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Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All
New York Times bestselling author and artist Chanel Miller tells a fun, funny, and poignant story of friendship and community starring Magnolia Wu, a ten-year-old sock detective bent on returning all the lonely only socks left behind in her parents' NYC laundromat.
Down at the bottom of the tall buildings of New York City, Magnolia Wu sits inside her parents’ laundromat. Magnolia has pinned every lost sock from the laundromat onto a bulletin board, in hopes that customers will return to retrieve them. But no one seems to have noticed. In fact, barely anyone has noticed Magnolia at all.
What she doesn’t know is that this is about to be her most exciting summer yet. When Iris, a new friend from California arrives, they set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, asking questions in subways and delis and plant stores and pizzerias, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable.
With each new encounter, Magnolia learns that when you’re bold enough to head into the unknown, things start falling into place.
Down at the bottom of the tall buildings of New York City, Magnolia Wu sits inside her parents’ laundromat. Magnolia has pinned every lost sock from the laundromat onto a bulletin board, in hopes that customers will return to retrieve them. But no one seems to have noticed. In fact, barely anyone has noticed Magnolia at all.
What she doesn’t know is that this is about to be her most exciting summer yet. When Iris, a new friend from California arrives, they set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, asking questions in subways and delis and plant stores and pizzerias, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable.
With each new encounter, Magnolia learns that when you’re bold enough to head into the unknown, things start falling into place.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2024
About the author
Chanel Miller
2 books4,141 followersChanel Miller is a writer and artist who received her BA in Literature from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She lives in San Francisco, California.
(source: Amazon)
(source: Amazon)
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April 1, 2024honestly i'll read anything chanel miller writes, children's books included
May 2, 2024
This was a cute middle grade graphic novel debut by the author of Know my name. The story features a young Asian American girl living in New York City and her family laundry who takes it upon herself to track down the owners of all the missing socks left behind. Fun and filled with adventure while also addressing anti-Asian racism in a relatable way for young readers. This was also good on audio and I look forward to getting a chance to look through the book itself.
May 5, 2024
Chanel Miller is my hero <3
What a wholesome story about two young girls finding community and making space for themselves :,) I wish I had a book like this when I was younger
What a wholesome story about two young girls finding community and making space for themselves :,) I wish I had a book like this when I was younger
April 25, 2024
If I had not been reading the ARC of this book in the break area at the book store, I may have ugly cried, multiple times. It was creative, beautiful, and surprising in its depth. The illustrations added so much joy to the read for me, too. I deeply related to Iris and the secret of Aspen while wishing to embody more of the bright boldness of Magnolia, especially in this moment in my life. Thank you so much for writing this, Chanel Miller.
Above all, this book is a reminder to be kind. Having a good friend, and supportive community, really changes everything. I am already dreaming of it being made into a copy with illustrations in color, or even a short film, to give to my own children someday.
Above all, this book is a reminder to be kind. Having a good friend, and supportive community, really changes everything. I am already dreaming of it being made into a copy with illustrations in color, or even a short film, to give to my own children someday.
April 17, 2024
Cute, a little young for me but pretty good with important messages.
April 29, 2024
so excited that chanel wrote this! the storytelling in this was amazing! this was so much more then what i could even imagine. a coming of age and a coming of curiosity. loved it!
January 7, 2024
This is a very cute book with a great vehicle for introducing characters with various foibles and for addressing race issues that reared their ugly head during COVID for Asian Americans. I think this will have great appeal for both adults and children and Magnolia herself is incredibly likable and has so many traits that kids could identify with. It's also quite funny and you'll never look at your socks quite the same again. Simply put, I loved it.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I hope it has great success!
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I hope it has great success!
