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Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business

Book #1 of Mindy Kim
Illustrated by Dung Ho

About The Book

Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this first novel in an adorable new chapter book series about Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl who is starting a snack business!

Mindy Kim just wants three things:
1. A puppy!
2. To fit in at her new school
3. For her dad to be happy again

But, getting all three of the things on her list is a lot trickier than she thought it would be. On her first day of school, Mindy’s school snack of dried seaweed isn’t exactly popular at the lunch table. Luckily, her new friend, Sally, makes the snacks seem totally delicious to Mindy’s new classmates, so they decide to start the Yummy Seaweed Business to try and raise money for that puppy!

When another student decides to try and sabotage their business, Mindy loses more than she bargained for—and wonders if she’ll ever fit in. Will Mindy be able to overcome her uncertainty and find the courage to be herself?

About The Author

Lyla Lee is the bestselling author of young adult novels like I’ll Be the One and Flip the Script. She also writes the Mindy Kim series for younger readers and the Gigi Shin books for the middle school crowd. Her books have been translated into multiple languages around the world. Born in South Korea, she’s since then lived in various cities throughout the United States. Inspired by her English teacher, she started writing her own stories in fourth grade and finished her first novel at the age of fourteen. After working various jobs in Hollywood and studying Psychology and Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, she now lives in Dallas, Texas. Visit Lyla at LylaLeeBooks.com or on Instagram, X (previously known as Twitter), and TikTok @LiteraryLyla.

About The Illustrator

(c) Dung Ho

Dung Ho (pronounced Dzung) is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture book Eyes That Kiss in the Corners, Eyes that Speak to the Stars, Me and Ms. Too, The Mindy Kim books, and many others. Born and raised in Hue, Vietnam, she worked in the design and advertising industries before discovering a great passion for illustration and picture books and becoming a freelance illustrator. She lives and works in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Aladdin (January 14, 2020)
  • Length: 96 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781534440081
  • Ages: 6 - 9

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Awards and Honors

  • Kansas NEA Reading Circle List Intermediate Title
  • Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award Nominee (OR)
  • Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title
  • Cybils Award Finalist
  • Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award
  • Otter Award Nominee (WA)
  • Alaska Battle of the Books Lis
  • Evanston Public Library's 101 Great Books for Kids List

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More books from this author: Lyla Lee

More books from this illustrator: Dung Ho

More books in this series: Mindy Kim