11. Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. Chanel Miller. 2024. 160 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, Newbery Honor, mg realistic, family, friendship, light mystery]
First sentence: Magnolia Wu was almost ten. She was eager to turn ten, because the number 9 looked like a sprout coming out of the ground, small and easily stomped. Ten was a strong, two-digit number that looked like a sword and a shield that belonged to someone who was about to conquer the world.
Premise/plot: Magnolia Wu, whose parents own a laundromat, finds a new friend in this coming of age mystery that has Magnolia and friend (Iris) trekking all over New York City reuniting lost socks with their owners.
My thoughts: Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All is a Newbery Honor book. I may not have picked this one up--necessarily--if it hadn't been brought to my attention last week during the awards announcements. It is solidly good middle grade fiction. I enjoyed the themes of friendship and family--being/becoming proud of who you are and where you come from. I enjoyed Magnolia opening herself up and 'blossoming' as she adventures across the city. On her quest to reunite socks with their owners--which I find requires a bit of suspension of disbelief--it has her becoming more confident.
© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
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