Maybe It's a Sign

by E. L. Shen

Overview

An uplifting middle-grade novel about loss, luck . . . and deep-dish chocolate chip cookies—perfect for fans of King and the Dragonflies and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise.

Seventh-grader Freya June Sun has always believed in the Chinese superstitions spoon-fed to her since birth. Ever since her dad’s death a year ago, she’s become obsessed with them, and believes that her father is sending her messages from beyond. Like how, on her way to an orchestra concert where she’s dreading her viola solo, a pair of lucky red birds appear—a sure indication that Dad wants Freya to stick with the instrument and make him proud.

Then Freya is partnered with Gus Choi, a goofy and super annoying classmate, for a home economics project. To her surprise, as they experiment with recipes and get to know each other, Freya finds that she may love baking more than music. It could be time for a big change in her life, even though her dad hasn’t sent a single sign. But with the help of her family, Gus (who might not be so annoying after all), and two maybe-magical birds, Freya learns that to be her own person, she might just have to make her own luck.

In Maybe It’s a Sign, E. L. Shen cooks up a deliciously voicey, comforting family story sweetened with a dollop of first romance, a dash of whimsy, and heaps of heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374390785
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	01/23/2024
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	839,862
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

E. L. Shen is a writer, editor, and the author of The Comeback, Maybe It’s a Sign, and The Queens of New York. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College of Columbia University, where she majored in English with a concentration in creative writing. Originally from upstate New York, she currently resides in Manhattan.
E. L. Shen is a writer, editor, and the author of The Comeback, Maybe It’s a Sign, and The Queens of New York. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Barnard College of Columbia University, where she majored in English with a concentration in creative writing. Originally from upstate New York, she currently resides in Manhattan.

Editorial Reviews

12/04/2023

Thirteen-year-old Chinese American seventh grader Freya June Sun plays the viola in memory of her father, who died suddenly eight months ago. Having bonded with him over Chinese superstitions, Freya looks for signs—such as the two red birds she’s constantly seeing—whenever she doubts her desire or ability to continue playing. After being partnered with Korean American schoolmate Gus Choi, whom Freya dubs “the most annoying kid on the planet,” for a Cooking & Careers class project, Freya discovers an unexplored comfort in baking and, as she grows closer to Gus, makes a new and compassionate friend. As quiet and sensitive Freya struggles to manage increasingly frequent anxiety attacks, she also gains a deeper understanding of her newly single mother and finds an unlikely supporter and trusted confidant in her older sister. With endearing narration and quick pacing, this gentle meditation on grief and healing by Shen (The Comeback) carefully balances heavier moments of fraught emotion and high-stress situations with Freya’s sweet memories of her father and her growing appreciation for her new life without him. Includes recipes. Ages 10–14. Agent: Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

A Junior Library Guild Selection

★ “Tender and deeply personal . . . Maybe It's a Sign is an earnest and memorable story about grieving and growing up.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

“A thoughtful portrayal of big feelings around loss and healing. An author’s note and recipes cap off this tender, wholesome story.” —Booklist

“Combining a dash of wholesome middle school romance, a generous helping of familial support, and a sprinkling of self-made luck, Shen serves up a realistic portrayal of the many ways that grief and healing can take shape in our lives. A hopeful and uplifting tale of loss, self-discovery, and the restorative powers of baking.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Touching and tender, Shen’s novel delightfully captures the vibrant personality of a thirteen-year-old coping with grief by learning new ways of honoring a loved one.” —Horn Book

“Freya’s reckoning with symbolism to connect with her deceased father is emotionally and culturally adept . . . The interrupted dynamics of a family unit are moreover depicted with compelling insight. A quiet, melancholic read adroitly lifted with just a baker’s pinch of first-love sweetness, Freya’s journey is sure to resonate with middle graders coming up against big changes and bigger feelings.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“With endearing narration and quick pacing, this gentle meditation on grief and healing by Shen carefully balances heavier moments of fraught emotion and high-stress situations with Freya’s sweet memories of her father and her growing appreciation for her new life without him.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Narrator Jennifer Sun Bell deftly portrays a believable grieving family through the voice of seventh grader Freya June Sun. Bell's brisk pacing matches the short, active chapters recounting the events that take place after the recent death of Freya's father. Freya, a talented violist, adheres strictly to her father's Chinese superstitions and is constantly seeking signs or omens of his posthumous approval. Whenever she encounters what she believes to be bad omens, Bell conveys Freya's anxiety. Bell's youthful voice is well suited to Freya, as well as her often sulky older sister; their mother, who sounds equal parts kind and tired; and Bell's perky friend, Gus Choi. Though the family is grieving, the story's tone stays upbeat as the solid bonds of family and friendship hold fast. L.T. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2024 - AudioFile

2023-10-21
A young teen searches for meaning after the loss of her father.

Eight months after the sudden passing of her dad, 13-year-old Freya June Sun can’t help but double down on following the Chinese superstitions that he taught her. She habitually searches for signs from Dad for guidance as friendship dynamics shift at school, tensions simmer between her mother and sister at home, and an orchestra competition looms. When Freya spies two red birds before her viola solo, she’s convinced that it’s a good-luck signal from Dad to continue with the instrument despite its becoming a growing source of anxiety. As she begins to come to terms with her grief, she’s surprised to find support from her longtime nemesis, Korean American Gus Choi, and discovers a passion for baking as another means of connecting with memories of her father, who had a sweet tooth. Freya’s internal struggle between pursuing the viola and her new interests may resonate with young readers who find themselves venturing beyond the perceived scope of parental expectations. Combining a dash of wholesome middle school romance, a generous helping of familial support, and a sprinkling of self-made luck, Shen serves up a realistic portrayal of the many ways that grief and healing can take shape in our lives.

A hopeful and uplifting tale of loss, self-discovery, and the restorative powers of baking. (author’s note, recipes) (Fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews