Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All
CCBC Review:
Magnolia Wu’s parents own the Bin Qi Ling Bubble Laundromat in New York City. In this tender, funny, quirky story, Chinese American Magnolia and Vietnamese American Iris, both 9, set out to determine who each of the lone socks Magnolia has put on display at the laundromat belongs to and return them to their owners. The girls use observation and deductive reasoning as they follow the clues, starting with the pattern on each sock. Magnolia knows the customers, Iris points out, and surely each sock’s pattern reveals something about the person who wears it. Solving the mystery of each sock takes them around the city, which Iris, who just moved from California, initially finds overwhelming. The mystery-solving process also reveals surprising things to Magnolia about each of her parents, about Iris, and about two classmates she doesn’t really like. These small, often poignant discoveries are seamlessly woven into a story that is pure delight, even as it also sensitively navigates sometimes difficult experiences, from feeling lonely or scared to dealing with difficult parents (the plight of two secondary characters), to anti-Asian racism. Distinctive black-and-white line drawings accompany this spirited work. ©2025 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Chanel Miller
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 7-10
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Chinese and Chinese Americans
City Life
Families
Friendship
Humor
Mysteries
Problem-Solving
Vietnamese and Vietnamese Americans
Diversity subject:
Asian
Publishers:
Penguin Random House, Philomel
Publish Year: 2024
Pages: 145
ISBN: 9780593624524
CCBC Location: Fiction, Miller