Peter Lee wants to become a paleontologist. He gets the chance to participate in a dinosaur dig. Peter realizes the effort that is needed to become a paleontologist. The rest of the novel is about how Peter balances his interest with different variables such as family and friendship. An inspiring read for wannabe paleontologists.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

What a fabulous cover for this wonderful book as it captures so many aspects of the story. A book about passions, family, adventure, figuring out who you are and so much more! Really enjoyed all the different sides of Peter and how he discovers things about himself throughout the book! Great intergenerations story! Read this if you haven't!

I knew I had to read Peter Lee’s story, because once upon a time, a long long time ago in a place far away, I was Peter Lee. Except Black and female, but pffft, those are minor differences. From the time I was three, I wanted to be a paleontologist! I mean, what three-year-old even knows that word? My room was everything dinosaur and I was reading ridiculously complicated dino books, just like Peter. I also happened to have asthma, also just like Peter. So yes, I knew I wanted to pick this one up!

Peter Lee’s Notes from the Field is part love note to paleontology, dinosaur geeks, and want-to-be scientists of all kinds and part touching coming-of-age story filled with heartfelt family bonds and an adorable sibling relationship.

There were things about this I didn’t love, but they were me things that had nothing to do with the book. It’s very character driven, with very little actual action, and I struggle with books like that. It’s just a genre I tend not to read, which is entirely my fault and nothing to do with the book! I think it’d be a sure win for anyone who does love contemporary middle grade.

My Thoughts:

- Peter Lee is such a relatable character, and I think middle grade readers will easily be able to see themselves in at least some aspect of his character. I’ve already said how I related to him, of course, with the paleontology and asthma, but there are so many other things. Any kid with a burning childhood passion will recognize Peter’s fervor, even if their passion isn’t for dinosaurs. What I especially love, though, is that Peter’s passion waivers when confronted with potential challenges, and he has to reconcile the reality of the profession he loves with his own desires. There are definitely times when Peter is childish, but it all feels very true to his age. I’m sure middle grade readers will be able to relate to the struggles (and anger) with bullies, the resentment of a sibling who seems to be getting more attention, and the struggles of parents who just don’t seem to understand you.

- Speaking of parents … Peter’s parents are doing their best, bless their heart, but they just don’t always see eye-to-eye with their kids. Man oh man did I relate to this part. Even as an adult, I’m still sometimes salty about not seeing eye-to-eye with my parents. Sheesh. Parents, am I right?! Peter’s parents are highly intelligent, accomplished human beings, and from their perspective, they just want to give their children all the opportunities they can. They’re trying to do right by them. Unfortunately, they don’t always go about it the right way. Like forgetting that kids need to have fun.

- Peter’s grandparents, Haji and Hammy, play a very important role in their lives, especially as a balancing force between the parents and kids. They embody a role that only grandparents seem to perform so well. While Peter’s parents push Peter and L.B. to succeed academically and intellectually, Haji and Hammy provide the much-needed balance required of just being kids. It’s something Peter’s parents seem to forget. Haji and Hammy reminded me so much of my grandparents that it hurt at times. Warning to older readers: this one might hurt your feels a bit. There were moments where Peter’s parents were just being unreasonable, like denying L.B. a stuffed animal because it wasn’t educational and it was for “little kids,” not someone as intellectually gifted as she is (despite her being young herself). Not to fear, though, Hammy to the rescue! I absolutely loved her strength and the unapologetically fierce way she loves her grandchildren.

- The most beautiful thing about this story is the way the family all pulls together to support each other. I mean, the book is fraught with family drama and conflict, the sort you might expect from any family. I couldn’t help but laugh at some of the antics, because they were so relatable and familiar! At the same time, it’s clear that the family still cares for each other, even when they’re disagreeing. As the story progresses, Peter realizes that there’s something not quite right with Hammy, as she keeps forgetting things. An older reader might immediately recognize the signs of dementia, as I did. I’m currently the caregiver for my grandfather, who has dementia, so from the moment the very first foreshadowing popped up, my heart sank, because I knew what was happening, even if Peter didn’t. This was the most emotional part for me, but it was so touching seeing the family rally together for Hammy.