May 10, 2024
Actually sobbing 😭
May 6, 2024
very very cute and well written, chanel’s imagination comes through so strongly. acknowledgements made me tear up
May 6, 2024
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
Magnolia is ten, and spends most of her days at the Bing Qi Ling Bubbles Laundromat that her parents run. Her only friend has moved away, and she has little interest in making new ones, even though it means that her birthday party will be a little sad. Her mother has a friend, Mrs. Lam, who works nearby as a dance instructor, and she brings her daughter Iris to hang out with Magnolia. Iris has just moved from California, and thinks it is better than New York, so Magnolia sets out to show her all of the interesting things about the neighborhood. Magnolia has a bulletin board at the laundry filled with single socks, and after an angry customer is mean to her mother and derides the board, Magnolia decides that she should investigate and try to return the socks to their owners, with Iris' help. The two start to ask questions, and talk to a lot of neighborhood business owners, running errands for them as they look for clues as to who might belong to the socks. They track down yarn at the Knitty Bitty shop, which leads them to Alan, who also plays piano. They stop by a pizza parlor and bookstore, and meet Jessica, who plays soccer and is rather lonely. When there is grafitti in the neighborhood that says "Go home!", Iris is sad, so Magnolia tries to recreate a California beach with cat litter. After finding the home of the final sock, which smells like coconut, the two girls are friends, and feel closer to their neighborhood.
Strengths: This had a bit of a vintage feel to it, with Magnolia having some Harriet the Spy (Fitzhugh) or A Girl Called Al (Greene) vibes. Living in suburbia, I am enthralled by vibrant city landscapes, but I also find it hard to believe that they really exist! Magnolia and Iris are allowed a fair amount of freedom to wander about and meet people, which is delightful. There are plentiful page decorations, which is something I would like to see more in middle grade literature.
Weaknesses: The illustrations are a bit odd, and Magnolia and Iris have many philosophical discussions with the people in their neighborhood that seem a bit deeper than conversations ten year olds usually have.
What I really think: This is a good choice for younger readers who like books that center around neighborhoods, like Vivat's Meet Me on Mercer Street, LaCoer and Albert's The Apartment House on Poppy Hill, or Finnegan's Sunny Parker is Here to Stay.
Magnolia is ten, and spends most of her days at the Bing Qi Ling Bubbles Laundromat that her parents run. Her only friend has moved away, and she has little interest in making new ones, even though it means that her birthday party will be a little sad. Her mother has a friend, Mrs. Lam, who works nearby as a dance instructor, and she brings her daughter Iris to hang out with Magnolia. Iris has just moved from California, and thinks it is better than New York, so Magnolia sets out to show her all of the interesting things about the neighborhood. Magnolia has a bulletin board at the laundry filled with single socks, and after an angry customer is mean to her mother and derides the board, Magnolia decides that she should investigate and try to return the socks to their owners, with Iris' help. The two start to ask questions, and talk to a lot of neighborhood business owners, running errands for them as they look for clues as to who might belong to the socks. They track down yarn at the Knitty Bitty shop, which leads them to Alan, who also plays piano. They stop by a pizza parlor and bookstore, and meet Jessica, who plays soccer and is rather lonely. When there is grafitti in the neighborhood that says "Go home!", Iris is sad, so Magnolia tries to recreate a California beach with cat litter. After finding the home of the final sock, which smells like coconut, the two girls are friends, and feel closer to their neighborhood.
Strengths: This had a bit of a vintage feel to it, with Magnolia having some Harriet the Spy (Fitzhugh) or A Girl Called Al (Greene) vibes. Living in suburbia, I am enthralled by vibrant city landscapes, but I also find it hard to believe that they really exist! Magnolia and Iris are allowed a fair amount of freedom to wander about and meet people, which is delightful. There are plentiful page decorations, which is something I would like to see more in middle grade literature.
Weaknesses: The illustrations are a bit odd, and Magnolia and Iris have many philosophical discussions with the people in their neighborhood that seem a bit deeper than conversations ten year olds usually have.
What I really think: This is a good choice for younger readers who like books that center around neighborhoods, like Vivat's Meet Me on Mercer Street, LaCoer and Albert's The Apartment House on Poppy Hill, or Finnegan's Sunny Parker is Here to Stay.
March 22, 2024
As a rule, I don't rate less than "good" picture books (celebrity books aside), and I almost never review early readers – mostly because I respect their role in developing literacy and that many of them are written to be gobbled up, not entertain a literate adult. But I don't see a need for a bunch of three-star reviews bc I am TRULY not their audience.
But Magnolia Wu is on my exception list. TBF, this is high Early Reader, entry-level MG. Also of note, the author is Chanel Miller
But Magnolia Wu is on my exception list. TBF, this is high Early Reader, entry-level MG. Also of note, the author is Chanel Miller
April 28, 2024
I would die for this woman
May 7, 2024
I loved this so much! it’s classified as middle grade but i think there’s something we can all take away from this book 🥹❤️
February 5, 2024
this was so fun!! Chanel Miller is obviously such a talented storyteller and I'm so happy to see her writing shining in this fun adventure.
My only complaint is that it all went by too quickly! Maybe I'm just not used to middle grade pacing anymore, but so much happened in this and I just wanted it to be longer, or take more time to linger on each big reveal/lesson.
Would definitely read the next installment(s) if this is going to be a series!
My only complaint is that it all went by too quickly! Maybe I'm just not used to middle grade pacing anymore, but so much happened in this and I just wanted it to be longer, or take more time to linger on each big reveal/lesson.
Would definitely read the next installment(s) if this is going to be a series!
May 9, 2024
I will read anything Chanel Miller writes and/or illustrates. I didn't know what to expect from this book because I saw middle grade and Chanel Miller and preordered it. It reads like a love letter to New York City celebrating its diversity in all forms but especially Asian cultures and specifically Asian-run laundromats. I didn't see an NYC-centric book coming as I associate Miller with California but apparently she has lived there for a while, including COVID. There is an author's note at the end that beautifully explains the inspiration for the book.
The book follows Magnolia who is a kind of lonely kid whose parents run a laundromat. One day Magnolia, who thinks she has made peace with being alone, is set up to be friends with another girl, Iris. She is resistant at first but the two quickly form a friendship. They end up taking on a task of returning lost socks collected at the laundromat to their owners. Each sock story reads as a mini-fable sort of with a cute little message at the end that run the gamut of good things...it's okay to be yourself, not everything is as it seems, the grass isn't always greener on the other side etc... Empathy stuff. Good kid stuff. My 6 year old was invested in the story so that was also nice as we did it for a read-aloud together at night.
My favorite story was about the apparent bully of the book, Aspen. It had beautiful, kid-friendly wording about complex things like:
"Aspen quickly shook his head, as if recalling the memory was like letting a wasp land on him and now he wanted to shake it away."
And how his story tied in with Magnolia's Dad who just did the most creative thing to help a young Aspen be okay when his own family didn't. Plus the message about flamingos:
"The more he called me stupid, the more I believed him. I was stupid, and there was nothing I could do about it. But one day I was flipping through these books and learned that thing about flamingos--how they're actually gray but turn pick after eating shrimp. Flamingos become what they consume...So I started to imagine that my dad's words were like shrimp--if I absorb them into my system, I come them. I turn stupid, turn pink. But if I spit them out, I get to stay myself, stay gray. HIs words won't change me if I don't let them."
Miller put everything out there in her victim impact statement in the trial she experienced. She said all of it out loud for the world to hear and then wrote a book about it. She said all of it in black and white over and over again and millions of adults have benefitted from that. Now Miller is doing some of that same work for our kids. Putting empathy and understanding into digestible little bits with cute little drawings and I love it and CAN'T WAIT for what she does next.
The book follows Magnolia who is a kind of lonely kid whose parents run a laundromat. One day Magnolia, who thinks she has made peace with being alone, is set up to be friends with another girl, Iris. She is resistant at first but the two quickly form a friendship. They end up taking on a task of returning lost socks collected at the laundromat to their owners. Each sock story reads as a mini-fable sort of with a cute little message at the end that run the gamut of good things...it's okay to be yourself, not everything is as it seems, the grass isn't always greener on the other side etc... Empathy stuff. Good kid stuff. My 6 year old was invested in the story so that was also nice as we did it for a read-aloud together at night.
My favorite story was about the apparent bully of the book, Aspen. It had beautiful, kid-friendly wording about complex things like:
"Aspen quickly shook his head, as if recalling the memory was like letting a wasp land on him and now he wanted to shake it away."
And how his story tied in with Magnolia's Dad who just did the most creative thing to help a young Aspen be okay when his own family didn't. Plus the message about flamingos:
"The more he called me stupid, the more I believed him. I was stupid, and there was nothing I could do about it. But one day I was flipping through these books and learned that thing about flamingos--how they're actually gray but turn pick after eating shrimp. Flamingos become what they consume...So I started to imagine that my dad's words were like shrimp--if I absorb them into my system, I come them. I turn stupid, turn pink. But if I spit them out, I get to stay myself, stay gray. HIs words won't change me if I don't let them."
