Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu
Lizzie Chu lives with her grandad, a keen ballroom-dancing fan, but since the death of his wife he’s been acting strangely. Lizzie is worried, but doesn’t know how to help he beloved Wai Gong.
When it’s revealed that Grandma Kam has left them tickets to the tea dance at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool, Lizzie comes up with a plan for the trip of a lifetime. But how on earth is she going to get them there all the way from Glasgow? And most importantly, will it be enough to help Wai Gong get better?
Book details
- Title: Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu
- Author: Maisie Chan
- ISBN: 9781800781610
- Publisher: Picadilly Press
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Reviews submitted after the awards submission deadline (5pm on 3 March 2023) won’t be considered as part of this year’s book awards, but you can still share your thoughts on the book below.
Maisie i do not know why that school had a reason to judge you because really your book is fab. your vocabulary is amazing ,especially for your second book.I loved it how Lizzie could finally get her grandpa happy but her grandpa had a bad memory still. I think that school should read your book before they make nasty comments about you because i think being Chinese is amazing.You are so brave to let it roll off your back because i can not do that.
Hi Emma N! Thank you so much for taking time to read the book and also for writing a review of it! I was really happy to hear from young people about my book as as an author you always fear that people will hate it! Thanks also for your kind words about what happened to me on that school visit back in Nov. Luckily, those types of visits are very rare.
This book is amazing! Congratulations to Maisie Chan for writing such an incredible book. I loved the that you have introduced new characters along the whilst slowing adding onto a magnificent plot. Lizzie is my favourite character because she takes on so much responsibility so she can look after Wai Gong. Lizzie has brilliant friends that help her every step of the way, whether that’s impersonating a goddesses or making homemade outfits. I think people with Chinese heritage and young carers would feel represented in children literature because you have made your book so diverse so it includes all people from all different backgrounds.
One thing I learnt from this book is that it’s okay to ask for help because even though Lizzie thought she was on her own they was someone out there to help her.
Maisie your book is amazing and that school had no reason to pick on you because there is nothing wrong Chinese.
My favourite quote from your book: Keep trying , keep laughing, keep dancing!
Hey Morin, thank you for saying my book is ‘amazing!’ that is so nice of you. Being an author is a bit strange sometimes for me (I can only talk for myself) – sometimes you write something very personal or based a little on your own experiences and you hope that people enjoy it. But you never really know. I think what I have learned is that there are so many types of people and some will like your book and others won’t. And that is okay! I’m glad you picked out the big themes of the book like asking for help, and having diverse representation. I always try to make my books as diverse as possible. Keep reading! P.S. I’m not sure my plot skills are my best quality so thanks for saying the pilot was ‘magnificent’!!!
This was really good! Though in some parts it could of had a bit more action but apart from that it was really good. At the end I find it really heartwarming that Lizzie found the courage to tell people about her troubles! My favourite character was Lizzies grandfather even though at the end they realised he has a problem with his mental health he’s a little cheeky with a bit of fun in him to! I would recommend this book to any one who loves family love, adventure and a character with determination.
Maeve! You are spot on with your review! I felt too there could have been a bit more action as I know readers do love it when a book as a fast or steady pace. I didn’t have much time to write this book and honestly, I could have done with a little more time with it all. But I’m glad it’s not too bad! There was one point when I said to my editor – “Should I put in an antagonist or more obstacles?” but she felt it was okay as it was because Lizzie was already facing a lot in her life. I even thought about making Lizzie a skater girl at one point. I’m glad that despite its pace you enjoyed it for the most part and thanks for your honest review! You could be a book editor in the future!
It was a heartwarming, happy story about never giving up on your dreams. I particularly liked the relationship between Lizzie and her grandfather; they are close but they keep secrets from each other . The front cover was bright , colourful and intriguing just like the book.
Hi Florence! Thanks of your review. The cover is great isn’t it! It’s by a Chinese American illustrator called Kimberly Clinthorne-Wong http://www.kimberliewong.com/ and the U.S version (which comes out in March 2023) is by Natelle Quake, who also did my U.S. version of Danny Chung. I think book covers are so important. I’m happy that I like all of my novel covers. Sometimes authors get to have a say in their cover art and sometimes they don’t. The huge glitter ball on the U.K. cover was my idea!
A wonderful, emotional and heart-warming experience, with a positive message all the way through. Also quite humorous. I would recommend it.
Hi Alexander, thanks for your words. I’m glad you thought my book was humorous. I actually struggled when I first starting writing it to add humour as the topics of being a young carer and dementia felt very heavy. But then later in the process I thought to myself ‘what or who could they meet on their journey that would add light and humour – hence the biker crew and dressing up as dead rock stars!’ – thanks again for saying nice things about my book. I promise anyone reading this that I did not bribe Alexander to say those things with the promise of free biscuits or anything like that!
This book stole the whole show. It was funny love filled adventure. Which taught me to always know my freinds are there for me. Lizzie was so kind and caring for someone who was a young carer. I hope she enjoys her new home. This was a really good book considering it was a first I’m glad Lizzie kept in dancing.
Hi Abisola, I think you summed up what I was hoping for – that this book would give the reader an insight into kindness and joy. I hoped readers would be rooting for Lizzie to do well despite having some tough moments in her life as a young carer. I’ve had some dark times in my life and in those times there have been moments of friendship and light. I was hoping that would come through in this book. Thanks for saying that this book ‘stole the show’ which kind mirrors their time in Blackpool at the Tower!
Keep Dancing to Lizzie Chu is the most heartwarming story of this year‘s JBA titles. I really like that the author shaped this story around the power of people because it gives the reader a sense of belonging. The adventures that span around Glasgow and Blackpool are quite humorous and relatable.
The story follows the life of a teenager called Lizzie Chu – who lives in Glasgow with her grandparents. One day her grandmother passed away. Now with the death of Granny Kam, Lizzie takes care of her grandfather and her life on her own. Now that his wife is dead, Lizzie’s grandfather Wai Gong starts to forget things. Lizzie slowly becomes worried about him but she doesn’t know how to help him. Thinking that he is experiencing grief, Lizzie pushes on in life. Granny Kam and Wai Gong used to dance together in Blackpool Tower ballroom and these two cha-cha-cha professionals want to rekindle that memory. But before they can Granny Kam unfortunately passes away and now it is up to Lizzie to fulfil that wish for Wai Gong. Experiencing different events, new characters and personalities along the way, Lizzie Wai Gong and her friends travel to Blackpool. It is raced against time. In the end, the Blackpool trip finally makes Lizzie realise that she’s not alone.
