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Wei to Go!
I SMELL FACE-OFF. A SECRET ONE.
Ellie Wei Pettit doesn’t know much about her middle name.
She gets lost a lot. And loves butting heads with her lacrosse-crazed brother. He has the same middle name.
But he’s a walking GPS. And loves butting heads with his word-nerdy sister.
Life is good in their California neighborhood.
Until a mysterious Asian corporation threatens her dad’s firm.
With only a week before her family gives up all they love.
No way that Ellie will let this happen.
Not now. Not ever.
Can she stop this by herself, like yesterday?
Ellie Wei Pettit doesn’t know much about her middle name.
She gets lost a lot. And loves butting heads with her lacrosse-crazed brother. He has the same middle name.
But he’s a walking GPS. And loves butting heads with his word-nerdy sister.
Life is good in their California neighborhood.
Until a mysterious Asian corporation threatens her dad’s firm.
With only a week before her family gives up all they love.
No way that Ellie will let this happen.
Not now. Not ever.
Can she stop this by herself, like yesterday?
- GenresMiddle Grade
298 pages, Paperback
Published April 5, 2022
1 person is currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Lee Y. Miao
3 books10 followersLee grew up in a small Pennsylvania town with a library to die for. After working in financial jobs and writing K-12 educational material, she turned to middle-grade fiction. She’s inspired by stories connecting family and friendships with having fun and overcoming hurdles. Lee lives with her family and an adorable dog.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 4, 2022
A young girl's desire to help her family not only poses a big challenge, but teaches her just how vast the world truly is.
Ellie is finally finding more footing in life. She's got a best friend, a good relationship with her family (well, she won't admit that where her younger brother is concerned), and is about to start her first successful softball season after a bad beginning year. When she returns home after a day's practice, she learns that her father's company is being taken over by a firm in Hong Kong. Refusing to risk moving away from her home, she convinces her mother to take her on her trip to Hong Kong (along with her brother in tow). There, she plans to find a way to save the company, and although that was already a pretty big task, now, she realizes how ridiculously large it is.
This is a wholesome read with a girl, who has tons of determination, a love for life, spunk, and, still, isn't perfect. Little things such as her inability to immediately pick-up sports and her extreme lack of direction make her a heroine to root for. Of course, she has strengths, but these obvious problems make her easy for readers to connect with. She comes across naturally, makes understandable decisions even when they are mistakes, and has more than enough drive to do what she thinks needs to be done. Since it's written in her point of view, it's very easy to follow her reasoning and thoughts as well.
While the mystery and tension are well laid in these pages and drive the story forward in an exciting way, there are also tidbits of information about China and the culture. The reader comes out knowing a bit of history, habits, learning a few words, and having a better grasp for what life is like in the country, and that they discover it right along with Ellie is a plus. There's also a bit to learn about business and the professional world. While that seems like a lot of brain-food, it's never boring thanks to the the adventure and hurdles Ellie and her brother meet along the way.
I especially enjoyed the sense of family in these pages. Ellie's relationship with her parents is warm and full of goodness. While she does sneak around them, the entire adventure is her attempt to keep their life as good as it is. Her irritation with her brother does bring more than a smile or two and is super-sweet in so far that's it's clear how much they truly like each other underneath those prickly layers. Plus, they add balance to one another in the best ways.
This is a lovely start to what promises to be a fun series. Ellie is definitely a girl with tons of ideas and the determination to reach her goals. So, I have no doubt that her adventures will never bring a boring moment.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the adventure.
Ellie is finally finding more footing in life. She's got a best friend, a good relationship with her family (well, she won't admit that where her younger brother is concerned), and is about to start her first successful softball season after a bad beginning year. When she returns home after a day's practice, she learns that her father's company is being taken over by a firm in Hong Kong. Refusing to risk moving away from her home, she convinces her mother to take her on her trip to Hong Kong (along with her brother in tow). There, she plans to find a way to save the company, and although that was already a pretty big task, now, she realizes how ridiculously large it is.
