middle grade
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CCBC Best Books for Kids and Teens • New York Public Library’s 100 Best Kids Books •
“As charming as its young hero.” (Kirkus Reviews) “Julia’s Korean heritage is woven seamlessly throughout the book, and the short chapters are perfect for developing readers who want a full story alongside elementary-school antics, childlike dialogue, and good characters.” (Booklist)
Graphic Novel: 5 starred reviews from The Horn Book, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal; Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; SLJ Best Graphic Novels 2024 List; Kirkus Best Middle Grade 2024 List; Booklist Editors’ Choice 2024 List; SCBWI Golden Kite Award; Freeman Honor Award / NCTAsia for Graphic Novels
“Moving in its statement of human rights … Readers will find themselves moved back in time and forward in spirit.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review)
“Buy the book and the series. Kids need access to this diverse classroom of students who face everyday crises with their supportive friends, and this gentle read shows the goodness in the world without being overly sappy.” (School Library Journal) “Uplifting and encouraging.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Keller has crafted another stimulating and significant story about friendship, magic, and growing up. Fans and readers of this author will be pleased to know their expectations are met with this novel that is a must-have for all library collections.” (School Library Journal, starred review)
In Dreamslinger, available April 25, 2025, X‑Men meets Pokémon, where you can go to Korean magical school and learn to grow the missing third of your soul from a seed. Perfect for fans of Amari, Harry Potter, Nevermoor, and Keeper of the Lost Cities. Ideal for ages 10–14, and also for grown up kids!
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Companion novel to Brother’s Keeper. Told from the perspective of Sora’s friend Myung-gi, this is the story of a young boy’s experience in the Korean War, both as a refugee and later as a soldier trapped inside an enemy tunnel.
“An inspired take on the haunted house trope and delivering a message that friends working together can defeat the greatest of challenges. Her novel is rife with creepiness and peril, leavened by moments of levity, making this an ideal tale for newcomers to the genre. Spooky fun for novice horror fans.” (Kirkus Reviews)
Graphic Novel: “Takes on aging and death — topics many authors flinch from — with a rare mix of respect, tenderness, and candor… Themes of familial love and loss will pierce readers’ hearts while also offering them both windows and mirrors into Korean culture. An achingly lovely work laced with profound truths on love, death, and grief.” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review)
“This beautifully written, heart-wrenching coming-of-age story speaks to the enduring power of familial bonds and the resiliency of the human spirit. … A riveting, timely, humanizing account of risking everything for freedom.” (Jama Rattigan, author of Dumpling Soup)
2022 NCTE Poetry Notable; Wong’s original collection was the first book of Asian American children’s poems to explore issues of race, culture, and identity. In these 50 new pages of memoir, musings, social studies connections, and writing prompts, Janet Wong offers a fresh look at these topics and invites young readers to dive more deeply into the text.