- I also want to take a moment to appreciate the super cute sibling bonds in this book! It’s clear from early on that L.B. is neurodiverse, though it’s never labeled. She’s obviously a genius, but she has other little particular “quirks,” too, which make her character all the more endearing. There’s this weird juxtaposition of how intellectually intelligent she is with how little emotional intelligence she has, because she’s so young. I thought it was so striking and yet oddly adorable! Peter is often annoyed by his little sister, especially when she gets a bunch of attention, and they often squabble, like all siblings do. Yet, there are many touching instances in the book when Peter tries to protect his sister or does his best to take care of her. It’s sibling bonds at their finest! The interactions are so true and recognizable for anyone with siblings of their own.

- Snuck into everything is a commentary about racism that will be recognizable for many minorities, particularly immigrants, and I enjoyed the way it’s handled. This is definitely a subplot type of thing, but it comes up often enough. Haji and Hammy are immigrants, and Peter is technically first generation Canadian. There are moments, though, that I think most minorities will relate to. Like when the family goes to a museum and is greeted in Korean and then Chinese and they have to tell them that they speak English. What struck me most, early on in the book, is the framed Time magazine Haji has hanging on the wall, because it meant so much to him to see Asian people on the cover—something he hadn’t actually thought possible. This builds into a really thoughtful narrative that I think kids will be able to sink their teeth into and understand, without preaching to them about “otherness” or something like that.

⭐ This book contains journal entries of 11 year old Peter who dreams to become a paleontologist. But his summer falls apart when his dinosaur expedition turns out to be a bust, and he watches his dream go up in a cloud of asthma- inducing dust.
⭐ I love how little Peter is determined to fulfill his dream of becoming a paleontologist which requires working in dusty areas despite knowing he has asthma.
⭐ The relationship between a kid with his grandmother and sister is written beautifully. It was so close to reality and reading it warmed my heart.
⭐ I really like reading about different cultures in books and I got to know so much about Korean culture. The mention of their food and lifestyle was a plus point!

I can’t describe how much I LOVED this book. It’s adorable, fun, and new. The way Angela’s art style and plot scheme bring the characters dynamics and behaviors into full circle hooked me. I’ve got to say, the graphics of that cover made me want to get a copy as soon as I saw it. Anyone who would buy it for the cover will not be disappointed.

Peter Lee dreams of becoming a paleontologist. He will finally have a chance to experience a real dinosaur dig this summer. He soon learns that having a passion isn't enough to have success in this field. Soon Peter discovers that his passion is not enough to create success in the field, Everything around him is changing, his family, friendships, and his own goals. How will he deal with the fact that he might not be able to live his dream.

This is really cute! First of all, dinosaurs are just fun. I know a bunch of kids who would really like this. This is also a really easy book to read – in the best way – with shorter chapters and a quicker pace. Those factors combined with really fun illustrations and a high appeal concept means I think this would be amazing especially for both younger children looking for a reading challenge, and more selective readers looking for something that would really get their attention.

I really liked the family in this, as well. Peter and LB’s parents are pretty strict and very education focused, and Peter doesn’t always enjoy that but he loves his parents and understand they want the best for him. They aren’t seen as perfect – sometimes it’s pointed out they need to remember to let the kids be kids – but the book really treats them as human beings who are doing their best. LB and Peter’s relationship is also cute – she is a little sister still, and can be annoying at times, but he worries about her and she clearly really admires him and supports his hobbies and interests. It’s really sweet.

And I like the grandparents a lot. The main focus of the book really is family.

I’m going to go into a bit of spoiler territory so feel free to skip to the next paragraph, but I think it’s important to mention this as it’s about the message the book sends to its young audience. So, Peter’s gradmother is possibly in the early stages of dementia, and struggling with memory issues. They talk about how eventually she may need to go live in a nursing home if her care needs become too much for the family to handle, but they also realize that for now, there are things they can do to help her at this stage. It’s both open to the idea that someone’s needs may change in the future, and them needing more help than you can provide isn’t a bad thing, but also that there ARE sometimes things you can do to help someone be safe and comfortable and to make their environment suit their needs. I thought it was a very balanced representation that you can’t make someone’s disability go away just by caring about them, but an environment adapted to their needs can definitely improve their quality of life. I liked it a lot.