My favourite character is Tyler – one of Lizzie’s best friends as he finds a reasonable balance in every situation. Also, he helps everyone believe in themselves at tough times. I think that the saying, “people make Glasgow” sums up the main theme of the story since Lizzie’s friends make her happy even if it’s impersonating a goddess or creating home-made outfits.
Overall it is a heart-warming and friendly book, targeted to carers like Lizzie and people facing hardships. It has many bittersweet events that help shape the story, which goes well with its linear structure of events. The idea that friendship empowers lives is a very thoughtful idea which is one of the main themes of the story. This book is a helping hand to young carers and I would strongly recommend it to children aged nine onwards.
Tamira, what a wonderful review. You totally got what the book was all about! I was a young adult carer and it was hard for me sometimes to do the domestic duties and then also be a young person who just wanted to have fun with my mates. But sometimes you have to do it because there is no-one else! So that was my starting point for Lizzie. I love that you love TYLER! I wanted to make him a bit different from black boys that you see on TV. Over Christmas, I watched a film where young black boys were cast as mugging one of the main characters – it was seen as a bit of fun. But I felt that Tyler could be different, he’s dependable, he knows how to make costumes and he likes Star Trek!
Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu is an absolutely incredible book about friendship, laughter and family fun! I really like how it was relatable through each character’s love of different TV shows that we have watched! My favourite character was Chi, because as a younger sibling myself, I understand the struggles of having an older sibling who you often disagree with! My favourite part of the book was
Aaryan G! Thanks for writing about my book! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Chi was fun to write. I was going to make her and Lizzie battle a bit more but we decided she could actually be a good friend to Lizzie instead. She’s a bit self-centred but goes along for the adventure. I wanted to have someone British Vietnamese because I hadn’t seen any characters like that. Her dad is sort of like this British Vietnamese guy’s brother I knew who did work for Cirque Du Soleil. I needed her to have an older brother because there needed to be someone to drive!
An excellent book. Very emotional and loved the story. I mean, some people may say this is a ‘Chinese’ book, but it is a book for everybody to enjoy. How a young girl just wants to make her grandfather happy, it also has a moral too. Really liked this, Maisie Chan!
Hi Pravav, it really is a book for everyone. I didn’t want it to be a ‘Chinese’ book so much. There are elements of the Guan Yin stories but really not much else that is very Chinese really. The occasional thing there and there. What my books usually are about are humans and the human condition. We all have the same emotions despite different backgrounds and ethnicities. Thanks for saying you liked my book!
First of all I’d like to say how much of a different book this was to other books I’ve read before and I loved the whole plot of the book.It really shows that even though the end was not as perfect as other books it still worked out alright, and Lizzy deserved to have a happy ending as the work she put in to help Wai Gong was truly amazing.
My favourite character was Lizzy as she was always so determined and I felt like if I met her in real life she would be such a good friend to everyone.Through the ups and downs Lizzy showed that she was an incredible human that helped Wai Gong in lots of ways.
My favourite thing in the whole book is that near the start of the book Strictly come dancing was kept as a tradition and at the end they also watch it and I think this shows real significance that even after everything happened some things never change.
Overall a fabulous book Maisie Chan and well done!
Hi Isla, thanks for your kind words. I wasn’t sure how the book would turn out and during each draft something new would pop up. I knew I wanted to write about a girl and her grandad, but the roadtrip and Strictly bits came in later. I wrote this book during the lockdowns and Strictly really helped me and a my family get through the pandemic. It was pure JOY on a Saturday night!
Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu is an amazing, unputdownable, grasping novel which kept me gripped throughout the book. The one comment I would make is the cover. It implies a girly theme but the book isn’t at all. The cover just doesn’t do it justice. I would recommend this exciting book for 7-13 year olds and give it a 3-4 stars out of 5. My message would be ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. Overall a wonderful novel.
Thanks for the honest comment about the cover. From what I have read, it doesn’t do what I was hoping. Lizzie isn’t ‘girly’ at all and so it’s interesting to hear that you think the cover implies this book might be about something different. Thanks for your message about not judging a book by its cover. I’m sure your review will help others to find out what the book is really about!
Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu! by Maisie Chan is an inspiring book about a girl who goes on a long journey to make her grandad happy again. There is one thing I disliked, this was the blurb; it spoilt the story and told you the plot. Also, I know my peers were a little deceived by the front cover. I would recommend this book to 9-12 because it lacked scintillating vocabulary. If I would describe this book in one word it would be unputdownable. My favourite character was Lizzie because she stopped at nothing to help her beloved grandfather. This story certainly has an unexpected twist at the end, out of ten, I would rate this story an 8.5.
Hi Ellie, I know what you mean about blurbs that tell you what happens! I generally don’t write the blurbs for my books (is that a shock to you?) it’s usually the publishers who we trust to get on with the marketing of the books. But thank you so much for your honest feedback. Thanks for saying it was ‘unputdownable’!!!
Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu is perhaps the most surprising of all the shortlisted books. In terms of genre it is extremely difficult to define because there are so many different elements to it. To be honest, I didn’t take this book very seriously when looking at the cover, and if I saw it in a bookshop or library I would not have picked it up as the design looks girly and childish. My suspicions could not have been more wrong!
Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu looked like it was just about a girl who loved to dance but, in truth, it was also about family, trust and friendship as well as mental health and young carers.
I would recommend this book to 9-13 year-olds. This book is a 10 out of 10!
This is great feedback and probably it’s my fault the cover is the way it is. I thought the glitter ball would be a fun symbol to have on the cover as it’s very much linked to Strictly Come Dancing, and I told my publishers that maybe Lizzie could be sat on top of it! It’s very interesting to hear this feedback as maybe it does put people off buying or borrowing the book? I didn’t think of the cover as ‘girly’ when I saw it, I just loved the abstract nature of the design (rather than the more cartoonish or common type software covers we see for this age group). I wonder if we can alter our perception of what is considered ‘girly’? I’m glad you enjoyed the book and thanks for the 10 our of 10!
Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu was one of the first books I read within the Juniper book awards and I really enjoyed it. The book follows a young girl who has to face and deal with issues she shouldn’t be dealing with and it made me feel a mix of emotions. The only thing I would say is that there could have been more drama between Lizzie and her friend Chu as I feel she wasn’t very supportive considering Lizzie was facing many issues. However, I am aware that the poor girl had enough drama in her life. Although, I really enjoyed it.
Hi Evie, thanks so much for reading the book and leaving your review. Emotions are what we want the readers to feel when we write a book – whether that is sadness, hope, terror (I don’t write horror but if I did I would want the reader to be scared!). So I am glad the book made you feel something. I was actually going to put more drama between Chi and Lizzie, Chi was more selfish and didn’t want to be the goddess, but my editor thought it would be good if actually Chi was really up for a fun adventure instead. And you are right, Lizzie had enough on her plate and adding a friendship issue would have been an extra burden for her.
In a heart-warming read full of twists and turns, this book made my emotions do loop-the-loops. I loved the links to the religious texts which engaged me to be a better person. The front cover was really engaging and I absolutely loved reading this book!
Hi Charles, thanks for reading Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu. I love that you felt ‘loop-the-loops’ what a brilliant way to describe different emotions. It’s a bit like a rollercoaster ride that the kids go on in the book isn’t it? I think life is very much like a rollercoaster with its ups and down. No-one’s life is perfect and sometimes we don’t know what is going on with our friends or family members so we have to just keep going (and keep dancing through life!). I hadn’t seen many British books mention the goddess Guan Yin before so I thought it would be good to introduce her to British young readers. She’s very popular in Asia and there are some Asian American books for children where she features. I always felt that we know a lot about Greek and Roman gods and goddesses but very little about those from other cultures. Thanks for enjoying the book!
First of all this book was amazing and was a joy to read .When I first saw this book it didn’t look like it was for me but I couldn’t stop reading it. It was definitely a page turner and that’s why you should never judge a book by its cover. My favorite bit was when after such a long time of grief Lizzie and her grandad had smiles on their faces and were dancing together just like how her Grandma Kam had wanted them to be. I also think the moral of this story is to not be put down by how others think of you and to never give up on your dreams. Overall this a kind-hearted, adventurous and brilliant book. I extremely recommend reading it .
Hi Mathew, thanks for recommending my book. I am glad it was a page turner for you! It’s not as layered as my previous novel and doesn’t have any ‘baddies’ so I was worried it wasn’t going to be a page turner. I did have the road trip element and so that had the obstacles that we always want to put in our stories. If there were no obstacles then the book would be boring. If you write stories then always think about the obstacles you can put in front of your character and how they can then overcome them. I was told by another author that this book cover was ‘gendered’ and so I am happy that you read it and didn’t judge the book by it’s cover (which I actually do like!). We often do judge books by their covers, in marketing the book – the cover is so important! Maybe you can see if you like the American book cover more or not? It’s very different and has the grandad on the cover. Thanks so much for reviewing my book and enjoy the other books on the shortlist too!
Ahh…Why do I have an X on the calendar? Oh Yes, I have an interview! Oh no that can’t be right I am too young for one, Yay it is time to right a review! This book is absolutely amazing and full of amazing people. Some extremely nice and others not so much, no names mentioned…(THE RUDE SECURITY GUARD WHO WOULDN’T LET THEM THROUGH) anyways as I was saying. The kids in the book were really nice and most of the adults. The message in this book is if you believe, you can do it ! Or if something is worrying you to tell an adult. It was an amazing book to read and I recommend to everyone as it is not only about dancing. I’d also like to ask Maisie Chan if the book is based on her life struggles or challenges?
Hi Mary C. I think you could be a writer! You already have a ‘voice’ which a lot of writers search for when they start to write. Thanks for saying you liked my book and that you thought it was ‘amazing’. So, I did use some of my own experiences looking after my dad after my mum died. Both of my parents were older parents and so for nearly two decades I was a bit like Lizzie, looking after my dad. He wasn’t well, at first he had mental health issues, and later Parkinsons and dementia. I used to do his shopping for him, organise all of his appointments with the GP or hospital and more. Mainly, I would worry about him. I only felt I could write about our relationship once he had passed away and in some ways I am working through my life through fiction. So Lizzie, isn’t me. It’s not exactly autobiographical. BUT I use the emotions I felt and use them for fiction. If something difficult happens in my life, I let some time pass and then I wonder if I can write about it in some way. I think writing can help writers deal with the ups and downs in life. Keep writing if you do already, and if you don’t then you should think about doing more creative writing I think!
This book is funny and heart warming because it shows how you should never give up.
There are many obstacles and challenges just like The Journey to the West. I think this book certainly will be at least a runner up to the juniper book award, if it doesn’t win the award.
This book is the first British book I have ever seen that has a Chinese person on its cover. I am also a British born Chinese.
Hi Neo (WHAT A COOL NAME YOU HAVE! Is it from the Matrix films?)
I am glad you got the analogy I was going for with the Journey to the West and Lizzie’s journey. That part came later in the editing/redrafting process of making the book. I wanted to put those Guan Yin stories in there as links to compassion and to link Lizzie with her Chinese heritage. You are right, there aren’t many books with British Chinese characters on the front. I never thought about why that was when I was a kid, do you have any thoughts about why that is? And also what impact it might have on people like us who are British born Chinese to never see a face like ours on books covers or on TV? My own feeling is that it makes me feel invisible, unwanted and not important. Having Danny Chung on the cover of my first novel and then Lizzie and her friends on the cover of this novel means a lot. I’m so glad that my book was one of the first books you’ve read with a British Chinese person on the cover, there will be more as more British East Asian writers get book deals. And if your school library has it – ask for Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths as I think you might like that book too! Thanks again, Neo for your review!
