters are spot-on for early-middle-grade readers confronting the highs and lows of friendship, racial tension, and the trials of growing up. Whimsical black-and-white illustrations add levity and charm. J. Elizabeth Mills
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 19, 2024
Grades 2-5 Magnolia Wu spends most of her time at her family's laundromat. Her parents try to set her up on play dates with kids her age, but she has largely made it to the age of 10 without birthday parties or much excitement. Since she is without a friend, she collects single, lost socks in the hope that someday they will be reunited with their match. When she meets Iris, they bond over their shared frustration at the racism their mothers endure in their respective lines of work. Iris comes up with a great idea: instead of waiting around for people to claim the lost socks, why don't the two new friends go find the owners? Ultimately, the girls learn that the things that make them feel different can also be the things that make them feel great and even empowered. This cute chapter book uses the sock plot as a vehicle for the girls to meet a variety of interesting characters around New York City, and makes for a story that keeps readers' attention throughout.
COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
July 1, 2024
What began as a quest to reunite lost socks with their owners soon leads to new friendships, important discoveries about neighbors, and a deeper sense of community for two Asian American girls in New York City. Ten-year-old Magnolia Wu lives with her parents and their dog, Mister Pants, in a tiny apartment above their laundromat. Magnolia helps her parents run the business, including keeping track of lost socks on a bulletin board, and her world feels complete. One day, Magnolia meets Iris Lam, newly arrived from California. Despite initial awkwardness, the two find a common interest in reuniting socks and owners, using Magnolia's knowledge of the customers and Iris's guidance to "look for the little things." Each new mission teaches them a little more about their neighbors, their families, and each other, amidst a shared trauma of anti-Asian microaggressions and harassment. Fittingly, their strong personalities lead to a heated argument and estrangement that shows Magnolia she needs her friend to make a complete pair, just like the lost socks. Miller's fresh and honest storytelling approach and her endearing characters are spot-on for early-middle-grade readers confronting the highs and lows of friendship, racial tension, and the trials of growing up. Whimsical black-and-white illustrations add levity and charm.
(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)