Overview

Seventh grader Freya June Sun has always believed in the Chinese superstitions spoon-fed to her since birth-but ever since her dad's death a year ago, she's become obsessed, believing that her father is sending her messages through signs from the beyond. Like how, on her way to an orchestra concert where she's dreading her viola solo, a pair of lucky red birds appear, a sure indication that Dad wants Freya to stick with the instrument and make him proud. Then Freya is partnered with Gus Choi, a goofy and super annoying classmate, for a home economics project. To her surprise, as they experiment with recipes and get to know each other, Freya finds that she loves baking much more than music. It may be time for a big change in her life, even though her dad hasn't sent a single sign that it's something he approves of. But with the help of her family, Gus (who might not be so annoying after all), and two maybe-magical birds, Freya learns that to be her own person, she might just have to make her own luck.

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Reviews

"""Combining a dash of wholesome middle school romance, a generous helping of familial support, and a sprinkling of self-made luck, Shen serves up a realistic portrayal of the many ways that grief and healing can take shape in our lives. A hopeful and uplifting tale of loss, self-discovery, and the restorative powers of baking."" --Kirkus Reviews"

"A Junior Library Guild Selection ""Combining a dash of wholesome middle school romance, a generous helping of familial support, and a sprinkling of self-made luck, Shen serves up a realistic portrayal of the many ways that grief and healing can take shape in our lives. A hopeful and uplifting tale of loss, self-discovery, and the restorative powers of baking."" --Kirkus Reviews ""Freya's reckoning with symbolism to connect with her deceased father is emotionally and culturally adept . . . The interrupted dynamics of a family unit are moreover depicted with compelling insight. A quiet, melancholic read adroitly lifted with just a baker's pinch of first-love sweetness, Freya's journey is sure to resonate with middle graders coming up against big changes and bigger feelings."" --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ""With endearing narration and quick pacing, this gentle meditation on grief and healing by Shen carefully balances heavier moments of fraught emotion and high-stress situations with Freya's sweet memories of her father and her growing appreciation for her new life without him."" --Publishers Weekly"

Author Information

E. L. Shen is a writer, editor, and the author of The Comeback. She received her bachelor of arts from Barnard College of Columbia University, where she majored in English with a concentration in creative writing. Originally from upstate New York, she currently resides in Manhattan. Find her on Twitter at @ELShenWrites or online at elshenwrites.com.

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