Also can I just say. The idea of going to a museum and going to dig for fossils sounds AMAZING and I’m sad that it’s not a real thing. I don’t care if I’m almost thirty. I would be right there next to the children with my tiny hammer and chisel. That sounds like a blast.

Overall, this is a really fun book. I think it’s a great summer book – road trip books are always fun – and dinosaurs are always a fun theme. It also doesn’t lack in the heartwarming department, and handles a pretty difficult subject matter very delicately and thoughtfully, being realistic without scaremongering. I think kids are gonna love this one, and I think it’d be a great addition to classroom libraries as well. Big recommend.

Representation: Peter is a self-identified Canadian-born Korean. He is also asthmatic. It’s pretty good asthma repesentation as well – it’s mostly well controlled, but he struggles with it sometimes, and another character with asthma helps him to think about triggers and how to deal with it more actively.

Content notes: Peter has asthma and he has a pretty bad attack during the book, and doesn’t have his inhaler on him. He and his family exprience microaggressions, like a ticket seller assuming they don’t speak English just by looking at them. His grandmother is also beginning to deal with memory issues, possibly dementia.

A wonderful story about kids and their imagination but also how kids understand more than we think. A must read for all kids. I’m so happy that we’re seeing more diversity in kids books.

Peter Lee's Notes from the Field is a heartwarming and wonderful story of family, friendship, and finding your own way in the world. I really enjoyed how deftly the author brought up difficult topics that so many kids will be able to identify with. This will be a wonderful book to add to our children's section.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title, all opinions and mistakes are my own.

It's very cute and refreshing read which is filled with korean culture , dinosaurs and family drama. Everything is written through an eleven year old peter's prespective. I really like the bond between peter and his sister as well as there sibling fights. A good read with a deep meaning. Language is lucid and easily understandable. Overall it was an awesome read. Highly recommended to all. It's actually for children ages 9 - 12 but everyone can read as well.

If there's one thing I am obsessed with lately, it's dinosaurs. And this novel's cover drew me in based on the dinosaurs alone; however, Peter soon stole my heart. Although, Trixie's adventures brought me much joy throughout the novel as well.
This is a heartwarming novel that centers around the Lee family. Peter is navigating so many issues in his young life of 10/11 years: his Korean/Canadian identity, his grandparents aging, his grandmother's diagnosis with alzheimer's, his growth spurt, school bullies, sports, his parents' high expectations for schooling/learning, his asthma, his love of dinosaurs and Paleontology, and his sister L.B. (Little Beast - while not explicitly mentioned, it is implied that L.B. probably as Asperger's Syndrome or something similar). There's so much going on, it feels like it should be overwhelming for Peter. But Peter is a gifted artist and loves his family. He's able to use his strengths to help out his family and makes many sacrifices for the good of his family. This makes him a hero to me.
This story does a wonderful job at showing reality, yet hope. Peter fulfills his life-long dream of a paleontology dig, has his dreams shattered, and rebuilds hope for new dreams by the end of the novel. It's inspiring.

The major plot elements are telegraphed pretty early on, but that's fairly typical of early middle grade novels. The ending, though, is more nebulous than we typically see. A solid read and may empower young readers.

This book hits a sweet spot between a driven protagonist (the wonder! Excitement! Wanting to know everything! But being dubious about art), his little sister (and the sibling interactions! So spot on. Peter muttering that "Some boys like science too" early on convinced me of that relationship), and, of course, the notes and humor "raccoons and latrines, I mean, c'mon!). The format, including Peter's observations and remarks about where he is and what's happening, and both hilarious yet also tool used effectively to set the tone of each chapter.

The inclusion of Peter's illustrations reminded me of a few other novels that use the main character's creativity to help them work through a challenge. It was both pivotal and humorous, and it works well for this book and the audience - the last chapter with L.B. and the museum newsletter bringing things back to paleontology? A good way to wrap the story up neatly, bringing new life to a (in a very true-to-life) passion shunned.