Firstly, I think that this is a really good book and I enjoyed reading this so much! I hadn’t heard of the author Maisie Chan before and I didn’t recognise the book name either but I am so glad I found it as I really liked this book. This book gave me a rollercoaster of emotions especially at the end, it was truly upsetting to see Wai Gong go to the elderly home at the end but I understand it was just for the best for both Lizzie and her grandad.
I would like to mention how much I loved Chi in the story as she was outgoing, lively and fun! Although she seemed she could be arrogant, throughout the story she stood up for Lizzie and was extremely caring towards her. She always had Lizzie’s back and would fight for the people she loves and what she believes in. I also loved Lizzie and although she was going through everything at home like her Grandmas passing, she carried on to look after Wai Gong and be the amazing, kind girl that she is. Lizzie is an inspiration to many young people. She really does have great friends like Tyler and Chi, who are always there for her and support everything she does!
My favourite part of the story was probably when Wai Gong dressed up as Elvis Presley and started singing a random song to Milo Du peck’s relative as I thought this was one of the funniest parts of the story! Wai Gong really is an imaginative character. I can see that Maisie Chan has thought creatively about this book and what she includes in it. This book is very humorous and enjoyable so for anyone who hasn’t read it I definitely recommend it.
This book made me want to keep reading to find out what happened next and it was really intriguing. I would like to say a huge thank you to Maisie Chan for thinking of such a thoughtful story and producing an incredible book!
Hi Hollie, thanks so much for reading and recommending KEEP DANCING, LIZZIE CHU. I am glad you like the characters and that you found it humorous! I try to make my characters as three dimensional as possible and I sort of see them in my minds eye when I am writing them. I sometimes based characteristics or traits on people I know. Chi was a fun one to write as she is a bit self-centred but also loves her friend a lot. I was thinking of having more tension between the friends but my editor thought it would be nice if they actually really wanted to go on the road trip and also were supportive as Lizzie was already facing a lot of challenges in her life. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!
I would recommend “Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu” because of how it dives into a mature subject in a comprehensible manner while conveying the hardships and struggles of Lizzie’s day-to-day life, demonstrating the emotional rollercoaster Lizzie has been through due to Wai Gong’s deteriorating condition.
Something unique that stands out from other books is the cultural diversity as well as variety of different generations and minorities among the characters that adds personality to them, making it easy to relate to.
Rating: 10/10
Hi Adam, thanks for reading my second novel! Thanks for saying you found that it was unique in terms of the cultural diversity. YOU ARE SPOT ON! I try very hard to make my books reflect people I know and the mixture of families I see. One of the aims of my books is to promote empathy for people who maybe don’t appear to be like you, but actually, the core of a person is their humanity and we all share that. Thanks again for the 10 out of 10! It’s given me a big confidence boost reading your review! Thanks!
Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu was great it was fun and explained every thing clearly. One thing about the book that might put someone off reading it is its cover; if it had not shown Lizzie Chu on a disco ball with her friends, more people would pick up the book. The colour scheme also made it less appealing to me as although I don’t believe in ‘boys colours’ and ‘girls colours’, this appeared to be marketed more towards girls and I would not have picked it up from a book store. I think this book would be great for anyone above the age of 9.
Hi Lewis, I really appreciate honest reviews and if you were put off by the cover that actually is brilliant feedback. Sometimes publishers do change the cover of books and update them. It happens all the time and I was worried that children and young people just weren’t gelling with the book and maybe the cover is the reason? Maybe they’re not picking it up in the first place? So thank you again for your honest review and I will definitely let the publishers know about your thoughts on the cover!
When I first picked up this book I was not sure about it. The design of the front cover put me off reading it: especially the bright colours which made it look as if it was marketed for girls. However, when I started reading it I soon became hooked. The book’s main character is Lizzie Chu who has to complete an epic journey to help her grandfather. She faces many challenges along the way but nothing can stop her. This book is brilliant and I would definitely recommend it. The author has done a brilliant job creating this book although the cover has not done her justice! I think that anyone and anything can read this book so do not be put off by the cover.
Hi Jack, you are not the only person to be put off by the cover. I am glad you kept on reading despite not being drawn in by the design. I am glad you were hooked though once you started reading. The book does sort of mirror the epic journey to the west from Chinese mythology and so I was trying to blend those things together. A personal journey but also linked to a wider cultural trope. Thanks again for your honest feedback!
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu’ has everything that an enjoyable book needs. The book does not have any images but the descriptions and the techniques that the author uses when describing the atmosphere are fantastic, so you do not need any images for you to understand the story. The book had a nice and helpful message to young carers, and it provided help and suggestions to the teenagers that are young carers. The book tackled some heavy problems such as the struggle of being a young carer but also the struggle of having to care for someone with dementia. However, the book gently approaches these issues and offers help for those that are struggling with these problems. I, as a reader, could see that the theme of friendship and trust is consistent, which is another reason as to why this was an enjoyable book.
Hi Georgiana, thanks for your review. I was hoping the book might help some young carers if they read it and thought – hey, that is kinda what I am going through. It’s a message to say you can ask for help if things are getting too much. Thanks for enjoying the book!
this is a very sad book as her grandmother died at the start of the book.
Hi Faith, thanks for reviewing the book. Actually, the grandma isn’t really in the book as she passed away the year before and when you meet Lizzie and Wai Gong, they are in the process of grieving still but some time has actually passed. The rest of the book isn’t as sad as it’s a fun and surprising road trip. I like to think of it as a caper. And yes, there are definitely sad bits in the books. It’s made quite a few adults cry!
it made me think did her grandpa have dementia
Spot on Faith!
This book was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!! I won’t give away spoilers, but the way you put me in the perspective of a young Asian girl, trying to fight for her justice so she is seen as a peer to her classmates. The struggle is real, as I can almost see, almost feel how difficult Lizzie’s situation is, as she tries her best to support the last member of her family, during their hard time to even scrape enough money to put food on their plates. This journey almost seemed like a pilgrimage, however instead of a religious blessing from God, the characters blessed themselves with friendship, love, and discovered more about themselves, even the heartbreaking things. In the end, this book was truly inspiring and made me feel for all the mistreated races, or cultures out there. Thank you for gifting me with this amazing book, I can’t wait for the next!