Miller put everything out there in her victim impact statement in the trial she experienced. She said all of it out loud for the world to hear and then wrote a book about it. She said all of it in black and white over and over again and millions of adults have benefitted from that. Now Miller is doing some of that same work for our kids. Putting empathy and understanding into digestible little bits with cute little drawings and I love it and CAN'T WAIT for what she does next.
April 19, 2024
Disclosure: I received a copy of this captivating book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to everyone involved in this giveaway—from New York Times bestselling author Chanel Miller, to Philomel Books, imprint of Penguin Random House—for the opportunity to review Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All.
Magnolia Will Unfolds It All, a charming story expertly written with delightful illustrations and cover art, has all the feels—from adventure, assumptions, bias, bullying, community, connectedness, curiosity, family/found family, friendship, to hate speech, invisibility, kindness, loneliness, racism, rage, sadness, and xenophobia.
Anyone who has experienced racists’ misdirected hate/anger reading this book can have a visceral response and relate to these attacks with every fiber of their being. I was yelling at the racists in the book as I read about each incident, including hate graffiti left on the studio’s glass.
Navigating the big city to reunite people with their missing socks from the Bing Qi Ling Bubbles Laundromat is so seamlessly woven into the fabric of each story chapter. From Mr. Pants the dog, to the gray dryer-lint sharks, and from the shear-eared rabbit with glasses, to Ms. Lam’s Salty Muscles fitness studio, this endearing book was relatable on so many levels and drew me into Magnolia Wu’s quirky world. I’m already a fan of plums, lychee, and boba tea, and yet I really need to experience red bean ice cream, a new addition to my bucket list.
Ultimately the lesson is the idea that everything is more fun together—whether hanging out in a recreated California (closet) complete with kitty litter sand to make our new friend feel less homesick, or solving each missing sock mystery with friends along the way. We are more than what we appear on the surface, more than the sum of our parts.
Magnolia Will Unfolds It All, a charming story expertly written with delightful illustrations and cover art, has all the feels—from adventure, assumptions, bias, bullying, community, connectedness, curiosity, family/found family, friendship, to hate speech, invisibility, kindness, loneliness, racism, rage, sadness, and xenophobia.
Anyone who has experienced racists’ misdirected hate/anger reading this book can have a visceral response and relate to these attacks with every fiber of their being. I was yelling at the racists in the book as I read about each incident, including hate graffiti left on the studio’s glass.
Navigating the big city to reunite people with their missing socks from the Bing Qi Ling Bubbles Laundromat is so seamlessly woven into the fabric of each story chapter. From Mr. Pants the dog, to the gray dryer-lint sharks, and from the shear-eared rabbit with glasses, to Ms. Lam’s Salty Muscles fitness studio, this endearing book was relatable on so many levels and drew me into Magnolia Wu’s quirky world. I’m already a fan of plums, lychee, and boba tea, and yet I really need to experience red bean ice cream, a new addition to my bucket list.
Ultimately the lesson is the idea that everything is more fun together—whether hanging out in a recreated California (closet) complete with kitty litter sand to make our new friend feel less homesick, or solving each missing sock mystery with friends along the way. We are more than what we appear on the surface, more than the sum of our parts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 Stars!
Know My Name, one of my favorite books, continues to mean so much to me. I always hoped that Chanel Miller would write another book. While I did not expect her next publication to be middle grade fiction, I have definitely not been disappointed.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds it All had me bawling my eyes out over socks. As I read this, I quickly realized the story was not about the socks but about uncovering the hidden stories of the people they belong to as well as the people Magnolia and Iris ran into along the way.
Magnolia- an almost 10 year old girl whose parents own a NYC laundromat- meets Iris, a friend “blind date” set up through their mothers. Magnolia and Iris are both children of East Asian immigrants however this does not bond them at first. Instead, the two become Sock Detectives and look for the owners of all the single socks left behind at the laundromat.
