Description
Book SynopsisA New York Public Library Best Book of the Year * A NCSS 2023 Notable Social Studies Trade Book
What was the pandemic of the century like at the start? This swift, gripping novel captures not only the uncertainty and panic when COVID first emerged in Wuhan, but also how a community banded together.
Weaving in the tastes and sounds of the historic city, Wuhan’s comforting and distinctive cuisine comes to life as the reader follows 13-year-old Mei who, through her love for cooking, makes a difference in her community. Written by an award-winning author originally from Wuhan.
Grieving the death of her mother and an outcast at school, thirteen-year-old Mei finds solace in cooking and computer games. When her friend’s grandmother falls ill, Mei seeks out her father, a doctor, for help, and discovers the hospital is overcrowded. As the virus spreads, Mei finds her
Trade Review
American middle schoolers may not have given much thought to the origins of the current pandemic, so this makes a useful . . . reminder that worry, food management, social isolation, and short tempers are shared globally. So too, however, are creative thinking and volunteerism, and Compestine tacitly suggest the best way to help is with your own passion and skill set. — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
