Review by Booklist Review
Lily Hong, a seventh grader who dreams of becoming a filmmaker, turns each school assignment into another episode in her ongoing feud with Max Zhang, her rival for academic honors. In every situation, her loyal friends stand by her, though sometimes wondering if she's taking it all too seriously. When financial woes threaten the rundown community center where Lily's parents run a Chinese school, Lily is expected to help by participating in a Chinese dance performance at the center's fundraising showcase, but rehearsals conflict with the video project she's secretly working on with her friends. Attempting to complete two demanding endeavors at once, she runs the risk of disaster, and the plot takes a few unexpected twists along the way. Lily comes across as headstrong and sometimes unsympathetic, depending on her friends' and family's goodwill while keeping secrets from them. Still, readers who tend to take on more than they can handle may sympathize with her distress when faced with challenging predicaments. Written from Lily's perspective, the first-person narrative moves swiftly toward its feel-good conclusion.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A Chinese American tween has a dream--and a plan--to save her family business in this humorous middle grade debut by Ma (the Daughters of Dynasty series). Twelve-year-old Lily Hong and classmate Max Zhang are "destined to be archenemies forever." The two have been competing academically since they were in elementary school, and now they're battling in Lily's favorite activity: filmmaking. Lily, along with her best friends, puts her all into getting ready for an upcoming film competition. But when her parents' financial troubles start affecting the Chinese school that they own, Lily endeavors to help save the business by supporting her family's efforts to host a dance performance fundraiser. As Lily struggles to keep her family's financial challenges a secret from her friends, she also juggles taking Chinese dance lessons, completing schoolwork, and preparing for the film competition. She soon discovers that Max is also keeping secrets, and if the two want to accomplish their goals, they'll have to bury the hatchet and partner up. Strong character relationships and meticulously balanced interweaving plots make this a lighthearted tale that emphasizes how friendship--both expected and unexpected--can help save the day. Ages 8--12. (Jan.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5--8--Lau brings delicious attitude to tween Lily who's juggling too many challenges in her seventh grade life. "Nope, [she] will not be intimidated" by her archnemesis Max. Her next film project with her two BFFs Lauren and Kelli must win the annual Clarktown's Got Talent video competition--even if "that would take a miracle." She won't be "a complete loser" at Chinese school compared to her near-perfect brother and Chinese school best friend Tina. When the family's Hong Chinese Academy is jeopardized because its community center home faces financial threat, Lily's parents are hopeful a fundraiser will help, which means Lily must learn some new steps for the traditional Chinese dance showcase--with Max! Lau gleefully channels determined, occasionally snarky, Lily who vivaciously grabs the spotlight. VERDICT Lau rousingly augments Ma's engaging lessons in vulnerability and honesty--with parents and friends--as the surefire win.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Ma offers a fresh take on the local fundraiser story by weaving in themes of community, identity, and gentrification. Nerdy, mythology-obsessed Lily Hong, twelve, leads a split life in the Seattle exurbs. At school, Lily competes academically with Max Zhang, the other Chinese American student in her seventh-grade class. After school, Lily reluctantly attends her parents' Mandarin academy at the local community center. She yearns to make a Buffy-style vampire film for the local talent competition, but problems arise when Max's rich parents want to buy the building and replace the community center with a new office building. The Hongs organize a last-minute Chinese dance fundraising show; suddenly Lily is taking fan- and lion-dance lessons alongside her archnemesis and discovers there is more behind his snobby facade. Ma empathetically portrays Lily's conflict between making the film with friends and her family obligations. A little-known phoenix myth is cleverly used as a symbol to show Lily's slow realization of how important the Chinese school and community center are to her and her small town. An enjoyable read, especially for arts-obsessed or community-focused tweens. Michelle LeeMarch/April 2024 p.97 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Hui Chinese Muslim tween living in a small town outside Seattle struggles to find balance between family obligations and her passion for film. If Lily Hong isn't making films with her best friends from Clarktown Middle School, Kelli and Lauren, or attending Hong Chinese Academy, her family's business located in the community center, she's competing with her nemesis, Max Zhang. But Lily's project for the upcoming Clarktown's Got Talent video competition is interrupted by the news that the community center is going to be sold to developers--Max's parents. To help raise the $100,000 needed to save the center, Lily's mom plans a traditional Chinese dance show featuring performances by the students of Hong Chinese Academy. Torn between creating her film and participating in the dance, Lily attempts to do both, but when she lies in an effort to appease everyone, she ends up alienating her friends. Eventually Lily cracks from the strain and spills everything to Max, who is surprisingly empathetic, though she later questions her trust in him. Ultimately, Lily must find a way to make amends with her friends and figure out what she really wants to do. Ma touches on friendship issues, racism, gentrification, and balancing family expectations with personal goals. There's a nice balance between the action-packed plot, the serious themes explored, and Lily's comedic antics. Lauren is cued Black; Kelli presents white. A delightfully adventurous romp with a lovably scrappy protagonist. (folktale, author's note) (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
