Maizy Chen's Last Chance

December 1, 2021
A Chinese American tween learns that what's on the inside matters most during a summer living with her grandparents in their small Midwestern town. When her grandfather falls ill, 11-year-old Maizy and her food stylist mother leave their home in Los Angeles to spend the summer with her grandparents in Last Chance, Minnesota. Maizy, who hasn't seen Oma and Opa since she was 8, puzzles over mysteries during their stay. Mom and Oma don't get along; a wall of the Golden Palace, the family's Chinese restaurant, is covered in old photos; and someone is targeting the restaurant with racist attacks. As Maizy searches for answers while helping to care for Opa, battling homesickness, and making a new friend, she learns that people aren't always as they seem on the outside. She learns about Lucky Chen, her great-great-grandfather, who immigrated to the U.S. from China in the 1860s, and the impact of his story on her family today, which in turn leads her to help others uncover their own families' secrets. The pace is lively and the writing strong, seamlessly weaving together themes of belonging, racism, and anti-immigration sentiment. Each member of the large cast of characters from multiple times and locations is vividly portrayed, and a variety of subplots--that might be confusing in less skilled hands--keeps reader interest high. A moving, engrossing story of a girl's transformative change and strengthened sense of belonging. (author's note, recipe, resources) (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 20, 2021
In this fast-paced narrative, Chinese American only child Maizy Chen travels with her food stylist single mother from Los Angeles to her mom’s hometown of Last Chance, Minn., to care for Maizy’s ailing grandfather. As the 11-year-old gets to know her estranged grandparents—mischievous poker player Opa and stern but loving Oma, proud restaurant owners—
she must navigate unfamiliar stressors both familial and social, including the tension between her mother and Oma, and microaggressions as the only child of color in town. Over the course of an unpredictable summer, Maizy learns how to play poker, how her ancestors helped to support paper sons, and how to insert custom messages into the restaurant’s fortune cookies, all while solving a mystery or two. Interspersed segments reveal Maizy’s great-great-grandfather’s journey to Last Chance, efficiently conveying historical struggles faced by Chinese emigrants to America. If the book feels overstuffed at times, Yee’s (The Kidney Hypothetical) full house of endearing characters and assured voice prevail in a humorous, sincere story emphasizing the taut thread between past and present, and the imperative to aid others. Back matter includes an author’s note with historical context, a recipe for Oma’s Cream Cheese Wontons, and resources. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House.

Starred review from January 1, 2022
Eleven-year-old Maizy and her mother leave fast-paced Los Angeles to spend the summer in languorous Last Chance, Minnesota. Oma and Opa, Maizy's grandparents, own Golden Palace, the only Chinese restaurant in the area. Although she finds life in the Midwest boring at first, Maizy begins to make friends and connect more deeply with her family. As she spends time with her sick grandfather, Maizy learns about the history of those who came before her -- in particular, her great-great-grandfather Lucky, whose fascinating life story is told in interspersed flashbacks. As Maizy learns about Lucky's struggles against racism, she also confronts microaggressions and hate crimes that still plague Last Chance. Told through the eyes of a spirited and likable protagonist, the story explores evergreen issues of immigration, intergenerational trauma, and the many dark aspects of U.S. history alongside Lucky's adventures with "sailing ships, outlaws, and a gold mountain." Through this captivating story of the Chen family legacy, Yee (Millicent Min, Girl Genius, rev. 9/03; The Kidney Hypothetical, rev. 5/15) makes the personal political, and prompts readers to consider what it means to be American. Gabi K. Huesca

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
Eleven-year-old Maizy and her mother leave fast-paced Los Angeles to spend the summer in languorous Last Chance, Minnesota. Oma and Opa, Maizy's grandparents, own Golden Palace, the only Chinese restaurant in the area. Although she finds life in the Midwest boring at first, Maizy begins to make friends and connect more deeply with her family. As she spends time with her sick grandfather, Maizy learns about the history of those who came before her -- in particular, her great-great-grandfather Lucky, whose fascinating life story is told in interspersed flashbacks. As Maizy learns about Lucky's struggles against racism, she also confronts microaggressions and hate crimes that still plague Last Chance. Told through the eyes of a spirited and likable protagonist, the story explores evergreen issues of immigration, intergenerational trauma, and the many dark aspects of U.S. history alongside Lucky's adventures with "sailing ships, outlaws, and a gold mountain." Through this captivating story of the Chen family legacy, Yee (Millicent Min, Girl Genius, rev. 9/03; The Kidney Hypothetical, rev. 5/15) makes the personal political, and prompts readers to consider what it means to be American. Gabi K. Huesca

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from November 4, 2022

Gr 4 Up-When 11-year-old Maizy's grandfather falls ill, she and her mother visit her grandparents in Minnesota for the first time. While helping run their Chinese restaurant, Maizy learns about her family history with enduring roots in the town since the 1880s. As Maizy discovers her ancestors' struggles against racism, she also confronts issues that still plague the town. In connecting with her grandparents, Maizy learns not only about past generations, but also about family dynamics of living up to your parents' expectations and strained familial relationships. This fast-paced, humorous, heartwarming tale of family and history is likely to appeal to readers of all ages. VERDICT Recommended first purchase for all collections. This contemporary fiction tale has mystery, friendship, and family packed into an enthralling read.-Monisha Blair

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from February 15, 2022
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* It's summer when 11-year-old Maizy first visits her grandparents' home in Last Chance, Minnesota, and their family business, the Golden Palace restaurant, founded by Lucky, her grandfather's grandfather, in 1886. For several months, Maizy helps out at the restaurant and, in her grandparents' home, looks after Opa, her grandfather, whose health is failing. She's fascinated by his stories about Lucky, whose experiences as a cook's assistant in San Francisco, a worker on the transcontinental railroad, and a businessman in Last Chance resembled those of many Asian immigrants. A racist attack on her grandparents' restaurant stuns Maizy and drives her to investigate the mystery. She also reaches out to the descendants of the "paper sons" Lucky helped years ago. The novel features many convincing characters with complex relationships, from Opa's long-standing feud with his childhood best friend to insights about Maizy's mother, revealed only when she returns to her roots. In the first-person narrative, Maizy struggles to understand her mother and her grandparents, observing their interactions and learning about their experiences. While the mystery element adds a dimension to the plot, the real story here lies in Maizy awakening to her ancestral heritage and choosing to make it part of her life. A moving, multilayered family narrative.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2022
Eleven-year-old Maizy and her mother leave fast-paced Los Angeles to spend the summer in languorous Last Chance, Minnesota. Oma and Opa, Maizy's grandparents, own Golden Palace, the only Chinese restaurant in the area. Although she finds life in the Midwest boring at first, Maizy begins to make friends and connect more deeply with her family. As she spends time with her sick grandfather, Maizy learns about the history of those who came before her -- in particular, her great-great-grandfather Lucky, whose fascinating life story is told in interspersed flashbacks. As Maizy learns about Lucky's struggles against racism, she also confronts microaggressions and hate crimes that still plague Last Chance. Told through the eyes of a spirited and likable protagonist, the story explores evergreen issues of immigration, intergenerational trauma, and the many dark aspects of U.S. history alongside Lucky's adventures with "sailing ships, outlaws, and a gold mountain." Through this captivating story of the Chen family legacy, Yee (Millicent Min, Girl Genius, rev. 9/03; The Kidney Hypothetical, rev. 5/15) makes the personal political, and prompts readers to consider what it means to be American.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)