They encounter anti-Asian hate in their journey across the city, looking for the sock owners. It is heartbreaking to imagine these two young girls, not yet jaded by life, have to face the cruel realities of it. However, they also meet many lovely people, too. People that teach them the importance of small things and how they can outweigh the bad when you pay attention.
I adored these girls and this story, and hope everyone feeling a little jaded by life can pick this up and enjoy it. Sometimes it takes a child’s perspective to help an adult see.
Thank you, Chanel, for another beautifully written story ❤️
And thank you NetGalley and 🐧 Penguin Young Readers for this e-ARC!
5 Stars!
Know My Name, one of my favorite books, continues to mean so much to me. I always hoped that Chanel Miller would write another book. While I did not expect her next publication to be middle grade fiction, I have definitely not been disappointed.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds it All had me bawling my eyes out over socks. As I read this, I quickly realized the story was not about the socks but about uncovering the hidden stories of the people they belong to as well as the people Magnolia and Iris ran into along the way.
Magnolia- an almost 10 year old girl whose parents own a NYC laundromat- meets Iris, a friend “blind date” set up through their mothers. Magnolia and Iris are both children of East Asian immigrants however this does not bond them at first. Instead, the two become Sock Detectives and look for the owners of all the single socks left behind at the laundromat.
They encounter anti-Asian hate in their journey across the city, looking for the sock owners. It is heartbreaking to imagine these two young girls, not yet jaded by life, have to face the cruel realities of it. However, they also meet many lovely people, too. People that teach them the importance of small things and how they can outweigh the bad when you pay attention.
I adored these girls and this story, and hope everyone feeling a little jaded by life can pick this up and enjoy it. Sometimes it takes a child’s perspective to help an adult see.
Thank you, Chanel, for another beautifully written story ❤️
And thank you NetGalley and 🐧 Penguin Young Readers for this e-ARC!
May 15, 2024
It had never occurred to Magnolia to take action to return the socks herself. She thought of life as something that unfolded around her and happened to her while she was content being an observer. (p. 24)
Magnolia couldn’t believe it—that TV ice cream was just a pile of boiled vegetables, that Jessica could ever feel lonely. How much she’d assumed about Jessica’s life without actually ever asking her. (p. 94)
She thought about the moment she’d snapped—it was when Iris had said Magnolia was lonely before Iris came into her life. It was technically true, but when Iris said it, Magnolia felt embarrassed and ashamed, like something must’ve been wrong with her because she hadn’t had more friends. Maybe Iris had simply been stating a fact and not hurling an insult. (p. 105)
I learned that endings don’t have to be awful or unbearable things. Endings are inevitable, natural, because people evolve, circumstances change, and you’re just happy for every moment you got with them.”
Magnolia folded her arms over the knapsack.
“The sadness you’re feeling now is not a bad thing,” he said. “It just means you care deeply about your friend. Anyway, I believe you all finished the conversation on a comma, not a period. Don’t you think so?”
Magnolia agreed. It was far too early for an ending. (pp. 108-109)
Magnolia couldn’t believe it—that TV ice cream was just a pile of boiled vegetables, that Jessica could ever feel lonely. How much she’d assumed about Jessica’s life without actually ever asking her. (p. 94)
She thought about the moment she’d snapped—it was when Iris had said Magnolia was lonely before Iris came into her life. It was technically true, but when Iris said it, Magnolia felt embarrassed and ashamed, like something must’ve been wrong with her because she hadn’t had more friends. Maybe Iris had simply been stating a fact and not hurling an insult. (p. 105)
I learned that endings don’t have to be awful or unbearable things. Endings are inevitable, natural, because people evolve, circumstances change, and you’re just happy for every moment you got with them.”
Magnolia folded her arms over the knapsack.
“The sadness you’re feeling now is not a bad thing,” he said. “It just means you care deeply about your friend. Anyway, I believe you all finished the conversation on a comma, not a period. Don’t you think so?”
