Magnolia Wu Unfolds it All by Chanel Miller, One sitting read; Middle Grade Fiction
(CW: anti-Asian racism; emotional and physical abuse by parents discussed)
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Kids for the eARC.
A small break from the Pages 4 Palestine Readathon to wish a happy book birthday to this adorable middle grade debut.
Magnolia spends a lot of time at her parents’ laundromat and grows to feel bad for all the lost she finds—so much so that she has pinned them to a corkboard on the wall hoping their owners will reclaim them. Enter Iris, a newly transplanted Californian who not only sees Magnolia for the sweet kid she is, but also appreciates her sock goals. With Iris’ encouragement, she and Magnolia embark on a quest to reunite each sock with its owner. While on this quirky mission, Magnolia and Iris learn the meaning of friendship and community.
But what makes the story truly wonderful are sock owners we meet along the way and how they help Iris and Magnolia grow. As the individual sock stories unfold, the book explores how a seemingly everyday item can help kids learn about trying new things, not assuming you understand someone when you don’t know their whole story, dealing with loss and xenophobia, and accepting that not all adventures need to have a clear end point to be good. There was also one really poignant moment when Iris explains why being a sock detective is so important to her. I won’t spoil it other than to say that if you, like me, are a crier, you might need a tissue handy.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds it All beautifully balances the joy of childhood with the inevitable realities that kids start to face as they get older. For middle grade readers, I think this book will help them understand a bit more of that balancing act as well. Plus, it has super cute illustrations that really add to the joy of the book.
The Rita Reads 