If you look up the word “wholesome,” this book should be there as an example. There’s so much to love in this book, which addresses several important issues for kids while being fun and uplifting.

The most obvious thing that attracted me to the book is that it features a dino-lover! I mean, a lot of people like dinosaurs, but when I was younger, I was obsessed. Like Peter, I owned tons of dinosaur books, and while I didn’t have much of a dino figure collection, I had plenty of dino plushies to go around. Science museums were my catnip, and like Peter, I did even think about becoming a paleontologist. Peter’s obsession is arguably more intense and directed since he is actually practicing the work of paleontologist by keeping a detailed field journal, digging in a simulated excavation pit, and so on. But either way, the dinosaur love really made me feel seen.

While they didn’t resonate with my own experiences, I still loved the family dynamics of the Lees. Peter lives with his dad, mom, and younger sister, and his maternal grandparents are still a regular presence in his life. His younger sister L.B. (short for “Little Beast”) is something of a prodigy, which means Peter can have intellectual conversations with her despite their 3-year age gap (he’s in 5th grade, she’s in 2nd), but she’s also just a kid, a ball of irrepressible energy, and an annoying brat at times. Even so, Peter still loves her and feels responsible for her as an older sibling. Their back-and-forth banter was one of the highlights of the book.

Peter’s parents come off as a little strict and uptight at first glance because they’re constantly trying to get their kids to do academic enrichment activities, but they are clearly acting from a place of care, and they do encourage Peter’s passions. His grandparents, by contrast, are much more laid back and doting. Peter calls them Hammy and Haji (derived from “halmeoni” and “harabeoji,” the Korean terms for grandmother and grandfather, respectively), and he can count on them to be a voice of moderation when his parents are being overly pushy. He cherishes them greatly.

This book is something of a love letter to diaspora kids. Peter is a third generation Korean Canadian (his grandparents immigrated to Canada), so he doesn’t have quite the same experience as someone who’s second gen like me, but his family still keeps ties to their roots. He’s one of three Korean kids at his school (him, his sister, and an upperclassman named Samuel), where he feels drawn to Sam and creates a Korean solidarity bond with him. While being one of few Korean kids at his school is lonely, and Peter does experience some insecurity over not knowing Korean, racism and identity struggles aren’t the focus of the book. His Korean heritage is simply the canvas on which the events of the story unfold, informing his interactions with the people and the world around him.

The true focus of the story is two-fold: dealing with the disappointment of finding out that the reality of your dream job isn’t what you expected, and coping with powerlessness when a loved one is sick and your family is hiding it from you. Both of these themes are explored and woven together in a really lovely way, and both felt intensely relatable for me as someone who has experienced both.

Peter goes on an excavation trip and realizes that digging for hours under the sun in clouds of dust doesn’t work for him and his asthma. The coolness of paleontology becomes eclipsed by the grueling, tedious work it requires. This reminded me of my own experience with aerospace engineering, one of my two undergrad degrees. I applied for the major as a space-loving nerd, thinking it was a great match for me, but when I started taking the classes for the major, I realized I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would. The feelings of failure and disillusionment that come with this realization are quite painful, and this book takes Peter and the reader through those stages of extreme emotions with compassion.

At the same time, Peter realizes his Hammy’s health is declining, and the adults are keeping secrets from him about something. He eventually discovers that Hammy is developing dementia and will likely need to move into a nursing home too far away for them to visit regularly. Unable to bear the thought of growing apart from his grandmother, Peter sets to work on a special project for Hammy that leads to an epiphany about his relationship with paleontology and the skills he cultivated through that passion.

One of the things I really loved about this book is that it didn’t treat science and art as mutually exclusive or in competition with each other. Peter draws as part of his field journal entries, and even after he decides to “break up” with paleontology, he still uses his artistic skills and even explores a creative path with them. As someone who has always loved both science and art, I thought this was a nice theme to have.

Lastly, the narrative format of this book is a huge part of what makes this book such an immersive experience. The chapters are Peter’s field journal entries with the date and the current “conditions,” which range from the literal weather to more abstract representations of Peter’s emotional state. The cute illustrations by Julie Kwon help us visualize Peter’s perspective and add personality to the pages. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of the book.