This is a wholesome read with a girl, who has tons of determination, a love for life, spunk, and, still, isn't perfect. Little things such as her inability to immediately pick-up sports and her extreme lack of direction make her a heroine to root for. Of course, she has strengths, but these obvious problems make her easy for readers to connect with. She comes across naturally, makes understandable decisions even when they are mistakes, and has more than enough drive to do what she thinks needs to be done. Since it's written in her point of view, it's very easy to follow her reasoning and thoughts as well.
While the mystery and tension are well laid in these pages and drive the story forward in an exciting way, there are also tidbits of information about China and the culture. The reader comes out knowing a bit of history, habits, learning a few words, and having a better grasp for what life is like in the country, and that they discover it right along with Ellie is a plus. There's also a bit to learn about business and the professional world. While that seems like a lot of brain-food, it's never boring thanks to the the adventure and hurdles Ellie and her brother meet along the way.
I especially enjoyed the sense of family in these pages. Ellie's relationship with her parents is warm and full of goodness. While she does sneak around them, the entire adventure is her attempt to keep their life as good as it is. Her irritation with her brother does bring more than a smile or two and is super-sweet in so far that's it's clear how much they truly like each other underneath those prickly layers. Plus, they add balance to one another in the best ways.
This is a lovely start to what promises to be a fun series. Ellie is definitely a girl with tons of ideas and the determination to reach her goals. So, I have no doubt that her adventures will never bring a boring moment.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the adventure.
May 23, 2022
“A runner, a home-run wannabe, and a lacrosse trainee get off a subway exit in Kowloon.” (227) No, this is not the opening line of a joke. It actually is the middle of an adventure starring Elizabeth Wei Pettit, Kipp Wei Pettit, and their mother.
When she finds out that the design firm her father founded is about to face a corporate takeover by the Black Turtle Group based in Hong Kong and her family would have to move away from her bestie, her maybe-crush, and her softball team (before finally getting a wristband for her first homerun), Ellie decides to save Avabrand. She talks her mother into accepting a trip to Hong Kong won in a contest—and take her along. Unfortunately, her annoying younger sports-minded brother also has to go, but, on the positive side, he is a human GPS, and navigation is definitely not Ellie’s strong point. “One family and two kids with one middle name. Three months before seventh grade and I’m traveling across the Pacific to save my dad’s company. With my little brother—ugh!” (45)
After many cryptic clues, dead ends, and sharp turns involving two brothers—Mr. Han (Ellie’s Chinese heritage teacher in the U.S.) and Gerard (BT’s CEO), and a lot of resilience lead to a face-off and hopefully a win:
“I straighten myself up. I can go for it.
My family will not be kicked off our front porch.
I will stay in my school.
I will stay in my home.
Kipp will stay on his lacrosse team when he makes it.
Mom will stay with her job.
Dad will stay with his company.” (268)
There is another positive side to the trip. “When I found out the world is bigger than my family and me, I didn’t know I’d literally be running around in a new place far from home.” (271) Asian-American Ellie and the readers learn a lot about Hong Kong, Chinese culture, sports, the business world, and the support of other people. “I had lots of help. [Mr. Han] nudged me at first. I had Kipp and Mom. I thought about things that Dad, my softball coach, my English teacher, and my bestie said to me. Even my next-door neighbor and her two little boys. They were all with me at different times.” (269)
When she finds out that the design firm her father founded is about to face a corporate takeover by the Black Turtle Group based in Hong Kong and her family would have to move away from her bestie, her maybe-crush, and her softball team (before finally getting a wristband for her first homerun), Ellie decides to save Avabrand. She talks her mother into accepting a trip to Hong Kong won in a contest—and take her along. Unfortunately, her annoying younger sports-minded brother also has to go, but, on the positive side, he is a human GPS, and navigation is definitely not Ellie’s strong point. “One family and two kids with one middle name. Three months before seventh grade and I’m traveling across the Pacific to save my dad’s company. With my little brother—ugh!” (45)
After many cryptic clues, dead ends, and sharp turns involving two brothers—Mr. Han (Ellie’s Chinese heritage teacher in the U.S.) and Gerard (BT’s CEO), and a lot of resilience lead to a face-off and hopefully a win:
“I straighten myself up. I can go for it.
My family will not be kicked off our front porch.
