Twelve-year-old Cici has just moved to Seattle from Taiwan, and the only thing she wants more than to fit in is to celebrate to A-má's 70th birthday together. Since she can’t go to A-má, Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her and surprise her parents—by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má's ticket!
There's just one problem: Cici only knows how to cook Taiwanese food. And after her pickled cucumbers are mistaken for worms at lunch, she's determined to cook something American. Channeling her inner Julia Child, she cooks her way closer to the prize money—that is until she starts to lose herself in the competition. But Cici can't let A-má down, even if it means combining her newfound American identity with the flavors of home.
Cici navigates the blending of her Taiwanese culture and her new American identity with heart and bravery. Measuring Up combines the popularity of MasterChef Junior with the immigration and identity struggles of American Born Chinese and the girl power of Roller Girl.
Full-color digital illustrations created with Adobe Photoshop.
Topics Taiwan. Seattle, Washington. Moving households. Immigration. Grandmothers and granddaughters. Cooking competitions. Research. Practice. Asian Americans. Taiwanese cooking. Friendship.
Lexile HL360L
Trim Size 8" x 5 1/2"
JLG Span Winter
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2020-10-26
JLG Release Date Dec 2020
Minimum grade 5
Maximum grade 8
Reading level Middle
Format Print
Graphic Novels Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
Graphic Novels Middle Plus
Graphic Novels Middle Plus (Grades 5-8)
For Grades 5-8
Book-length narratives presented in comic book style, graphic novels foster both visual and verbal comprehension skills while exposing readers to interesting dialogue and satire, as well as affirming diversity. JLG's selection of these unique books, some of them only published in softcover, are ideal for attracting reluctant readers and introducing them to literature they might not encounter otherwise. You may find that the 14 books in this category will turn your reluctant readers into eager readers.