Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All
by Chanel Miller; illus. by the author
Primary, Intermediate    Philomel    160 pp.
4/24    9780593624524    $17.99
e-book ed.  9780593624548    $10.99

What began as a quest to reunite lost socks with their owners soon leads to new friendships, important discoveries about neighbors, and a deeper sense of community for two Asian American girls in New York City. Ten-year-old Magnolia Wu lives with her parents and their dog, Mister Pants, in a tiny apartment above their laundromat. Magnolia helps her parents run the business, including keeping track of lost socks on a bulletin board, and her world feels complete. One day, Magnolia meets Iris Lam, newly arrived from California. Despite initial awkwardness, the two find a common interest in reuniting socks and owners, using Magnolia’s knowledge of the customers and Iris’s guidance to “look for the little things.” Each new mission teaches them a little more about their neighbors, their families, and each other, amidst a shared trauma of anti-Asian microaggressions and harassment. Fittingly, their strong personalities lead to a heated argument and estrangement that shows Magnolia she needs her friend to make a complete pair, just like the lost socks. Miller’s fresh and honest storytelling approach and her endearing characters are spot-on for early-middle-grade readers confronting the highs and lows of friendship, racial tension, and the trials of growing up. Whimsical black-and-white illustrations add levity and charm.

From the July/August 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.