Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte

Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte is a wonderfully unique graphic novel about a twelve-year-old girl named CiCi who immigrates to Seattle from Taiwan with her parents. Her grandma, however, isn’t able to come with them. CiCi’s grandma is like her best friend. They go to the market together, they make food together, and, of course, they love each other.

CiCi quickly makes new friends at school in Seattle, but still misses her grandmother dearly. She and her dad try to convince her grandma to come to every holiday to no avail. CiCi knows that her dad misses her grandma just as much as her, if not more. CiCi tells her grandma about her plan to make money and bring her over for her big seventieth birthday and surprise her dad. CiCi and her two friends try to help her think of ways to bring her beloved grandma to Seattle. Thankfully, CiCi sees an ad for a cooking competition and enters. She tells her mom about the plan, but her mom warns her that she must keep her grades up or leave the competition.

CiCi gets paired up with Miranda and they easily rise to the top with Miranda’s cooking expertise. They become friends, not after a couple of fights and disagreements, but they all get surprised when they have to start working alone. Will CiCi be able to make it on her own and beat Miranda?

I loved this uplifting story that I could relate to, being someone that also immigrated to Seattle from Taiwan. Not places you really hear about in more popular stories. I got really excited when I saw foods that I knew about and customs I recognized. However, even if you aren’t able to relate this is still an awesome graphic novel, filled with challenges that can happen to you in real life not made-up ones like fighting dragons, but challenges like failing homework or disappointing your parents. This is definitely one of my favorite graphic novels.