Measuring Up by Ann Xu, Lily LaMotte
Published by HarperAlley on October 27, 2020
ISBN: 006297386X
Pages: 208
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads

Cici and her parents have left Taiwan to move to the U.S. for a chance to give Cici a “better life”. But Cici has left her beloved grandmother, A-ma, behind, and is feeling sad and disconnected. She does make a few good friends in America, but she misses much about her old life, her grandmother most of all. When a multi-week cooking contest offers a cash prize, Cici hopes to turn her love of and skill at cooking into the money to bring her grandmother to the U.S. for a visit. Cici is partnered with an American-born girl whose father owns an Italian restaurant. The two find great success and advance far into the contest. When they are separated, Cici has to trust her own cooking instincts and flair for spice. A heartwarming story that offers a character who is unsure of herself, but who finds her feet and earns her well-deserved hug from A-ma. LaMotte deftly weaves many of the microaggressions felt by Asians into regular school day interactions. The illustrations could have been a little sharper, particularly those depicting food ingredients, but the colors are vibrant and complement the story well. For readers in grades 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth