About My Books – Author Wendy Shang

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu

In this humorous and heartfelt debut about a split cultural identity, nothing goes according to plan for sixth-grader Lucy Wu. Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is on the verge of having the best year of her life. She's ready to rule the school as a sixth grader and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother's sister, is coming to visit for several months, and is staying in Lucy's room. Her plans are ruined...or are they? As the Chinese saying goes: Events that appear to be good or bad luck often turn out to be quite the opposite. Lucy finds that while she may not get the perfect year she had in mind, she can create something even better.

"Lucy Wu may only be 4 feet tall, but she has big (and brilliantly on-the-money kidlike) dreams" - Kirkus

Asian Pacific American Librarians Association, Children's Literature Award

Nine state reading lists

The Way Home Looks Now

Twelve-year-old Peter Lee and his family are baseball lovers, who bond over back lot games and talk of the Pittsburgh Pirates. But when tragedy strikes, the family flies apart and baseball no longer seems to matter. Is that true? Peter wonders if just maybe the game they love can pull them together and bring them back, safe at home.

"This is a fine story of family, loss, growing up and learning to play baseball, raised to a higher level by gracefully incorporated themes of feminism and kindness."

- Kirkus, starred review

Junior Library Guild selection

BookPage Best of the Year selection

This is Just a Test

David Da-Wei Horowitz has a lot on his plate. He would have enough to do preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah even if the planning didn't involve trying to please both his Jewish and Chinese grandmothers, who argue about everything. They even have a cook-off battle of the latkes. But David just wants everyone to be happy. That includes his friend Scott, who is determined to win their upcoming trivia tournament but doesn't like their teammate and David's best friend Hector. Scott and David begin digging a fallout shelter just in case this Cold War stuff with Russia turns south, but David's not so convinced he wants to spend forever in an underground bunker with Scott anymore. Maybe it would be better if Hector and Kelli Ann came with them. But that would mean David has to figure out how to stand up for Hector and talk to Kelli Ann first. Some days, surviving nuclear war feels like the least of David's problems.

Giggle-inducing, light, and charmingly realistic fiction that will resonate with a wide variety of readers.

- School Library Journal, starred review

Junior Library Guild selection

PJ Our Way selection