Content/Trigger Warnings: bullying, ableism, hospitalization of a family member

What a cute and exciting story. I thoroughly enjoyed the young voice in the story. Dinosaurs. A fast paced story story of a youth and the adventures they go on.

I was really excited to read a book with an Asian protagonist.The sibling dynamic is cute and fun. I love seeing the family interact in this book. You can feel the love and the connection Between the characters. Peter is an awesome kid that ends up finding himself in the midst of a family crisis. I really enjoyed this book and will be purchasing for my classroom library. I recommend this book for children 9 and up.

I was super excited about this book because DINOSAURS. But it did like a sneak attack on me! It went from one boys obsession to bigger family issues. First of all, this was a pretty fast read. It only sort of touches on the topic of growing up, but it does touch on multiple issues. I actually really liked L.B.'s character. Though there were times I forgot her age, she sometimes acted younger than 8, but at the same times was a genius and sounded way older. The family dynamic was pretty fun to read about as well. I loved reading about the relationship between Hammy and L.B. it was such a sweet relationship between the two characters. I loved Haji as well! He almost like comic relief, but also what you would want in a grandparent as well. I really like how much he cared about Peter and his family. I also appreciated that we got to see glimpses of disagreements between the family, it just made it feel more real and almost like we were part of it.

It was nice to see how Peter developed throughout the book. Going from playing soccer to playing basketball, yes it's a little nuance but still nice to see how he got there. Even how he was discouraged by something but then turned it into something that was useful for Hammy. I do wish there was more about dinosaurs though just because the cover made it seem like it was going to be mostly about that. Again this book did a sneak attack, it got you to care about the entire family before you realized you were done with the book and you didn't read all that much about dinos. So a small disappointment there, but again it brought up a bigger family issue. So in the end I wasn't too disappointed about the lack of them

Wonderful novel for Young Adults.

This novel is about a family whose children are interested in science. I liked the characters, the plotting and the settings.

Thank you to the publishers for giving me a chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review,

To start with the review, can we please take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the cover? It's sooo cute and it describes the book so damn well! Reading this book was like watching a kdrama, so full of life and meaningful message and playfulness.

Peter Lee is an eleven year old boy who is obsessed with dinosaurs and knows he wants to be a paleontologist when we grows up. There's no question about it. He has started mock excavations in the backyard, keeps up to date with any latest findings about dinosaurs and is building his knowledge base about all the scientific stuff. He loves his grandparents, parents (except when, uhum, they force him to do math... why would they do that?) and somewhere his little sis too (interpretations are open to discussion but L.B. and Peter surely have a cute relation). L.B. is full of life, I am not even kidding that girl is made up of 99.9% enthusiasm! She is a genius and knows scientific stuff that are beyond my comprehension... she seems like a walking encyclopedia. And even though she irritates Peter a lot, she cares for him very much.

Ah, I don't even know where should I begin from, this book was so wholesome to read! The family bond was refreshing to another extent. It had been a long time since I read about a family outing and one which seemed so realistic and happening that I could honestly watch the events unfold in front of my eyes. The book discusses about dementia too, in a very subtle but in your face manner. You cannot miss it but at the same time it has been handled very delicately and in an approachable manner. It has Peter standing up to bullies and cute and lovely interactions between Peter and L.B. (they are honestly cute and 100% relatable)! I loved how we see character development in Peter and how he applies his observations. It is so heartwarming to see someone so passionate about what they like, and how they are constantly developing their skills for it. Furthermore, the book had many Korean expressions and I swear I almost died reading them. I really want to learn Korean and the use of some Korean expressions here and there was so amazing! I even admired how the topic of children of immigrants barely knowing their native knowledge was brought up. Even though I am not an immigrant but to me it seemed kind of personal because I feel more comfortable with a foreign language than my native language.

Peter Lee's Notes From the Field was just so heartwarming and pleasant to read!! Honestly there's nothing like reading novels that speak to you in so many different ways!

Trigger Warnings: Dementia, Bullying, Racism, Asthma...

*Thank you netgalley and the publisher to provide me with a copy in exchange for an honest review!