The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

A humorous and heartwarming debut about split cultural identities, and all the ways life fails to go according to plan for sixth-grader Lucy Wu.

Lucy Wu, aspiring basketball star and interior designer, is on the verge of having the best year of her life. She's ready to rule the school as a sixth grader, go out for captain of the school basketball team, and take over the bedroom she has always shared with her sister. In an instant, though, her plans are shattered when she finds out that Yi Po, her beloved grandmother's sister, is coming to visit for several months -- and is staying in Lucy's room. 

Lucy's vision of a perfect year begins to crumble, and in its place come an unwelcome roommate, foiled birthday plans, a bully who tries to scare Lucy off the basketball team, and Chinese school with the annoying know-it-all Talent Chang. Lucy's year is ruined -- or is it? 

A wonderfully funny, warm, and heartfelt tale about the ways life often reveals silver linings in the most unexpected of clouds.


I really enjoyed this middle grade novel. Although I wasn't into basketball the way Lucy is, I sometimes felt like she did when I was in school, bullied for her Chinese heritage and the fact that she's short. Lucy loves basketball, but her parents would rather her take Chinese school on Saturdays instead of going to practice. She's also thoroughly frustrated by Yi Po, the elderly woman no one knew existed until right before her Po Po's death. She doesn't want to stand out for anything other than being an exceptional basketball player. 

Lucy's journey towards appreciating Yi Po, and fighting for who she is, was a fun and tender read. I got a little weepy as Yi Po and Lucy become close, and Lucy learns more about why Yi Po was left behind in China.