Maybe It's a Sign

November 15, 2023
A young teen searches for meaning after the loss of her father. Eight months after the sudden passing of her dad, 13-year-old Freya June Sun can't help but double down on following the Chinese superstitions that he taught her. She habitually searches for signs from Dad for guidance as friendship dynamics shift at school, tensions simmer between her mother and sister at home, and an orchestra competition looms. When Freya spies two red birds before her viola solo, she's convinced that it's a good-luck signal from Dad to continue with the instrument despite its becoming a growing source of anxiety. As she begins to come to terms with her grief, she's surprised to find support from her longtime nemesis, Korean American Gus Choi, and discovers a passion for baking as another means of connecting with memories of her father, who had a sweet tooth. Freya's internal struggle between pursuing the viola and her new interests may resonate with young readers who find themselves venturing beyond the perceived scope of parental expectations. Combining a dash of wholesome middle school romance, a generous helping of familial support, and a sprinkling of self-made luck, Shen serves up a realistic portrayal of the many ways that grief and healing can take shape in our lives. A hopeful and uplifting tale of loss, self-discovery, and the restorative powers of baking. (author's note, recipes) (Fiction. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 4, 2023
Thirteen-year-old Chinese American seventh grader Freya June Sun plays the viola in memory of her father, who died suddenly eight months ago. Having bonded with him over Chinese superstitions, Freya looks for signs—such as the two red birds she’s constantly seeing—whenever she doubts her desire or ability to continue playing. After being partnered with Korean American schoolmate Gus Choi, whom Freya dubs “the most annoying kid on the planet,” for a Cooking & Careers class project, Freya discovers an unexplored comfort in baking and, as she grows closer to Gus, makes a new and compassionate friend. As quiet and sensitive Freya struggles to manage increasingly frequent anxiety attacks, she also gains a deeper understanding of her newly single mother and finds an unlikely supporter and trusted confidant in her older sister. With endearing narration and quick pacing, this gentle meditation on grief and healing by Shen (The Comeback) carefully balances heavier moments of fraught emotion and high-stress situations with Freya’s sweet memories of her father and her growing appreciation for her new life without him. Includes recipes. Ages 10–14. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary.

January 1, 2024
Grades 4-8 Seventh-grader Freya June Sun deeply misses her father, who died suddenly from a heart attack eight months ago. She searches for signs from him at every turn, believing his messages will appear through traditional Chinese superstitions he shared with her. But instead of receiving comfort and relief from these "signs," Freya becomes even more fraught with anxiety. She struggles with family pressure to keep playing the viola, but she sees twin red birds that she's convinced are a good luck sign from her dad. Things are extra tense at home as her busy mom and older sister, who keeps sneaking out, fight often. Then, in Freya's home economics class, she is paired with Gus Choi, an annoying, clumsy classmate. Things start to shift during their cooking project, however, when Freya discovers a passion for baking and that maybe Gus isn't so bad after all. She also discovers her sister's secret, and the two begin to develop a bond. A thoughtful portrayal of big feelings around loss and healing. An author's note and recipes cap off this tender, wholesome story.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2024
Freya June Sun, a seventh grader grappling with grief eight months after her father's death, clings to Chinese superstitions for connection. The superstitions, passed down by her father, frequently disrupt her reality, making a pair of red birds or upright chopsticks in rice bowls harbingers of luck or misfortune. Desperate to continue meeting her father's expectations, Freya forces herself to keep playing the viola although she secretly hates it. Quiet, introspective Freya is overlooked in her household and kept at a distance from her older sister, climate activist May, who is constantly at odds with their mother. Unable to find much comfort with her childhood best friends, Freya befriends her former nemesis, Korean American Gus Choi. As they navigate a school assignment together, Gus's culinary skills and unwavering support spark a passion for baking in Freya. (Two recipes for baked goods that evoke pleasant memories of her father are appended.) In an author's note, Shen shares her personal story of experiencing loss at a young age, offering a message to anyone who has had a similar experience: "I'm proud of you for pushing on. Like Freya's red birds, I hope you continue to soar." Touching and tender, Shen's novel delightfully captures the vibrant personality of a thirteen-year-old coping with grief by learning new ways of honoring a loved one. Kristine Techavanich

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2024
Freya June Sun, a seventh grader grappling with grief eight months after her father's death, clings to Chinese superstitions for connection. The superstitions, passed down by her father, frequently disrupt her reality, making a pair of red birds or upright chopsticks in rice bowls harbingers of luck or misfortune. Desperate to continue meeting her father's expectations, Freya forces herself to keep playing the viola although she secretly hates it. Quiet, introspective Freya is overlooked in her household and kept at a distance from her older sister, climate activist May, who is constantly at odds with their mother. Unable to find much comfort with her childhood best friends, Freya befriends her former nemesis, Korean American Gus Choi. As they navigate a school assignment together, Gus's culinary skills and unwavering support spark a passion for baking in Freya. (Two recipes for baked goods that evoke pleasant memories of her father are appended.) In an author's note, Shen shares her personal story of experiencing loss at a young age, offering a message to anyone who has had a similar experience: "I'm proud of you for pushing on. Like Freya's red birds, I hope you continue to soar." Touching and tender, Shen's novel delightfully captures the vibrant personality of a thirteen-year-old coping with grief by learning new ways of honoring a loved one.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)