Morning Sun in Wuhan by Ying Chang Compestine

How I Heard About It:
*This novel was sent to me via the publisher, Clarion Books.  I was curious about reading a story set in Wuhan during the outbreak of Covid-19.


What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Mei, who is thirteen years old, lives with her father in Wuhan, China.

*Mei lives for cooking and like all young children, video games.  

*As she goes along with her daily life, everything around Mei begins to change.

*Mei's father is a doctor and shares the news that there is a virus outbreak in the city of Wuhan.

*She isn't sure what to do, but when Mei finds herself in a "lockdown", she turns to cooking to not only help herself, but those around her.


What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:
*Being that I don't know how to cook a thing, I was fascinated by the recipes and descriptions of the food Mei and others prepared.  

*Reading about the initial outbreak of Covid-19 in Wuhan was quite interesting and thought-provoking.  

*There were a few spots where the "food" aspect of the story overtook the main plot, but I would just skim these sections.  

*Being that we all experienced Covid-19 in different ways, it was thought-provoking to read about a community that came together to keep everyone safe.

*This is a timely and strong story for the young reader. They will definitely be able to relate to the plot.


Who Should Read It:
* I definitely think the story is geared toward the upper elementary reader; as in fourth, fifth, or sixth.  Of course any middle-school reader would be perfect.  I also think it could make for an interesting class read aloud because of the connections a listener could make.  Happy Reading!


Rating:   4 STARS out of 5 Stars