I will stay in my school.
I will stay in my home.
Kipp will stay on his lacrosse team when he makes it.
Mom will stay with her job.
Dad will stay with his company.” (268)
There is another positive side to the trip. “When I found out the world is bigger than my family and me, I didn’t know I’d literally be running around in a new place far from home.” (271) Asian-American Ellie and the readers learn a lot about Hong Kong, Chinese culture, sports, the business world, and the support of other people. “I had lots of help. [Mr. Han] nudged me at first. I had Kipp and Mom. I thought about things that Dad, my softball coach, my English teacher, and my bestie said to me. Even my next-door neighbor and her two little boys. They were all with me at different times.” (269)
May 29, 2022
Wei to Go’s protagonist, Ellie, drew me in on the first page. Funny, inventive, and indomitable, she’s always ready with a back-up plan. The sibling rivalry between Ellie and her brother add the perfect amount of humour—middle grade kids will identify with this right away.
A mystery combined with an overseas adventure provide great intrigue in this story, and the clues that Ellie finds along the way are fun for the reader to try and figure out. Ellie approaches the challenge of solving the mystery with an endearing pluckiness and unbeatable optimism, something I really love about her character. I also appreciate the way the author tackles real-life adult issues while allowing our protagonist her own voice on the matter. Though Ellie’s parents seek to keep her in the dark about their troubles, Ellie proves that kids can have a unique perspective on challenging situations.
One of my favourite themes in the novel was Ellie’s discovery of her heritage. I was drawn in by the way she began to explore the different sides of her identity—both her Hong Kong ancestry and her California heritage.
In summary: Wei to Go is an insightful coming-of-age adventure with a page-turning mystery that keeps the humour high and the pace fun. A great story that I would recommend to any middle grade reader.
A mystery combined with an overseas adventure provide great intrigue in this story, and the clues that Ellie finds along the way are fun for the reader to try and figure out. Ellie approaches the challenge of solving the mystery with an endearing pluckiness and unbeatable optimism, something I really love about her character. I also appreciate the way the author tackles real-life adult issues while allowing our protagonist her own voice on the matter. Though Ellie’s parents seek to keep her in the dark about their troubles, Ellie proves that kids can have a unique perspective on challenging situations.
One of my favourite themes in the novel was Ellie’s discovery of her heritage. I was drawn in by the way she began to explore the different sides of her identity—both her Hong Kong ancestry and her California heritage.
In summary: Wei to Go is an insightful coming-of-age adventure with a page-turning mystery that keeps the humour high and the pace fun. A great story that I would recommend to any middle grade reader.
April 21, 2022
Ellie Wei Pettit is full of heart and spunk.
She's three months away from entering seventh grade, a word nerd (or enthusiast!) who adores softball but often gets lost on her way to practice. She's also about to go on the adventure of a lifetime to Hong Kong to save her Dad's company from being taken over!
I thoroughly enjoyed this lively and suspenseful story with lots of neat details that get resolved with humor and flair. Ellie's relationship with her family: her Dad, her Mom, and her younger brother Kipp is entertaining and relatable. The themes of sports, business, words and maps are expertly woven into the suspenseful story that also spans another culture.
I loved Ellie's voice -- she's narrating the story--and I loved learning about Hong Kong. There are two nice maps at the beginning of the book to help with this.
May 25, 2022
My summary: Ellie loves her home in Los Angeles with her friend Cat and her softball team. Suddenly, out of the blue, Black Turtle Group, a Hong Kong-based company, wants to uproot Ellie's father's company named Avabrand. Ellie doesn't want to move, and she needs a plan to stop this from happening. Luckily, Ellie's mother is going on a trip to Hong Kong, so Ellie pleads with her mother to let her go. Her mother agrees if only Ellie's brother Kipp goes too.
Can Ellie and her brother visit the city and save dad's company in only four days?
My thoughts: This is one of the best realistic fiction books I've read. I felt connected with Ellie as I live in a multicultural family, too, and we moved a lot around the United States. I learned a few Chinese words and history in this book. I was surprised to learn that Hong Kong had been a British colony. The book was undoubtedly engaging. It was fun to follow Ellie throughout her journey in Hong Kong, with her slang and elder sisterly knowledge.
