Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All

by Chanel Miller (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

New York Times bestselling author and artist Chanel Miller tells a fun, funny, and poignant story of friendship and community starring Magnolia Wu, a ten-year-old sock detective bent on returning all the lonely only socks left behind in her parents' NYC laundromat.

Down at the bottom of the tall buildings of New York City, Magnolia Wu sits inside her parents' laundromat. She has pinned every lost sock from the laundromat onto a bulletin board, in hopes that customers will return to retrieve them. But no one seems to have noticed. In fact, barely anyone has noticed Magnolia at all.

What she doesn't know is that this is about to be her most exciting summer yet. When Iris, a new friend from California arrives, they set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, asking questions in subways and delis and plant stores and pizzerias, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable.

With each new encounter, Magnolia learns that when you're bold enough to head into the unknown, things start falling into place.

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$17.99

Publishers Weekly

Though 10-year-old Magnolia Wu regularly sees her classmates at her Chinese immigrant parents' New York City business, Bing Qi Ling Bubbles Laundromat, she wouldn't consider any of them friends, especially not bully Aspen, who often makes comments about Magnolia's parents "living off of sweaty clothing." But when Magnolia's mother introduces her to Iris Lam, the daughter of an old friend who just moved from Santa Cruz, the girls bond immediately. After Magnolia's prized collection of patrons' lost socks is deemed "disgusting" by an angry customer, an embarrassed Magnolia attempts to dispose of it, but Iris spies potential and proposes that they search for the socks' owners. During their hunt, the friends learn more about each other, their neighbors--including chess-playing Carl, who likens the girls to two pawns, with the city as "one big chessboard" for them to traverse--and their families; Magnolia even discovers the origin of her mother's American name and that she likes pink sodas. Through distinctive dialogue, detailed scenery, and cartoony drawings of pivotal objects and scenes, Miller (Know My Name, for adults) crafts an endearing romp in which Magnolia makes her first ride-or-die friend and learns to appreciate her life in new ways. Iris's mother is from Vietnam. Ages 7-11. (Apr.)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Kirkus

Wildly funny, charming, and deeply heartfelt.

Review quotes

Praise for Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All

Absolute middle grade perfection . . . This book is a celebration of the quiet courage and daily bonds that make us a community! -Kelly Yang, award-winning author of Front Desk 

I loved this deeply real yet wondrous tale about how the little things in life turn out to be the big things. -Abby Hanlon, author of Dory Fantasmagory

*
Thoughtful, creative, and compassionate . . . Miller's pitch-perfect narrative voice balances humor and whimsy with harsher realities. Magnolia isn't insulated from negative feelings; rather, her world is one where strength can be quiet, empathy can be learned, and community is critical. Wildly funny, charming, and deeply heartfelt. -Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Chanel Miller
Chanel Miller is a writer and artist. Her memoir, Know My Name, was a New York Times bestseller, a New York Times Book Review Notable Book, and a winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, the Ridenhour Book Prize, and the California Book Award. It was also a best book of the year in Time, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, NPR, and People, among others. She was named one of the Forbes 30 Under 30 and a Time Next 100 honoree, and was a Glamour Woman of the Year honoree under her pseudonym Emily Doe. She has always dreamed of writing and illustrating children's books. You can visit her online at Chanel-Miller.com or follow her on Instagram @Chanel_Miller.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593624524
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Philomel Books
Publication date
April 23, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV002070 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dogs
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
New York (N.Y.)
Self-service laundries
Detective and mystery fiction
Humorous fiction
Socks
Laundry

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