Hi Annabel, thanks for your review! It sounded like you enjoyed the book – so my job is done! I’m really glad you thought the book was amazing. And I hope you do try to read some of my other titles too such as Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths and my story in The Very Merry Murder Club. I am writing a new novel now. I just hope my publisher wants to publish it. Thanks again! Keep reading!
dear Maisie, your book is simply incredible, what impressed me the most was how you incorporated life changing disease into a really fun book and I also loved how you showed that small acts of kindness go a long long way. Your book is so different than most today, in a good way :), because you include such amazing story’s about children my age who are living a harder life and having to work and care for others they love. It really helped me understand people living a different lifestyle than me.
your book is also SUPER FUNNY [spoiler title=”spoiler! watch out “] [especially when all the children thought they were going to be robbed by the biker gang which actually turned out to be elderly lady’s asking if they needed help
]
from sophia
Hi Sophia, thanks for saying you thought my book was incredible, that is high praise indeed! I had some personal experience that as similar to Lizzie’s and my life used to be very hard as a young adult carer. I would cry quite often about my situation and sometimes feel very sad about having to look after my dad. I wanted to put a fun scene in with the (spoiler: bikers) as I needed to make the road trip more exciting than just getting from A to B. Obstacles are your friends when writing stories. You want to put loads in the path of your main character so they can grow. That’s a little creative writing tip for you!
thank you so much for replying to me and no problem for saying your book was incredible cause it simply was! thank you for your little tip as well I will take that on board when I next do a creative writing piece.
absolutely amazing book! I don’t usually read books like this, however this book drew me in like a magnet to a fridge. the wide range of vocabulary was amazing and once I read the end I felt like crying! I loves how Lizzie could still make her grandfather happy after the death of his wife and I would read it again if I didn’t have to hand it back to the school. I read through the reviews so see if others enjoyed it as much as I (basically everyone did) and I hope that you can produce more books as amazing as this! the twists and turns made me feel like I was an adventurous rollercoaster and that I was strapped to it almost falling off (in a good way) and I believe that it is a book for everyone to read if you like dancing or not! all in all amazing book and I would definitely recommend.
Eleanor! I love the line ‘drew me in like a magnet to a fridge’ – it’s pure brilliance! Thanks for sharing that you felt like crying at the end of the book. I guess I did want to create a BIG emotional impact and it’s not the typical happy ending where everything is going to be okay. It might not be okay for Lizzie, she might have more to deal with you see. I felt that was a realistic ending. Thanks for recommending my book!
The book was one of the best books I have ever. It was incredible no amazing no fabulous no best no incredible amazing Fabulous best book ever. I loved how the journey they had and how Wai gong was mistaken for Elvis and sang a completely different song! It was so sweet how Wai gong sold the necklace for money and brought it back for her. The ending made me teary 🥹. It was sad to know that Wai gong wasn’t going to be with Lizzie anymore but at least she can see him. It reminded me of my grandma who is in a care home because of an illness but I always go see her when I’m not at school.
I hope you are going to make more and more amazing books just like Keep dancing Lizzie Chu!
Hopefully you will win the juniper awards!
😊
Hi Amalia, OMG! Thanks for saying that this was one of the best books you have ever read! WOW. Thank you so much! Thanks also for letting me know about your grandma who is in a care home. I used to visit my dad a lot in his sheltered accommodation where he had carers and also in a nursing home so I know what it’s like. I think it’s hard having family members in places like that but also sometimes it’s for the best as many families can’t look after them the way they need. Some older people need 24 hour care and often nursing care. I think if we can visit and tell them we’re there for them, that is a good thing to do. I hope to make more novels and please do remember my name and read more of my novels when they come out!!!
When I first began reading this book, I was expecting it to be about the struggles that Lizzie would have to go through to help her grandpa. What I wasn’t expecting though was how emotional it was going to be. The fact that so many problems get in Lizzie’s way but she still has the courage to push on to help her grandpa is what hooked me into this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure. Well done to the author!
Hi Joseph, it sounds like my book was a bit of a surprise then! Thanks for the recommendation. I am so glad you enjoyed reading it and felt it was an emotional read. I think that is one of the things I am hoping for when readers engage with my stories and books, is that they feel something! Keep reading Joseph!
In all honesty, I think this good was actually really good. The story of how her grandpa finally found happiness and the amount of responsibility Lizzie takes on is actually quite big, but she still manages to overcome it, and it is actually quite impressive for her age, and I loved the plot and the journey it takes us on. If I had to rate it, I would give it a solid three out of five. Great job to the author c:
Mark, thanks so much for the solid three out of five! Not bad numbers there.
I really enjoyed this book. Lizzie lives with her Grandad Wai Gong. He misses his wife who passed away. Lizzie is supporting him but he is becoming forgetful.
With the help of her friends, they try to cheer him up. They love Strictly Come Dancing and always watch it together. Lizzie thinks he would love to visit the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool to watch the dancing.
Hi Mrs Sumsion, thanks for reading the book!
At first when I looked at the cover of this book, I thought it wouldn’t be my type and so did most of the people in this book club. But obviously I couldn’t judge a book without reading it, so I started to read and I was quite surprised when I found it quite interesting. And I think it shows Even though life can get tricky or sad we can make it happy and move on!
Leja, thanks for persevering and reading the books. Sounds like loads of your didn’t like the cover in your bookclub! I’m glad you didn’t judge the book by its cover and carried on reading it.
This book has a diverse setting. The plot is like ‘The Open Window’, with a classic structure. It has a beginning, a build up , then a climax and lastly a resolution. I can prove this because, when it’s revealed that Grandma Kam has left tickets to the tea dance at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool, this is the part where the build up starts. In the story Lizzie Chu has to solve and improvise a problem, almost like a wall in a pathway, so she has to smash it down to carry on with her journey.
The main characters are Lizzie Chu and Wai Gong. They have the strongest relationship in the book. This is because Lizzie the caring ‘child mother’ looks after an old man who acts like he is a baby. Lizzie Chu is a caring and loving character who is resilient. Wai Gong is a man baby who can’t do anything for himself. They are contrasting characters.