Overall, a great story with a lot of humor between siblings, challenges, and a mystery to solve.
Thank you, Lee Y. Maio, for sharing your book with me.
Can Ellie and her brother visit the city and save dad's company in only four days?
My thoughts: This is one of the best realistic fiction books I've read. I felt connected with Ellie as I live in a multicultural family, too, and we moved a lot around the United States. I learned a few Chinese words and history in this book. I was surprised to learn that Hong Kong had been a British colony. The book was undoubtedly engaging. It was fun to follow Ellie throughout her journey in Hong Kong, with her slang and elder sisterly knowledge.
Overall, a great story with a lot of humor between siblings, challenges, and a mystery to solve.
Thank you, Lee Y. Maio, for sharing your book with me.
April 13, 2022
A fun, fast-paced adventure with mysterious clues. Ellie Wei Pettit, a plucky protagonist and word nerd, embarks on a quest to save her father’s company from takeover by a large and secretive Hong Kong business. And she has only one week to do it. First, she has to persuade her mother to take her on a trip to Hong Kong. Then Ellie and her brother Kipp devise ingenious ways to evade their mother’s watchful eyes so they can find the two people in Hong Kong who might be able to help them save their father’s company.
May 10, 2022
This was such a fun, exciting book! I absolutely loved Ellie's spunky personality and found myself rooting for her and her families. I also particularly liked the interactions between her and her brother, Kipp. This was an awesome mystery/adventure story that kept me engaged through to the end. I will definitely be recommending this to my students!!
April 5, 2022
Ellie Wei Pettit, a twelve-year-old Californian girl, finds out she only has one week to save her father’s company from an international takeover. If he loses his job, her family would be forced to move and she’d have to leave her best friends, great neighborhood, and most of all softball. Can Ellie make everything right? She secretly recruits her competitive younger brother, Kipp to help out since he is tagging along. The third-generation part Asian-American siblings travel to Hong Kong with their mother during summer vacation in search of clues. Along the way, they learn more about their Asian heritage. WEI TO GO! is an action packed, fast paced middle grade novel guaranteed to keep young readers turning pages to find out what happens next. Debut children’s book author Lee Y. Miao spins a great mystery that introduces young readers to historical and geographical facts, the international world of business, and difficulties navigating through a foreign country and language.
April 6, 2022
Are you looking for adventure? That’s what you get when your mom wins a free trip to Hong Kong, but your dad’s business is in trouble. Black Turtle, a Hong Kong company, wants to take over. Follow Ellie Wai Pettit and her brother Kipp to Hong Kong. They have four days to explore the city and to save dad’s company. Can they do both? You’ll have to read and find out how this adventure ends.
My favorite part – how Ellie thinks and talks to her family. This line made me chuckle, “A kid never wants to scare her parents.” Truth! Teenagers are happier without parents knowing their business, especially the adventurous kind.
My favorite part – how Ellie thinks and talks to her family. This line made me chuckle, “A kid never wants to scare her parents.” Truth! Teenagers are happier without parents knowing their business, especially the adventurous kind.
April 10, 2022
Ellie, the main character in Wei To Go! is someone you'll want to root for from the get go. When she finds out her father's business is in trouble she's determined to help him even if it means traveling all the way to Hong Kong. Wei To Go! is a page-turning story you're sure to enjoy.
November 15, 2022
I loved the gentle mystery of this book, motivated by the very real possibility of losing home and friends when a girl and her brother's father's company is bought out by a mysterious investor with one goal: to shut down their father's designs.
Twelve-year-old Chinese American Ellie Wei Pettit only hears whispers from her parents, but it's enough for her to put two and two together: her father's design company is going to be bought out by a Chinese investor in a week, and it's going to put her dad out of a job.
They'll lose everything: the house, the California neighborhood she's growing up in, her friends – everything!
So when her mother plans a trip to Hong Kong, the same city the investor's company is headquartered, Ellie and her lacrosse-obsessed brother Kipp decide to go along too and try to find this mysterious investor.
