Cheng, Jack
“Another beautiful book by Jack Cheng.” —Erin Entrada Kelly, Newbery Award-winning author of Hello, Universe
Creative and brave sixth grader Andy Zhou faces big changes at school and at home in this new novel by the award-winning author of See You in the Cosmos, for fans of When You Trap a Tiger and The Stars Beneath Our Feet
Andy Zhou is used to being what people need him to be: the good kid for his parents and now grandparents visiting from Shanghai, or the helpful sidekick to his best friend Cindy’s rebellious plans and schemes.
So when Cindy decides they should try out for Movement at school on the first day of sixth grade, how can Andy say no? But between feeling out of place with the dancers, being hassled by his new science partner Jameel, and sensing tension between his dad and grandfather, Andy feels all kinds of weird.
Then, over anime, Hi-Chews, and Andy’s lizard-inspired artwork, things shift between him and Jameel, opening up new doors—and also new complications.
No matter how much Andy cares about his friends and family, it’s hard not to feel pulled between all the ways he's meant to be, all the different faces he wears, and harder still to figure out if any of these masks is the real him.
“A joy and a journey.” —Tae Keller, Newbery Award-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger
“Sincere . . . Perceptive . . . Captures the joys and complex anxieties of middle school.” —Kirkus
"Beautiful . . . Recommended for fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Nicole Melleby." —SLJ
"Realistic . . . Compelling." —Booklist
"Beautifully and naturally depicts Chinese American family life and the first year of middle school” —Common Sense Media
“There’s an aching poignancy [that] will resonate with kids.” —BCCB
"Beautifully written, [with] complexity and nuance." —Book Riot
“Andy’s quiet courage and budding artistry have readers cheering him on.” —Paula Yoo, National Book Award longlisted-author of From a Whisper to a Rallying CryContent note: This story touches on topics including bullying, racism, trichotillomania (hair-pulling compulsion), parental death, and anorexia.
Additional Praise for See You in the Cosmos:
A Top 10 IndieNext Pick Winner of the Golden Kite Award Winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award
* "A sweet, soulful debut novel with a brilliant, refreshing structure . . . Taking inspirationfrom the Voyager Golden Record released to space in 1977, Alex . . . records all theimportant moments of a journey that takes him from a family of two to a family of plenty. Riveting, inspiring, and sometimes hilarious." —Kirkus, starred review
"Stellar." —Entertainment Weekly
"[A] life-embracing, stream-of-consciousness tale of family lost and found." —The Wall Street Journal
"Exuberant and utterly believable." —Booklist
"Full of innocence and unwavering optimism, leaving the reader incapable of not rooting for Alex. . . . This book skillfully explores the many emotions of an eleven-year-old boy and shows how young and old alike can bond over a love of science." —SLC
"[A] poignant, memorable debut . . . entirely and deeply human." —The Guardian
"I love this book—the characters, the story, but most of all, the voice that writer Jack Cheng has created. See You in the Cosmos is the best I've read in a long, long, long time. It's a story that changes the way you see the world." —Holly Goldberg Sloan, author of Counting by 7s
"I haven't read anything that has moved me this much since Wonder . . . The very best books are rare and powerful magic. See You in the Cosmos is one of these. I wanted to stay forever in this funny, wise, beautiful world." —Jennifer Niven, author of All the Bright Places