Magnolia agreed. It was far too early for an ending. (pp. 108-109)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2024
New classic vibes. 4.5? Somehow I didn’t fall head over heels for this book, but I can’t absolutely see it’s worthy of all its starred reviews and did find it charming. In one aspect it reminds me of the kids’ books of my youth (I was born in 1974): *kids get to walk around in and explore their own city neighborhoods! And even other city neighborhoods*! Magnolia and her newly-moved-to-NYC friend Iris, in a quest to find the owners of a parade of singleton socks left behind at Magnolia’s parents’ laundry, sleuth around the city, going into, especially, many immigrant-owned small businesses where the proprietors have known Magnolia since birth, but also into a posh apartment building and to see an adult friend who plays at the chess tables in the park. Magnolia learns a new thing about people, including her mother, father, snooty cousin, a rich classmate, a bully, and more, with every sock (and chapter—each sock gets a chapter)—and works to excite Iris, not an immediate city lover, about the things NYC has to offer. Two kids free-range pounding the urban pavement, air redolent of pizza and exhaust—this was so wonderful to be with!
Thanks to #edelweiss for access to the digital ARC.
Thanks to #edelweiss for access to the digital ARC.
May 10, 2024
I really liked this sweet and whimsical and sometimes silly book for 3rd grade +
𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘞𝘶 𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘐𝘵 𝘈𝘭𝘭 is written by Chanel Miller. She is the author of the adult book 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦, a book I think everyone should read.
Magnolia Wu has no friends in NYC, a city with a population of eight million people. She’s dreading the summer because all she has to look forward to are days spent in her parent’s laundromat. But a family friend has moved to the city with her daughter named Iris, and Magnolia and Iris begin to try to find the owners of all the lost single socks from the laundry. It’s through these adventures that the girls begin to understand how small kindnesses bring people together.
I have always wanted to write a book about what happens to socks that lose their match.
I loved Miller’s illustrations sprinkled throughout the pages.
5 / 5 stars
: She knew that just below the surface of a person, there were endless unexpected layers and stories, pain and longings and dreams, and how grateful she was to have glimpsed them (145).
: Remember, stories can be found everywhere in your life. Pay attention to the details in your day-to-day routines and the people you interact with; build adventures out of them. (Author’s Note)
𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘢 𝘞𝘶 𝘜𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘐𝘵 𝘈𝘭𝘭 is written by Chanel Miller. She is the author of the adult book 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦, a book I think everyone should read.
Magnolia Wu has no friends in NYC, a city with a population of eight million people. She’s dreading the summer because all she has to look forward to are days spent in her parent’s laundromat. But a family friend has moved to the city with her daughter named Iris, and Magnolia and Iris begin to try to find the owners of all the lost single socks from the laundry. It’s through these adventures that the girls begin to understand how small kindnesses bring people together.
I have always wanted to write a book about what happens to socks that lose their match.
I loved Miller’s illustrations sprinkled throughout the pages.
5 / 5 stars
: She knew that just below the surface of a person, there were endless unexpected layers and stories, pain and longings and dreams, and how grateful she was to have glimpsed them (145).
: Remember, stories can be found everywhere in your life. Pay attention to the details in your day-to-day routines and the people you interact with; build adventures out of them. (Author’s Note)
May 3, 2024
What a delight! This book came onto my radar because I follow author Chanel Miller on Instagram (her memoir Know My Name has left such a lasting impression on me). In this whimsical chapter book for young readers, 10-year old Magnolia finds herself a bit lonely in her parents’ NYC laundromat until she befriends Iris. The two become sock detectives- tracing each wayward singleton back to its rightful owner. A whole cast of colorful characters fill the pages of this short book; it almost feels like speed dating through each potential sock owner. Underlying themes of building friendship, finding home, and even confronting xenophobia give this chapter book for young readers a surprising about of substance (and makes for a great read during AAPI heritage month!). I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by Miller, but I also downloaded the ebook to see Miller’s quirky art (in a style reminiscent of Yoshitomo Nara). This would be a great book to read with an early elementary schooler, and so, I will likely pick up a physical copy of this book on my next indie bookstore shopping trip to share with my daughters.
May 17, 2024
Of course Chanel Miller has written and illustrated the most adorable children's book ever. After reading Know My Name, and following her cartoons on Instagram for the past five years I guess I would expect nothing less.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All follows in the vein of Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look ,and Ryan Hart from Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson. Magnolia Wu lives in a neighborhood of NYC, and spends most of her time hiding in her parent's laundromat. When she meets her new friend Iris she begins to venture out to return lost socks to their owners. She finds new ways of looking at her neighbors and family.
I will go a little nuts over any book that features a strong community that takes care of each other, especially when it's a well-written book with a vocabulary strong enough to make it readable for a fourth or fifth grader, but not too intimidating for a second or third grader. There were parts of this book that felt a little too cute, but it was such a positive read. This book is clearly the beginning of the series, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the future.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All follows in the vein of Ruby Lu, Brave and True by Lenore Look ,and Ryan Hart from Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson. Magnolia Wu lives in a neighborhood of NYC, and spends most of her time hiding in her parent's laundromat. When she meets her new friend Iris she begins to venture out to return lost socks to their owners. She finds new ways of looking at her neighbors and family.
I will go a little nuts over any book that features a strong community that takes care of each other, especially when it's a well-written book with a vocabulary strong enough to make it readable for a fourth or fifth grader, but not too intimidating for a second or third grader. There were parts of this book that felt a little too cute, but it was such a positive read. This book is clearly the beginning of the series, and I'm looking forward to reading more in the future.
April 10, 2024
Chanel Miller’s main character Magnolia stems from some of her own life experiences and respect for hard-working immigrant families. Magnolia’s parents own and run a New York City laundromat and sometimes that work leaves her feeling a little forgotten. But a bunch of lost socks that need to be reunited with their owners and a new girl lead to discovering that people aren’t always what they seem and everyone (and their socks) have a story to tell. Sweet book that may be slightly unrealistic, but readers in grades 3-5 are likely to enjoy how the girls match socks to owners, find new friends and learn much about apologizing and speaking what you need. Frequent sketches add a whimsical note to the book. Free of profanity, sexual content and only one episode of violence when Iris’ mother’s exercise gym is vandalized and a hurtful message is sprayed on the window. Representation: a variety of family configurations, AAPI main characters
Thanks for the print arc, Penguin Random House.
Thanks for the print arc, Penguin Random House.
April 19, 2024
Absolutely loved this! So heartwarming & cute!
I 100% recommend this for the kids in your life! It has so many great important messages about community, acceptance, communication & friendship. I especially loved how we see more to people as the story goes along. The depth is wonderful. The book also tackles feelings of alienation, discrimination and hate crimes in a good way that isn't dismissive. It's very appropriate for young children & teens.
As a New Yorker, this is now one of my top NYC tales. I grew up first generation and I wish there were more books like this when I was growing up. I cannot wait to gift my niece her own copy. :)
Thank you so much for the book goodreads! Really appreciate this cute heartwarming pick me up!
#goodreadsgiveaway #goodreadsgiveaways
I 100% recommend this for the kids in your life! It has so many great important messages about community, acceptance, communication & friendship. I especially loved how we see more to people as the story goes along. The depth is wonderful. The book also tackles feelings of alienation, discrimination and hate crimes in a good way that isn't dismissive. It's very appropriate for young children & teens.
As a New Yorker, this is now one of my top NYC tales. I grew up first generation and I wish there were more books like this when I was growing up. I cannot wait to gift my niece her own copy. :)
Thank you so much for the book goodreads! Really appreciate this cute heartwarming pick me up!
#goodreadsgiveaway #goodreadsgiveaways
March 26, 2024
Ummm excuse but this book is dang perfect.
Chanel Miller has created a page turner of a chapter book for young readers with the emphasis of socks🧦 and oh my word does it hit you in the feels.
This is a fun story about Magnolia Wu… sock detective… why socks?!? Her family owns a laundromat in NYC and this summer she meets a new friend Iris who encourages Magnolia to sleuth whose socks have been left at the laundromat.
I loved these characters and the stories that unfolded from finding the owner of said socks. A fun adventure… that gives Harriet the Spy 🔎 vibes.
Thank you Philomel Books 📖
Releases 4/23
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
Chanel Miller has created a page turner of a chapter book for young readers with the emphasis of socks🧦 and oh my word does it hit you in the feels.
This is a fun story about Magnolia Wu… sock detective… why socks?!? Her family owns a laundromat in NYC and this summer she meets a new friend Iris who encourages Magnolia to sleuth whose socks have been left at the laundromat.
I loved these characters and the stories that unfolded from finding the owner of said socks. A fun adventure… that gives Harriet the Spy 🔎 vibes.
