WINNER OF THE 2023 SID FLEISCHMAN HUMOR AWARDIn this thrilling and hilarious middle grade adventure, a young Filipino-American boy must team up with his ancestor to break the curse that's haunted their family for generations .
When a celebrity chef's new restaurant threatens Mila's family's food truck, she plans to expose them for the recipe thieves they are--even if that means dabbling in the Filipino folk magic she's tried to avoid. Fans of Tae Keller and Lily LaMotte will cheer for this charming story about food, family, and finding the place you belong.Mila may have moved to Coral Beach months ago, but it still doesn't feel like home. She wants to belong, but a few awkward incidents with her new friends make her wonder if she'll ever neatly fit into the super-samey small town.Mila feels the only place she can be herself is at her dad's Filipino-Indian food truck, The Banana Leaf. But when celebrity chef twins the Fab Foodie Brothers open a restaurant nearby, it turns out the food they are serving is exactly the same as The Banana Leaf's--right down to the recipes!Suspicious of the similarities, Mila teams up with family friend Ajay to investigate. She soon realizes that she needs to take the beloved Fab Foodie Brothers down before they run her family's tiny truck out of town. But that means dabbling in the Filipino folk healing and magical traditions that she has shied away from her whole life . . . as well as alienating her new friends.Does Mila have to choose between her family and fitting in? Or, like the best recipes, will a blend of the traditional and the unexpected mix into something truly special?
Admission meets American Panda in this propulsive, poignant YA contemporary novel about a teen who, after getting rejected from her dream college, forges her own acceptance and commits to living a lie. Perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi! At sixteen, Perla is the youngest graduating senior of the hypercompetitive Monte Verde High. Praised--and not-so-quietly bashed--as "Perfect Perlie Perez," Perla knows all the late nights, social isolation, and crushing stress will be worth it when she gets into the college of her (and her parents') dreams: Delmont University. Then Perla doesn't get in, and her meticulously planned future shatters. In a panic, she forges her own acceptance letter, and next thing she knows, she's heading to Delmont for real, acceptance or not. Soon, Perla is breaking into dorm rooms, crashing classes, and dodging questions from new friends about her lack of a student ID. Her plan? Gather on-the-ground intel to beef up her application and reapply spring semester before she's caught. But as her guilty conscience grows and campus security looms large, Perla starts to wonder if her plan will really succeed--and if this dream she's worked for her entire life is something she even wants. From rising star Tracy Badua comes a gripping, incisive tale of acceptance, self-discovery, and the infinite possibilities that await when we embrace our imperfections.
The story follows Jana Rubio and her best friend Maddy Parsons as they navigate a tumultuous senior year marked by a music festival trip gone awry. After a fight over Maddy's boyfriend leads to a split, Jana reluctantly joins the trip with Maddy and Nathan. When Nathan loses his keys, the girls embark on a chaotic adventure filled with unexpected challenges, including lost phones and party crashes. Throughout their journey, they confront the deeper issues in their friendship, ultimately seeking to mend their bond amidst the festival's excitement.
Thea, a talented athlete, confronts her deepest fears as she battles two mischievous duwendes, Filipino goblins intent on causing chaos in her life and endangering her town. This enchanting adventure blends elements of magic and cultural folklore, appealing to readers who enjoy stories filled with bravery and self-discovery.