One lie snowballs into a full-blown double life in this irresistible story about an aspiring stand-up comedian.
On the outside, Yumi Chung suffers from #shygirlproblems, a perm-gone-wrong, and kids calling her "Yu-MEAT" because she smells like her family's Korean barbecue restaurant. On the inside, Yumi is ready for her Netflix stand-up special. Her notebook is filled with mortifying memories that she's reworked into comedy gold. All she needs is a stage and courage.
Instead of spending the summer studying her favorite YouTube comedians, Yumi is enrolled in test-prep tutoring to qualify for a private school scholarship, which will help in a time of hardship at the restaurant. One day after class, Yumi stumbles on an opportunity that will change her life: a comedy camp for kids taught by one of her favorite YouTube stars. The only problem is that the instructor and all the students think she's a girl named Kay Nakamura--and Yumi doesn't correct them.
As this case of mistaken identity unravels, Yumi must decide to stand up and reveal the truth or risk losing her dreams and disappointing everyone she cares about. **
Review
*Praise for Stand Up, Yumi Chung! *
โWith wonderful supporting characters, strong pacing, and entertaining comedy bits, debut author Kim has woven a pop song of immigrant struggle colliding with comedy and Korean barbecue.โ
โ Kirkus Reviews , starred review
"Kim has taught school, and it shows, both with the spot-on dialogue and the up-to-date social media references... This will certainly remind readers of Kelly Yang's Front Desk (2018)."
โ Booklist , starred review
โBeing your true self can be tough, but with guts, gumption, and a whole lot of heart, Yumi Chung rises to the challenge and shows us all who she really isโa bona fide star.โ
โBooki Vivat, New York Times bestselling author of *Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom
- โA funny, tender story about family, friendship, and the courage to be yourself!โ
โKarina Yan Glaser, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanderbeekers series *
โCome for the puns, the laughs, and the wacky plot of mistaken identity, but itโs the bighearted characters that take center stage in Stand Up, Yumi Chung!_โ
โCarlos Hernandez, author of _Sal and Gabi Break the Universe _
โI adored this book! Like, I seriously hugged it when I was done. This is quintessential middle gradeโcharming, funny, real, and overflowing with heart.โ
โOlugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, author of _8th Grade Superzero , Two Naomis , and Naomis Too _
"This book is my favorite combination of heartfelt and hilarious. Yumi Chung is a headliner!"
โRemy Lai, author of _Pie in the Sky*
โThis book is hilarious.โ
โSarah True, Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Cincinnati, OH)
โOne of the best middle grade books I have read all year!โ
โRobyn Broderick, The Reading Bug (San Carlos, CA)
โ Yumi is a smart and sassy heroine, and Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is a poignant and charming story that appeals to the dreamer in all of us.โ
โJackie Jou, Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore (San Diego, CA)
โThis book made me cry, cheer, and laugh out loud.โ
โBethany Strout, Tattered Cover Book Store (Denver, CO)
About the Author
Jessica Kim writes about Asian American girls finding their way in the world. Before she was an author, Jessica studied education at UC Berkeley and spent ten years teaching third, fourth, and fifth grades in public schools. Like Yumi, Jessica lives with her family in Southern California and can't get enough Hot Cheetos, stand-up comedy, and Korean barbecue.