She's encouraged by her YMCA instructor, who seems to have the inside scoop on the company and CEO's motivations behind the impending purchase. But he's cryptic and drops out of communication before Ellie can ask all her questions.
Ellie's directionally challenged, shall I say, and getting around Hong Kong, on public transportation (when she's been shuttled around by parents her whole life), while only minimally speaking Chinese, despite tons of classes, is an obstacle! Especially when her teacher leaves her clues she has to decipher to get to the next meeting place.
She's not entirely sure what she'll do to persuade the CEO to let her dad keep working on his designs. But she's not going to lose everything without trying! She taps into courage and resolve she didn't know she had.
Enjoy this gentle middle grade mystery, which touches on sports (lacross and softball), traveling to another country, navigating new expectations and different transportation systems, and practicing another language.
Looking for more book suggestions for your classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
Twelve-year-old Chinese American Ellie Wei Pettit only hears whispers from her parents, but it's enough for her to put two and two together: her father's design company is going to be bought out by a Chinese investor in a week, and it's going to put her dad out of a job.
They'll lose everything: the house, the California neighborhood she's growing up in, her friends – everything!
So when her mother plans a trip to Hong Kong, the same city the investor's company is headquartered, Ellie and her lacrosse-obsessed brother Kipp decide to go along too and try to find this mysterious investor.
She's encouraged by her YMCA instructor, who seems to have the inside scoop on the company and CEO's motivations behind the impending purchase. But he's cryptic and drops out of communication before Ellie can ask all her questions.
Ellie's directionally challenged, shall I say, and getting around Hong Kong, on public transportation (when she's been shuttled around by parents her whole life), while only minimally speaking Chinese, despite tons of classes, is an obstacle! Especially when her teacher leaves her clues she has to decipher to get to the next meeting place.
She's not entirely sure what she'll do to persuade the CEO to let her dad keep working on his designs. But she's not going to lose everything without trying! She taps into courage and resolve she didn't know she had.
Enjoy this gentle middle grade mystery, which touches on sports (lacross and softball), traveling to another country, navigating new expectations and different transportation systems, and practicing another language.
Looking for more book suggestions for your classroom and students?
Visit my blog, The Fabric of Words, for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
April 9, 2022
This was such a fun and thoroughly exciting adventure!
WEI TO GO has me wanting to go places, that’s for sure. I had such a blast following Ellie and her brother, Kipp, across Kowloon on a journey about family, bravery, and doing what’s right. Miao’s writing had me feeling transported to a new setting, and the book had me feeling like I was right there with our main characters throughout the adventure.
Whether you’re a sports fan, a word nerd, or a fan of heartfelt stories that inspire you to go the distance for those you care about, this novel has something for everything. I can’t recommend it enough!
WEI TO GO has me wanting to go places, that’s for sure. I had such a blast following Ellie and her brother, Kipp, across Kowloon on a journey about family, bravery, and doing what’s right. Miao’s writing had me feeling transported to a new setting, and the book had me feeling like I was right there with our main characters throughout the adventure.
Whether you’re a sports fan, a word nerd, or a fan of heartfelt stories that inspire you to go the distance for those you care about, this novel has something for everything. I can’t recommend it enough!
July 26, 2022
What a fun, fast-paced adventure! I loved every page turn!
Ellie Wei Pettit loves her life in California. But when her dad’s business is threatened with a takeover by the mysterious Hong Kong company, Black Turtle, she may have to move away from her best friend, her neighborhood, and her softball team before she even hits her first home run. She’s NOT about to let that happen!
Ellie persuades Mom to take her to Hong Kong after Mom wins a trip. Once there, Ellie and her brother Kipp are determined to do everything in their power to save Dad’s firm. They have a plan! But will Ellie and Kipp be able to pull it off in just four days?
Debut author Lee Y. Miao provides lots of humor, heart, twists, and turns. I highly recommend WEI TO GO!
Ellie Wei Pettit loves her life in California. But when her dad’s business is threatened with a takeover by the mysterious Hong Kong company, Black Turtle, she may have to move away from her best friend, her neighborhood, and her softball team before she even hits her first home run. She’s NOT about to let that happen!
