Praise for MAIZY CHEN'S LAST CHANCE:
★ “Lisa Yee combines neglected U.S. history and multi-generational family legends… to create the delightful and enlightening Maizy Chen's Last Chance.” ―Shelf Awareness, starred review
★ “A moving, multilayered family narrative.” ―Booklist, starred review
★ “Captivating... and prompts readers to consider what it means to be American.” ―The Horn Book, starred review
★ "This fast-paced, humorous, heartwarming tale of family and history is likely to appeal to readers of all ages." ―School Library Journal, starred review
“Heartfelt, personal, and real―this book is a gift.” ―Tae Keller, Newbery-winning author of When You Trap a Tiger
“Bursting with humor and heart.” ―Kate Messner, New York Times bestselling author of Breakout
“I love this book. This is a big story and brings up much-needed discussion about the importance of community, history, and truth.” ―Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery Honor-winning author of One Crazy Summer
Chapter 1
The pies were fake, but my grandparents didn’t know that. Not at first, anyway. My mother had invited them to watch her work on a Tasty Flaky Pie Crust commercial. When I first started going with her to the set, Mom told me, “As a food stylist, my job is to make sure everything looks good for the camera.”
Oma and Opa showed up directly from the airport wearing matching airplane pillows around their necks. My job was to make sure they didn’t get into trouble.
My grandmother’s luggage had barely touched the floor when she rushed over and, in her excitement, practically knocked me down. Oma’s hug felt awkward partly because of the neck pillow and also because, even though I was eight years old, it was the first time I’d met her in person. My best friend thinks it’s weird that I don’t know my grandparents that well. Her family is really close.
“It’s complicated,” I’ve tried explaining to Ginger. But the truth is, I don’t understand it myself. My mom and I talk about almost everything, but when it comes to her relationship with her parents, that’s a different story.
On the set, Opa beamed brighter than the soundstage lights dangling overhead. “Maizy, you’re so big!” my grandfather kept repeating before he got distracted by the pretend kitchen with only one wall.
That’s when Oma pointed to a tight circle of people. “Shouldn’t they be working?” she asked. “Why aren’t they working?”
Mom stood calmly in the middle while the director yelled, “Charlotte, I need practice pies, now!”
“You’ll get your pies,” Mom said, motioning to the two-dozen pies lined up on folding tables.
Some were fully baked, others were ready for the oven, preparing for their close-ups. My grandparents watched in shocked silence as Mom’s perfectly rounded scoops of mashed potatoes stood in for vanilla ice cream, since potatoes don’t melt. Instead of milk, glasses were filled with glue because that looks better on camera.
Oma and Opa are in the food business, too. They own the Golden Palace. That’s their Chinese restaurant in Last Chance, Minnesota. Mom once told me, “Maizy, you’re the last of the Last Chance Chens.” That seemed weird, since I’d never even been there.
I leaned in to eavesdrop as my grandparents began to whisper.
“Where did Charlotte learn that?”
“Not from us!”
“It’s not real food.”
When Mom topped the pies with a can of shaving cream instead of whipped cream, Oma looked like she had just seen a zombie.
It was all too much. My grandmother grabbed her suitcase with one hand, and my grandfather with the other. “Come on, we’re going home!”
“But we just got here--” Opa protested. By now he had noticed that the back of the oven was missing and that there was a camera inside it.
Before he could say anything more, Oma kissed the top of my head. “We love you, Maizy. Come visit us!”
That was the last time I saw my grandparents. Until today.
Chapter 2
An elderly woman is sweeping the sidewalk with a bamboo broom.
“Oma?” I call... to her.
My grandmother drops the broom and clutches her heart. The huge black bear sculpture that towers over her makes me nervous.
“Opa!” she cries into the Golden Palace restaurant. “Our Maizy has arrived!”
From inside, a man’s shaky voice calls out, “Maizy? Maizy, come here so I can look at you!”
“My little Maizy,” Oma says. This is ironic, since my grandmother is only a couple of inches taller than me. “You’ve finally decided to visit!”
I don’t tell her I didn’t have a choice. She looks much happier today than the last time I saw her, three years ago, on the Tasty Flaky set. That commercial landed Mom on the cover of Food Stylists Monthly, but what she remembers most about it is that her parents left without even saying hello.
A boy on a battered bike glides past, then circles around, slamming on his brakes. Doesn’t he know it’s rude to stare?
I tiptoe past the scary bear and hear my mother clearing her throat. She’s leaning against our Honda with her arms crossed. An assortment of smashed bugs grace the windshield, casualties of our three-day road trip from Los Angeles.
“Hello, Mom.” My mother lowers her sunglasses. “Maizy didn’t drive herself to Last Chance. I’m here, too.”
Chapter 3
When I step inside the Golden Palace, the smell of sauteed garlic and ginger reminds me that I haven’t eaten in over two hundred miles and I’m starving! I look around in wonder. Red Chinese paper lanterns dangle from the tin ceiling. An old American flag with stars missing hangs near a fancy gold key displayed on the wall.
The restaurant is empty except for an ancient-looking lady sitting at the center table. She’s watching us like we’re a reality television show.
“Maizy, over here!”
I follow the sound of coughing. Near the kitchen, propped up in a wheelchair, is my grandfather. I smile, but his skinniness startles me. In the photos, he has a big belly.
Mom and Oma have emailed pictures back and forth for as long as I can remember, and we talk on the phone. We tried video chatting once, but it didn’t go well. All my mother and I could see was the ceiling while Opa kept saying, “Is this on? How do you turn it on?” The emails and photos stopped a few months ago when their computer broke.
“Hey, Dad.” My mother’s voice is gentle. She kneels to talk to him. “How are you?”
“Fine! Good! Fit as a fiddle!” Opa grabs Mom’s faded Dodgers cap. Her black hair tumbles down to her shoulders, making her look younger than she is. Opa’s hair is silver, and even though he’s in his eighties, he doesn’t have many wrinkles.
“They make me sit in this dumb wheelchair all day just because they think I’m going to die soon.” Opa winks at me.
Am I supposed to laugh?
Oma hugs me again. “Ignore that old goat!”
“Dad, really!” my mother protests. “You shouldn’t say things like that.”
We had so much fun driving cross-country, laughing nonstop and yelling out quotes from our favorite movies, like “Inconceivable!” from The Princess Bride and “There’s no place like home” from The Wizard of Oz. But the closer we got to Last Chance, the quieter Mom became. She didn’t even talk the last hour. My grandfather is the reason we’re here.
“How are you feeling?” Mom asks.
Opa’s eyes slowly shut. His body jerks. What do I do?! I turn to Oma, who says, “Maizy, you look hungry. Are you?”
“Call an ambulance,” my mother shouts. “Dad, speak to me!”
“What?” He opens one eye, then the other, and says to Mom, “Gotcha, Charlotte!” Opa grins at me, and I find myself grinning back, even though my mother is not.
In the middle of the chaos, a customer walks in.
Oma hurries over and hands the man a red menu. Some of the letters have worn off, so the front reads: olden Pal ce.
“Is this authentic Chinese?” The big man loosens his tie and deflates.
My grandmother nods. “Absolutely! All our dishes are from ancient Chinese recipes.”
“Good!” He shuts the menu. “Bring me chop suey and those cream cheese wontons. Chinese food has to be the real deal, or why even bother, right?”
Chapter 4
Oma motions for me to follow her into the kitchen. Fat bags of rice, boxes of fortune cookies, and gigantic jugs of soy sauce rest on metal shelves.
“Chop suey,” she says, snorting. “That’s not real Chinese food.” She stops to hug me again. “Maizy!”
My grandmother reaches for a giant cleaver. I flinch, then marvel, as she dices pork, celery, and mushrooms with lightning speed. Using the sharp edge of the blade, Oma slides everything into a hot wok with minced garlic sizzling in oil. The flames roar so high I leap back. The smell makes my mouth water.
She pivots like LeBron James, dunking wontons into the deep fryer. Magically, they morph from white to a golden brown. Oma hands me one to munch on as she slides the chop suey from the wok onto a heavy white plate. I’m worn out just from watching her.
I fan my mouth. “I’ve never heard of cream cheese wontons before.” It’s sooo good--crispy on the outside, smooth and creamy on the inside
Lisa Yee [저]
로스앤젤레스에서 중국계 미국인 3세로 태어났다. 다양한 직업에 종사하다가 2003년 첫 책 《Millicent Min, Girl Genius》를 시작으로 20권 이상의 책을 발표했으며, DC 슈퍼 히어로 걸즈 어린이용 소설 시리즈를 집필하기도 했다.
전체 0개의 구매후기가 있습니다.
인터파크도서는 고객님의 단순 변심에 의한 교환과 반품에 드는 비용은 고객님이 지불케 됩니다.
단, 상품이나 서비스 자체의 하자로 인한 교환 및 반품은 무료로 반품 됩니다.
교환 및 반품이 가능한 경우
상품을 공급 받은 날로부터 7일이내 가능 공급받으신 상품의 내용이 표시, 광고 내용과 다르거나 다르게 이행된 경우에는 공급받은 날로부터 3개월 이내, 혹은 그사실을 알게 된 날 또는 알 수 있었던 날로부터 30일 이내 상품에 아무런 하자가 없는 경우 소비자의 고객변심에 의한 교환은 상품의 포장상태 등이 전혀 손상되지 않은 경우에 한하여 가능
교환 및 반품이 불가능한 경우
구매확정 이후(오픈마켓상품에 한함) 고객님의 책임 있는 사유로 상품 등이 멸실 또는 훼손된 경우
(단, 상품의 내용을 확인하기 위하여 포장 등을 훼손한 경우는 제외) 시간이 지남에 따라 재판매가 곤란할 정도로 물품의 가치가 떨어진 경우 포장 개봉되어 상품 가치가 훼손된 경우
다배송지의 경우 반품 환불
다배송지의 경우 다른 지역의 반품을 동시에 진행할 수 없습니다. 1개 지역의 반품이 완료된 후 다른 지역 반품을 진행할 수 있으므로, 이점 양해해 주시기 바랍니다.
중고상품의 교환
중고상품은 제한된 재고 내에서 판매가 이루어지므로, 교환은 불가능합니다.
오픈마켓 상품의 환불
오픈마켓상품에 대한 책임은 원칙적으로 업체에게 있으므로, 교환/반품 접수시 반드시 판매자와 협의 후 반품 접수를 하셔야하며, 반품접수 없이 반송하거나, 우편으로 보낼 경우 상품 확인이 어려워 환불이 불가능할 수 있으니 유의하시기 바랍니다.
배송예정일 안내
인터파크 도서는 모든 상품에 대해 배송완료예정일을 웹사이트에 표시하고 있습니다.
<인터파크 직배송 상품>
상품은 월~토요일 오전 10시 이전 주문분에 대하여 당일 출고/당일 배송완료를 보장하는 상품입니다.
상품은 서울지역/평일 주문분은 당일 출고/익일 배송완료를 보장하며, 서울외지역/평일 주문분의 경우는 오후 6시까지 주문분에 대하여 익일 배송완료를 보장하는 상품입니다. (단, 월요일은 12시까지 주문에 한함)
상품은, 입고예정일(제품출시일)+택배사배송일(1일)에 배송완료를 보장합니다.
~
상품은 유통특성상 인터파크에서 재고를 보유하지 않은 상품으로 주문일+기준출고일+택배사배송일(1일)에 배송완료를 보장합니다.(토/공휴일은 배송기간에 포함되지 않습니다.) ※기준출고일:인터파크가 상품을 수급하여 물류창고에서 포장/출고하기까지 소요되는 시간
<업체 직접배송/오픈마켓 상품>
~
상품은 업체가 주문을 확인하고, 출고하기까지 걸리는 시간입니다. 주문일+기준출고일+택배사배송일(2일)에 배송완료를 보장합니다.(토/공휴일은 배송기간에 포함되지 않습니다.) ※5일이내 출고가 시작되지 않을시, 오픈마켓 상품은 자동으로 주문이 취소되며, 고객님께 품절보상금을 지급해 드립니다.
배송비 안내
도서(중고도서 포함)만 구매하시면 : 배송비 2,000원 (1만원이상 구매 시 무료배송) 음반/DVD만 구매하시면 : 배송비 1,500원 (2만원이상 구매 시 무료배송) 잡지/만화/기프트만 구매하시면 : 배송비 2,000원 (2만원이상 구매 시 무료배송) 도서와 음반/DVD를 함께 구매하시면 : 배송비 1,500원 1만원이상 구매 시 무료배송) 도서와 잡지/만화/기프트/중고직배송상품을 함께 구매하시면 : 2,000원 (1만원이상 구매 시 무료배송) 업체직접배송상품을 구매시 : 업체별로 상이한 배송비 적용
* 세트상품의 경우 부분취소 시 추가 배송비가 부과될 수 있습니다.
* 북카트에서 배송비없애기 버튼을 클릭하셔서, 동일업체상품을 조금 더 구매하시면, 배송비를 절약하실 수 있습니다.
해외배송 안내
인터파크도서에서는 국내에서 주문하시거나 해외에서 주문하여 해외로 배송을 원하실 경우 DHL과 특약으로 책정된 요금표에
의해 개인이 이용하는 경우보다 배송요금을 크게 낮추며 DHL(www.dhl.co.kr)로 해외배송 서비스를 제공합니다. 해외배송은 도서/CD/DVD 상품에 한해 서비스하고 있으며, 다른 상품을 북카트에 함께 담으실 경우 해외배송이 불가합니다.
해외주문배송 서비스는 인터파크 도서 회원 가입을 하셔야만 신청 가능합니다.
알아두세요!!!
도매상 및 제작사 사정에 따라 품절/절판 등의 사유로 취소될 수 있습니다. 오픈마켓업체의 배송지연시 주문이 자동으로 취소될 수 있습니다. 출고가능 시간이 서로 다른 상품을 함께 주문할 경우 출고가능 시간이 가장 긴 기준으로 배송됩니다. 유통의 특성상 출고기간은 예정보다 앞당겨지거나 늦춰질 수 있습니다. 택배사 배송일인 서울 및 수도권은 1~2일, 지방은 2~3일, 도서, 산간, 군부대는 3일 이상의 시간이 소요됩니다.
;)
;){kind=small}
전체 0개의 구매후기가 있습니다.
교환 및 반품이 가능한 경우 
상품을 공급 받은 날로부터 7일이내 가능 
상품은 월~토요일 오전 10시 이전 주문분에 대하여 당일 출고/당일 배송완료를 보장하는 상품입니다.
상품은 서울지역/평일 주문분은 당일 출고/익일 배송완료를 보장하며,
상품은, 입고예정일(제품출시일)+택배사배송일(1일)에 배송완료를 보장합니다.
~ 
상품은 유통특성상 인터파크에서 재고를 보유하지 않은 상품으로
상품은 업체가 주문을 확인하고, 출고하기까지 걸리는 시간입니다.
