Maizy Chen's Last Chance. Lisa Yee. 2022. 276 pages. [Source: Library]
First sentence: The pies were fake, but my grandparents didn't know that. Not at first, anyway. My mother had invited them to watch her work on a Tasty Flaky Pie Crust commercial.
Premise/plot: Maizy Chen and her mom go "home" to Last Chance, Minnesota, to visit her [maternal] grandparents, Opa and Oma. Opa [her grandfather] is in poor health. Though Oma isn't ready to say it out loud, he is dying. They've come to help out, mend fences, etc. This is the first time that Maizy is spending time with her grandparents. And she finds herself loving them and their "Lucky" stories. (Lucky is her second-great-grandfather, I believe. Her grandfather's grandfather.) He is the one who started Golden Palace in Last Chance. The restaurant has been in the family ever since.
Maizy Chen's Last Chance is a coming-of-age story focusing on family, friendship, and larger life lessons. For example, she's hearing about discrimination and prejudice in the Lucky stories of the past. AND ahe's learning first hand about discrimination and prejudice as she walks the streets in town. (Well, as she is encountering the townsfolk. Not everyone, of course, but there are a few rude people who are directly or indirectly hateful.) Race plays heavily in this NEWBERY honor book.
My thoughts: I loved so many things about this one. I liked Maizy getting to know--really, truly know--her grandparents. Particularly she bonds with her Opa. I love their scenes together. I love all the family scenes really. Though she doesn't always understand all the complexity--the tension--of her family relationships. She also starts making a few friends. I enjoyed her writing the fortunes for the family restaurant. I loved her interest in researching the paper sons.
There were times, however, I felt it was slightly info-dump-y. I loved so many things about this one. But there were places here and there where I wished it was a little less heavy. (Though the mystery in the middle was a plus.)
Overall, I liked this one.
© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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