The genre is a family saga and coming of age. The author has used this to inspire between 11-13 or 14 year olds to show that you will have to overcome challenges. A similar book is ‘Can You Feel the Noise?’ where an 11-13 year old goes deaf and has to overcome challenges.
I would recommend Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu! to 11-13 year olds to inspire them to not give up.
Joseph, thanks for reading and recommending my second novel! I always try to have a sound structure when writing my novels with the set up, obstacles, climax and then resolution.
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ is a feel-good, heart-warming story written by Maisie Chan. The book is written in 1st person and told in the perspective of 12 year-old Lizzie Chu, who is struggling to handle the stress of being a young carer after her grandmother’s death. With the help of her friends, she tries to dance at the Blackpool Tower and help her granddad. Lizzie, Chi, Tyler and Wai Gong are the characters predominantly shown in the story, but other characters like Chi’s mother and the Angel Bikers are also featured. I especially like Chi Pham, because her headstrong, funny yet slightly bossy personality makes me laugh.
The novel contains themes like young carers, mental illness, LGBT, different cultures, growing up and accepting yourself. Maisie Chan used effective plot twists, detailed descriptions and authorial techniques that made her story engaging and fun to read. The genres of ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ are coming of age, family saga and real-life with a little bit of adventure. If you like ‘The Good Thieves’ by Katherine Rundell, you will probably enjoy this book.
I would recommend it for all adventure and real-life fiction lovers, and would give this book to children aged 8 to 12. Overall, the novel taught me that the journey can be more important than the ending, and I loved learning new Chinese tales!
Ananya, thanks so much for reading my book and I guess you gelled with Chi Pham. I hadn’t seen any British Vietnamese characters in British based books for this age group and thought I would create a whole mixed family. I haven’t read that Katherine Rundell book but thanks for mentioning it. I will check it out one day.
Keep Dancing Lizzie Chu is full of exciting events which really make you want to read on; some of which are being saved on the motorway and finally getting to the ballroom! Lizzie, Wai Gong, Tyler and Chi are the main characters in the book. They embark on a great journey across the country and make friends along the way. Lizzie, Chi and Tyler are all best friends and Wai Gong is Lizzie’s grandad.
It was really fun to read about these characters and see how they develop throughout the book. There are a few genres tied to this book, but I think the ones that describe it the most are coming of age and just a feel-good book in general.
Every new chapter of the book held a twist or surprise which made it a real page-turner. Personally, I enjoyed reading the book as every chapter drew me closer to the story, but the themes were not for me because I am not really a big fan of dance and Strictly Come Dancing.
I would recommend this book to people who enjoy dancing and want to have a heart-warming book to make them feel good. I would recommend it to them because the book is widely focused around Lizzie learning how to do the cha-cha-cha so that she can dance with her grandad one last time.
Toby, thanks for reading the book even though you felt the themes were not for you. That means a lot tome that you didn’t just throw the book down on the floor and declare “this is not for me!” The main thread really is about the roadtrip and the dancing stuff was really just fluff I think as the book isn’t really about her learning to dance. I could have made it more so but I actually wanted it to be quite in the background. Thanks for reading and recommending!
Hi Toby, thanks for taking the time to write a review for Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu. I am so glad you enjoyed reading it. You mentioned you enjoyed seeing how these characters developed over the course of the book. I really make an effort to make sure that most of the characters evolve over the book – and that might not always be in a positive way, but humans are always growing, changing, and in flux. I think sometimes authors only think about their main character and everyone else is a sidekick who are just there to serve the main character but I try to give the secondary characters more personality and likes and dislikes too. I think the genres you mentioned are great, I was hoping it would be a ‘feel-good’ book and thanks for recommending it!
Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu! by Maisie Chan, tells us a story of Lizzie Chu who lives with her grandpa after her grandma died. She often finds herself being a carer for her grandpa despite being younger than most young carers (11 years old). On her birthday it is revealed her Grandma left them tickets to the Blackpool Tower ballroom. She and her friends then create a trip of a lifetime.
Lizzie Chu, Wai Gong (her grandpa) and Lizzie’s friends are the main contributors to the book, sticking by Lizzie’s side through the hardships and through the sadness. Lizzie is a well thought out character with past trauma but a knack for responsibility. Wai Gong is a fun, but quite silly character, who is very religious. Chi (who is one of Lizzie’s best friends) is also a fun character who indulges being a child. Tyler (Lizzie’s other best friend) loves design and has two dads, but he doesn’t care if he gets bullied for it.
The style of this book makes me want to keep reading as there is always a mystery, for example, if the group will get to Blackpool. The genre is a coming of age and heart-warming story where Lizzie realises everything isn’t always alright.
I would recommend this book to other young carers as they can relate to hardships featured in the book.
Will they make it to Blackpool or will it go wrong?
Hi Cameron, thank for reading my book and yes you have got it. The question that is in most of the book – will they make it or won’t they? You have to put obstacles into the path of your characters for sure when you write stories. I hope young carers do get something out of this book so thanks for recommending it to them!
The story, ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan, is a story about a girl called Lizzie who’s twelve and her grandma died, so she’s just living with her grandfather Wai Gong. The main characters in the story are Lizzie, Wai Gong and Lizzie’s best friend called Chi. Although that is just my opinion as there are lots of other brilliant characters such as Tyler, Minh and a lot of other characters.
This book is written in the first person. The writing is highly effective too. I think the genre of this book is heart warming as it’s mainly about family and family is a really good theme and it has lots of heart warming feelings.
I would recommend ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ to lots of people, especially my younger sisters as this is the kind of book they would like, and if you you like books about family such as ‘A Pocketful of Stars.’
Thanks Henry for reading my book and for reviewing it. I think your class might have read A Pocketful of Stars together as a few of your said it was a bit like Aisha’s book. Do tell your younger sister about this book! I love writing int he first person as I feel you can get to know the character even better, and a lot of what they are going through comes to the forefront of the book then. It’s not always easy to maintain the voice for 50,000 words though!
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ is an inspiring book made by the brilliant author, who deserves more recognition, Maisie Chan. The main characters in ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ are Lizzie, Wai Gong, Chi, Tyler and Minh. There are many unique characters in this book, which was really intelligent of Maisie Chan.
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ is about how Lizzie and her granddad live together on their own after Lizzie’s grandma died. On Lizzie’s birthday, it is revealed that her grandma left behind tickets to dance at the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool. As Lizzie, Wai Gong and her friends are keen dancing fans, Lizzie makes it her mission to go there in the hopes things will change for her.
I would like to point out how well Maisie Chan has done with the pacing of the book! When the book began the author does not waste time introducing characters. Although the beginning is misleading as we witness a near death experience, Maisie Chan smoothly changes the direction in which the book is heading.
For me the genre is a mixture of growing up and adventure as it is important to recognise this all happened in the course of a year.
I would recommend ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ to those going through grief and would like a book to take them away from reality. Also to young carers who take care of old people. If you have read ‘Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths’, I’m sure you will love this one.
Hi Michael, I wanted to thank you so much for saying I ‘deserve more recognition’ what a lovely thing to say. Thanks so much. I wanted very much to make unique and layered characters, I find often in children’s fiction that characters are two dimensional and also sometimes they speak like adults and not young people. And a big thanks also if you have read Danny Chung!
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan tells the story of a young girl who becomes the carer to her Grandad after his wife passes. She feels her Grandad has been acting strangely and uses their love of ballroom dancing to plan a day out to help her Grandad recover. She overcomes many challenges to try and help her Grandad before it’s too late.
The story takes place over a few weeks as it runs at a slow but steady pace, gradually getting faster as it nears the climax, before decreasing again after. The main character in this story is Lizzie Chu, but other important characters include Wai Gong (her Grandad), Grandma Kam (her Grandma), Chi and Tyler (her best friends) and Minh (Chi’s older brother). All of the characters were tenacious as well as very supportive of Lizzie. Aside from Wai Gong, all of the characters had a partial love-hate relationship with each other, but in the end, everyone united showing they were forgiving.
The book was written in the first person (Lizzie’s perspective) which made it more engaging, since we could see Lizzie’s feeling and thoughts that she didn’t always verbally express. The genre of this book was a mix of: coming of age, family saga, with a multicultural feel adventure and bittersweet.
I would recommend this book to any dancing fans or brave, tenacious and supportive people, since Lizzie is selfless and works hard, meaning many can relate. There are also things like racism and bullying within and I would recommend this book to anyone who is a victim of either, since it shows how to rise up and overcome things.
Hi Abigail, thanks for reading and reviewing my book. Do you know I have had more reviews here of the Juniper Awards than I have on Amazon! Not having many reviews on Amazon made me think that people didn’t like my book, but seeing all of your wonderful words has really given me a big boost. I know reviews actually are not for the author, they are to recommend (or not) books to other readings but I have felt very happy to hear from young people like yourself as I wrote this novel for young people. I know adults have loved my book but they’re not my intended reader. Thanks again for reviewing!
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan tells the story of a young girl and her friends who have to go on a surprising adventure to Blackpool, and meanwhile Lizzie sets foot to become a fantastic dancer!
This is a specific story about Lizzie Chu and her friends. The main characters in the story are Lizzie and Wai Gong. There are lots of other brilliant characters such as Chi and Tyler. The book is written in the first person. The writing is highly effective because the story follows Lizzie which makes her most interesting.
The genre of the book is coming of age, family saga, feel good, adventure and bitter sweet. Some of the themes could apply as exciting, although it depends on the specific scenario.
I would recommend this book to people who like these types of books to try this one out since it is surprisingly interesting. And I wouldn’t recommend this one to people who don’t read these specific books, so you get to chose if you like it or if you don’t like it. Just saying, you will probably like this book!
Hi Nathan, thanks for reading my book. I know from the review that you were being very diplomatic about whether you wanted to recommend my book and you did so in a brilliant way. Yes, it would be suitable for people who already like these kind of family comedy dramas.
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan is about a girl called Lizzie Chu and she loves Strictly Come Dancing. It is based a bit in real life. Her Grandma dies and Lizzie really wants to get to Blackpool. She also looks after her Grandad. This story is a bit unusual because I have never read a dancing book about a younger carer who looks after her Grandad. It all happens in a couple of months. The story begins in an exciting but mysterious way. It also is quite a slow process to get to the next exciting bit.
The main characters are Lizzie Chu, Chi, Tyler and Wai Gong. There are lots of other brilliant characters including Chi’s Mum, Dad and brother. I would describe Lizzie Chu as a bright girl and she is kind and caring to her Grandad. The other character, Chi, is caring towards Lizzie and wants to help her. My favourite character was Chi because she is kind and caring and wants to help Lizzie and her Grandad. The character that I found it hard to like was Wai Gong because sometimes he was a bit insensitive and forgets things.
This story is written in the first person because it is Lizzie Chu talking. She said, “I can’t wait to watch it.” The setting is described in great detail, for example, it says Lizzie lives in a cold, dark flat in Glasgow (Scotland).
The genre of this book is like a family saga. Some of the themes are young carer, coming of age and friendship. I would not recommend ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ to people who don’t like family saga books because it is one. If you like coming of age books, you would probably love this book! I didn’t like this book because I like fantasy books not family saga books.
Isla, thanks for reading and reviewing the book.
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan tells the story of a young girl named Lizzie and her grandfather, Wai Gong. This is a story about Lizzie trying to get her grandfather to Blackpool for a very important occasion.
The main characters in the story are Lizzie Chu and Wai Gong. There are lots of other characters including Chi and Tyler (Lizzie’s friends from her school).
The book is written from Lizzie’s point of view. The writing is highly effective because it can make its readers see the emotions from the characters.
The genre of the book is adventure. Some of themes are comedy, magic and love.
I would not recommend the book to some people as it may include things that people may have faced during their lives which may cause them to cry whilst reading.
If you like adventure and Strictly Come Dancing, you will definitely love this Maisie Chan masterpiece!
Callum, thanks for reading my second novel. You are very caring to think about how some people will react to the book. I think you must be a very empathetic reader indeed! Thanks again, Callum for reading the book.