Ellie persuades Mom to take her to Hong Kong after Mom wins a trip. Once there, Ellie and her brother Kipp are determined to do everything in their power to save Dad’s firm. They have a plan! But will Ellie and Kipp be able to pull it off in just four days?
Debut author Lee Y. Miao provides lots of humor, heart, twists, and turns. I highly recommend WEI TO GO!
June 20, 2022
Lee Miao’s debut middle grade novel, WEI TO GO! is both humorous and heartwarming.
I loved every single layer of this story, filled with edge-of-your-seat adventure, and there are many. Ellie and Kipp are probably the best siblings I have met in recent middle grade books!
Ellie is clever, witty and smart, and her brother, Kipp, is brilliant at navigating, which helps as navigation is Ellie’s weakness. Ellie and Kipp visit Hong Kong with their mother and end up on an adventure of a lifetime.
There’s laugh-out-loud humor, adventure, mystery, and drama, that keeps the reader totally engrossed and guessing.
Ellie’s love and loyalty are so endearing and authentic. The snippets of historical information are fascinating- and educational!
I can’t wait to read the next story in the “Ellie & Co” series. For a debut author, Miao has created unforgettable characters, and a brilliant mystery/adventure. Bravo!
I loved every single layer of this story, filled with edge-of-your-seat adventure, and there are many. Ellie and Kipp are probably the best siblings I have met in recent middle grade books!
Ellie is clever, witty and smart, and her brother, Kipp, is brilliant at navigating, which helps as navigation is Ellie’s weakness. Ellie and Kipp visit Hong Kong with their mother and end up on an adventure of a lifetime.
There’s laugh-out-loud humor, adventure, mystery, and drama, that keeps the reader totally engrossed and guessing.
Ellie’s love and loyalty are so endearing and authentic. The snippets of historical information are fascinating- and educational!
I can’t wait to read the next story in the “Ellie & Co” series. For a debut author, Miao has created unforgettable characters, and a brilliant mystery/adventure. Bravo!
June 26, 2022
This is a delightful middle-grade novel featuring a sister-brother team. It was refreshing to see Asian-American children portrayed learning about their rich culture without the stereotypes. The characters had clear strengths, flaws, and motives. Readers learn too as Ellie and her brother scheme, explore, and problem solve their way through Hong Kong to help their dad’s company survive a corporate takeover. The bickering banter, compromising cooperation, and deep friendship between the siblings felt genuine. The setting descriptions were vivid. I felt I was in the busy Hong Kong city. I was, however, distracted by the enormous expectations Ellie was tackling. It did not seem like a realistic story line, but the characters were so likable and the journey was fun. Congratulations Lee Miao!
January 5, 2023
As the title implies, Wei to Go! is an upbeat adventure story. And middle grade readers will quickly be captivated by the spunky, inquisitive and indefatigable personality of the twelve-year-old protagonist Ellie. Yet, once Ellie convinces herself that she is capable of saving her father’s business and then convinces her mother to travel to Hong Kong with Ellie and her younger brother in tow, it becomes obvious that this is a coming of age story unlike any other! While Ellie and her brother navigate the streets and waterways of Hong Kong, she learns more about her own Asian American heritage as she takes risks, admits her mistakes and talks truth to power. This is a superbly crafted tale that shows readers of every age that, with determination, all of us can make a difference.
October 25, 2022
This middle grade story is a fun adventure as we follow 12 year old Ellie and her brother Kipp from LA to HK. They are on a secret mission and receive clues that lead them all over HK. My second grader loved this book, especially since she’s been to HK and can relive her travels through this book. Highly recommend!
November 12, 2022
The charming Wei to Go takes some terrific twists and turns (and tumbles)! Kids will love following Ellie and her brother through Hong Kong as they work to decipher the mystery of the takeover of their father’s design company. Ellie’s voice is authentic, her adventures are compelling, and Miao ends the story with a satisfying conclusion. A great middle grade read!
May 11, 2022
A charming debut brimming with excellent MG voice and heart! This fast-paced page-turner will suck in MG readers as they go along the adventure with Ellie and her brother! Readers will relate to the emotions of worrying about possible changing friendships and family dynamics!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews