A Glasshouse of Stars
by Shirley Marr (Author)
A moving coming-of-age story about one girl's bravery and imagination in the face of the unknown. Perfect for fans of Front Desk and Mañanaland.
Meixing Lim and her family have arrived at the New House in the New Land. Her parents inherited the home from First Uncle who died tragically and unexpectedly while picking oranges in the backyard. Her Ma Ma likes to remind Meixing the family never could have afforded to move here otherwise, so she should be thankful for this opportunity. Everything is vast and unknown to Meixing in this supposedly wonderful place. She is embarrassed by her second-hand clothing, has trouble understanding her peers, and is finding it hard to make new friends. Meixing's only solace is a rundown greenhouse, that her Uncle called his glasshouse, at the far end of her backyard that inexplicably holds the sun and the moon and the secrets of her memory and imagination.
When her fragile universe is rocked by tragedy, it will take all of Meixing's resilience and bravery to finally find her place of belonging in this new world.
"Heart-twisting and hopeful, bursting with big feelings and gentle magic...destined to be read and loved for generations and held close in many hearts (including mine)." --Jessica Townsend, New York Times bestselling author of the Nevermoor series
"Gorgeous." --Booklist (starred review)
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Publishers Weekly
First published in Australia, Marr's (Little Jiang) uneven sophomore middle grade follows quiet, pensive Chinese child Meixing Lei, her pregnant Ma Ma, and Ba Ba, "Old People" and new immigrants to the "New Land," where recently deceased First Uncle has bequeathed them a house that Meixing names "Big Scary." Seemingly shifting and growing to reflect Meixing's emotions, the house contains a mystical glasshouse, where Meixing sees past and future visions and interacts with First Uncle. But when tragedy strikes, the family must rely on their Vietnamese neighbors, the Huynhs, including sullen Kevin, a classmate of Meixing's. Certain elements, including a lunch box moment and Ma Ma's pressure on Meixing to become a doctor and bring honor to the family, will be familiar to readers of similar diasporic titles. While the narration doesn't always feel age-appropriate ("Ailing, so highly foreign educated but completely ignorant about the proceedings of a traditional funeral") and the prophetic glasshouse feels underutilized, the second-person perspective allows direct access to Meixing's rich inner landscape, and the hopeful end to this gentle speculative novel will satisfy. Ages 8-12. Agent: Gemma Cooper, the Bent Agency. (June)
Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
JUV039250 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
JUV074000 - Juvenile Fiction | Diversity & Multicultural
Emigration and immigration
Culture shock
Resilience (Personality trait)
Belonging (Social psychology)