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan tells a story about a young carer. It is written in the first person. The main characters in the story are Lizzie Chu and Wai Gong. The genre of the book is tragedy and real life story. There are lots of other brilliant characters including Tyler and the friends group.
This is a really nice story about Lizzie who looks after here grandad. I did not like Wai Gong because he forgets Lizzie’s birthday. Some of the themes are friendship, coming of age, young carers and kindness.
I would recommend ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’
Hi Iza, thanks for your review. I purposely made Wai Gong forget Lizzie’s birthday as I knew that children and young people would really pick up on that! Birthday are big news for children and for him to forget – well that is massive in Lizzie’s eyes too but she tries not to make it seem so on the outside. You know when people just say ‘fine’ when really they aren’t? It’s kinda like that. Thanks so much for recommending my book!
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan tells the story of a girl called Lizzie who dreams of dancing the cha-cha-cha with her grandad at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom. This is a soul-engaging story which shows you to never give up on your dreams.
The protagonists of this heart-warming story are Lizzie and Wai Gong. Some other honourable mentions are Chi and Tyler ( Lizzie’s best friends).
This book is written in the first person and this is very effective as it shows lots of emotion towards the protagonist, Lizzie. The genre of the story is bitter-sweet yet still a funny and heart-warming story.
I would recommend ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ if you were a fan of ‘A Pocketful of Stars’.
Alfie, you are right as the book is bittersweet. Thanks for also saying it was funny and heart-warming. I tried to make it like that as it was quite a serious topic to write about. I didn’t want it feeling too down in the dumps.
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan brought so many surprises when I read it. There was lots of comedy and adventure. I felt that this book was in a real life style as there’s texting, Star Wars and other real things in it.
The main character is Lizzie Chu alongside her grandad Wai Gong and her two friends, Chi and Tyler. There are lots of other characters such as: Grandma Kam, Tay, Jane and others.
By the first looks of this book, I thought that I wouldn’t like it, but when I got into the book, it took me into another world. I would recommend this book to everyone because it’s jaw-dropping and an incredible book. If you liked ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ then you’ll love ‘Danny Chung’.
Noah! Thanks for your recommendation and yes, I wanted to put in some real life interests. Thanks again for being one of the readers who kept going even thought at first it appeared like you might not like the book! I am glad you also liked Danny Chung!
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ is about a strong bond between a grandfather and his granddaughter, in the real world, after the tragic death of his wife, Kam. The uplifting, beautiful story is set in a multicultural setting with the wide-world situations to worry about. The story opens in an unusually casual way, with the main character’s inner thoughts. The story is all during the course of a month.
The main characters are: Wai Gong, Lizzie Chu, Chi and Tyler. Wai Gong is mild and a little careless at times! For example, “I thought I dropped my keys down there…” when the keys are in his pocket. Lizzie, however, is gentle and just trying to keep her small family running, for example, “I saved his life, because that’s the kind of granddaughter I am.” I seriously like Chi though, as it is hilarious how she is so self-obsessed! e.g. “Speak to the goddess hand!”
The book had a very good narrative hook, as throughout the book I had questions. It also helped to have the book written in first person. I think this is a mix of coming of age and family saga, with a hint of multi-culture.
The language really ties into this book – it make it way more interesting e.g. Chapter 1 is called ‘Silent But Deadly Buses’. This makes you wonder what on earth?!
I would recommend this to anyone that likes family sagas, or has read ‘A Pocketful of Stars’ by Aisha Bushby, and enjoyed it.
Hi Mabel, thanks for recommending my book. I think you and your classmates might have read Aisha Bushby’s book together? I have that book at home but I haven’t had time to read it yet!
This was a really good book. The road trip was great to read about and it showed that even when things look down, you can come through. The message was very powerful and it highlighted the fact that you can and should follow your dreams. My favourite character was probably Minh because, although Chi and himself fight a lot, they are willing to help each other and that was amazing to read about. This journey was full of friendship and confusion and I would easily read this book a few times and still enjoy it. If I did read it again, I would probably get a new massage every time. The author has done a magnificent job and should be happy with this book.
Hey Charlie, thanks for the review! Wow – you would read this book a few times? Did you know Frank Coterie Boyce read it twice? I was blown away when he told me that! Thanks so much for reviewing the book and for saying I did a ‘magnificent job’ – I think my head is going to explode now as it’s getting bigger and bigger from the praise!
The book ‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan is a coming of age book. The author tells the story of a young carer (Lizzie Chu) who just tackled the death of her grandma and is trying to find out where her grandparents met. In this book there are other characters. Their names are: Wai Gong, Tyler and Chi. I would describe Wai Gong as a follower to Lizzie Chu.
I would say this book fits into the heart-warming category because the death of Grandma Kam brought them all together and they were there for each other.
I would recommend this book to people that are into feelgood and adventure books. Also if you have read ‘A Pocketful of Stars’ by Aisha Bushby.
Kai! Thanks for recommending the book for those who like feel good and adventure books. I’m glad you read it and thanks for reviewing it!
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ by Maisie Chan is a heartwarming, multi-cultured family saga which shows the journey of Lizzie and how she learns to understand herself and let go of the pressures of caring for her grandad. With the help of her friends, Chi and Tyler, she manages to achieve her quest to Blackpool, to dance her heart out using the ticket her dead grandmother gave her. The story mostly features Lizzie, Chi, Tyler and Wai Gong, but other exciting characters like Minh and the Angel bikers are shown in the story.
‘Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu!’ is a novel that contains themes such as mental health issues, young carers, different cultures and understanding your true self. The author uses interesting vocabulary and a variation of authorial choices, such as speech and description, which allow the reader to really engage in the book. Maisie Chan used genres such as coming of age, feel-good and mystery to create a smooth flow in the book.
If you’ve read and enjoyed the book ‘The Skylarks’ War’, by Hilary McKay, I think you would potentially find this an interesting read. I recommend this book for all real life book lovers and think this book is aimed at children aged 8-13. Overall, this book was a lovely story showing the journey of a lifetime from the perspective of a twelve year-old.
Meha, thanks for your review. I haven’t read The Skylarks War but I know Hilary McKay is a very well loved author. This books is mirroring real life and situations that people might find themselves in. Thanks again for your kind words!