Publishers Weekly
12/19/2022
In contemporary San Francisco, 12-year-old Winston Chu seeks to remember his translator father, who died in a friendly fire incident while serving in Iraq. On the night before that event’s third anniversary, Winston makes a shoofly pie in cooking class to honor him. But when the dropped pie startles two purported burglars outside of Mr. Pang’s Whimsies—a local store that Winston’s never before seen—the shop’s mysterious owner invites him to choose one item for his own. Accidentally ending up with a disappointing old broom and dustpan, Winston is further dismayed to experience a string of mishaps, and learns that according to Chinese custom, broom-inhabiting spirits may cast bad luck when the object is improperly used. When multiple dear items, then loved ones, begin disappearing, Winston and his friends must unravel the mystery of the shop, the spirits, and the broom’s seemingly targeted effect on Winston’s life. Contemplating grief’s lingering nature, Lee (Luck of the Titanic) plots a quickly paced, Chinese folklore–inspired story narrated by a sincere protagonist bolstered by loyal family and friends. Characters cue as racially diverse. Ages 8–12. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"From creepy Coco to delicious bubble tea, Stacey Lee weaves together elements from west, east, and in between to create a magical world all its own. I became a fan all over again."——Abigail Hing Wen, New York Times best-selling author of the Loveboat, Taipei series
"It is a spectacular kind of joy to find a book that makes you wonder and dream and believe that magic is just around the corner waiting to happen—Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies does this and more. In her explosively clever middle grade debut, Stacey Lee has written a brilliant adventure full of humor, heart, and whimsically wicked objects."——Stephanie Garber, New York Times #1 & internationally best-selling author of the Caraval series
"Lee deftly crafts an adventure that strings together seemingly random clues only to have them fall satisfyingly into place in the end. Themes of friendships, grief, and family love are explored throughout . . . There’s plenty of magic, healing, and love to enjoy on this roller-coaster ride."——Kirkus Reviews
“Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies is a roller coaster ride of enchanting surprises and chaotic magic that leads the reader through the most epic journey! I didn't want it to end!!”——Ellen Oh, award-winning author of Finding Junie Kim and the Spirit Hunters trilogy
“Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies is the best kind of adventure story—one with both hilarious magic and a heartfelt emotional core!"——Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor
“We read to learn, right? Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies teaches you all sorts of useful skills, like how to get your sister's soul out of a doll, how to help celestial spirits find love, and what not to choose when a strange shopkeeper offers you one free gift. Lee's tale is full of family, friendship, hijinks, hilarity, and flying pizza slices that will slap you if you're not careful—all told by a master raconteur.”——Carlos Hernandez, award-winning author of Sal and Gabi Break the Universe
Kirkus Reviews
2022-11-29
A Chinese American family becomes entangled in magical mischief.
Eighth grader Winston Chu and his family are still processing the friendly fire death of his father who was serving in Iraq. On the eve of the third anniversary of losing his dad, Winston, along with trusted soccer mates Mav, Bijal, and Cassa, stumble across Mr. Pang’s Whimsies, a store of magical knickknacks in San Francisco’s Chinatown that Winston had never noticed before. Winston, armed with a pie, inadvertently helps Mr. Pang by scaring away some Hawaiian shirt–clad troublemakers, but he disappointingly ends up with just an old broom and dustpan as tokens of the shop owner’s gratitude. What Winston does not know is that these objects are possessed by the spirits of the cloud weaver and the cowherd, star-crossed lovers from Chinese folklore. Things only get more complicated when Winston’s younger sister, Coco, gets swapped with a changeling from the shop. The friends must figure out how to get her back using clues from Winston’s family’s beloved collection of traditional Chinese stories, Tales From the Middle Kingdom. Lee deftly crafts an adventure that strings together seemingly random clues only to have them fall satisfyingly into place in the end. Themes of friendship, grief, and family love are explored throughout. A few lingering questions hint at a sequel. Cassa reads White; Mav has some Senegalese ancestry, and Bijal’s name cues him as South Asian.
There’s plenty of magic, healing, and love to enjoy on this roller-coaster ride. (Fantasy. 8-12)