Thank you Philomel Books 📖
Releases 4/23
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
May 3, 2024
Some books come to us at the right time when we need to read the sweet life lessons and small things that remind us what is worth paying attention to in our lives.
This wonderful middle-grade novel is one of those, with so many amazing paragraphs that become wise quotes to any age, not just young readers, for they are filled with wisdom and kindness. A simple gesture of returning lost socks becomes a journey through a community in the great busy city of New York where we are reminded of so many cultures, knowledge, experiences, and wonderful people. A tale of family, friendship, city people, and living with prejudice, social pressure, and even sometimes racism.
This wonderful middle-grade novel is one of those, with so many amazing paragraphs that become wise quotes to any age, not just young readers, for they are filled with wisdom and kindness. A simple gesture of returning lost socks becomes a journey through a community in the great busy city of New York where we are reminded of so many cultures, knowledge, experiences, and wonderful people. A tale of family, friendship, city people, and living with prejudice, social pressure, and even sometimes racism.
May 16, 2024
I love that the character in this middle grade book is turning 10 years old. Most middle grade books focus on the 11-12 year old set and leave out our third and fourth graders. Reading the author's notes about their journey to writing this book, moving to NYC at the beginning of the pandemic and exploring the laundromats, added to my enjoyment while reading this book. Solving the mysteries of the missing socks reminded of the old classic, Harriet the Spy. The little illustrations sprinkled throughout the book are also a nice touch. The only thing I don't love about this book is the cover, it looks old/dated. I'd love to see the cover with a big washing machine tumbling some mismatched socks!
May 17, 2024
This was so stinking cute and had a lot more poignancy and emotion than I was expecting. Miller’s spot art was a nice touch - the illustrations were silly and distinct.
Somehow NYC felt like a small town. This created a little idealistic neighborhood where everyone knows each other and helps each other. It was a great story that has lots of kid appeal but also adds elements that teach a subtle message.
I hope there’s more Magnolia Wu books in the future.
Somehow NYC felt like a small town. This created a little idealistic neighborhood where everyone knows each other and helps each other. It was a great story that has lots of kid appeal but also adds elements that teach a subtle message.
I hope there’s more Magnolia Wu books in the future.
She knew just below the surface of a person, there were endless unexpected layers and stories, pain and longings and dreams, and how grateful she was to have glimpsed them.
May 5, 2024
Magnolia Wu is turning 10 years old, but she's expecting another boring summer as a loner at her parents' laundromat. When she meets Iris, the two embark on a quest to find the owners of the missing socks left behind.
This is not a graphic novel per se, but it does include many doodles and illustrations for different elements of the story. It's a very low-stakes slice-of-life brief book with different little mysteries and a message of friendship and helping others. Really sweet! I read it in Chanel's voice (in my head) and found it especially endearing.
This is not a graphic novel per se, but it does include many doodles and illustrations for different elements of the story. It's a very low-stakes slice-of-life brief book with different little mysteries and a message of friendship and helping others. Really sweet! I read it in Chanel's voice (in my head) and found it especially endearing.
May 11, 2024
"We don't need the right answer, we just have to begin."
Geweldig boek. Lief, leuk, mooi, grappig, diepzinnig, echt en heel waardevol. Zowel voor kinderen als voor volwassenen.
Het is een heel leuk avontuur met superdetectives. Twee meisjes in New York die op zoek gaan naar de eigenaren van de enkele sokken die zijn achtergebleven in de wasserette van de ouders van het hoofdpersonage. Ze leren van alles over zichzelf, hun ouders en hoe je sterk kan blijven wanneer iemand je niet ziet voor wie je bent.
Makkelijk 5 sterren!
Geweldig boek. Lief, leuk, mooi, grappig, diepzinnig, echt en heel waardevol. Zowel voor kinderen als voor volwassenen.
Het is een heel leuk avontuur met superdetectives. Twee meisjes in New York die op zoek gaan naar de eigenaren van de enkele sokken die zijn achtergebleven in de wasserette van de ouders van het hoofdpersonage. Ze leren van alles over zichzelf, hun ouders en hoe je sterk kan blijven wanneer iemand je niet ziet voor wie je bent.
Makkelijk 5 sterren!
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