Lily Xiao Speaks Out

From the author of It's Boba Time for Pearl Li! comes an empowering, heartfelt middle grade novel about a grunge-loving Taiwanese American tween who must use her voice to fight for ESL support at her school.

Lily Xiao can’t wait to go to Camp Rock Out this summer, where she’ll finally be able to shed her “class robot” good girl reputation and start her journey to becoming the next Eddie Vedder! And she can’t wait to do it with her best friend and cousin, Vivian, who’s just moved from Taiwan to Lily’s California hometown. 

But as the two cousins work their way through seventh grade, Vivian struggles more and more with her schoolwork, which is all taught in English. If Vivian can’t get her grades up, her parents won’t let her go to rock camp.

Determined to help, Lily embarks on a mission to push their school to provide more support for English-as-a-Second-Language learners like Vivian. But her first-generation immigrant family is nervous about Lily challenging the status quo. We should be grateful to be here, they always say.

With Camp Rock Out on the line, Lily will need to decide how far she’ll push against her family’s wishes in order to stand up and speak out.

She loves her family and she loves her cousin. But what happens when helping one means defying the other?

Social Justice for Kids: When Lily sees her cousin Vivian struggling as an ESL student, she goes from “class robot” to activist, fighting for the school support all students deserve. Heartfelt Immigrant Story: A moving look at a first-generation family’s fears and hopes, as Lily navigates their belief that they should be “grateful to be here” instead of making waves. AAPI Coming of Age: Perfect for fans of stories about Asian American tweens finding their place, this novel celebrates Taiwanese American culture, family, and friendship. 90s Nostalgia: Filled with Pearl Jam, Discman players, and flannel shirts, this story is a perfect throwback to the 1990s and the golden age of grunge music.