Many thanks to Disney and Rick Riordan Presents for allowing me to read this e-galley on NetGalley. I am a big fan of Stacey Lee, and she knocked it out of the park with this new middle grade title. Winston Chu is gifted a broom and dustpan after chasing two robbers from Mr. Pang’s Whimsies, a shop filled with mysterious and weird artifacts. Lee ties Chinese mythology and philosophy into the adventure of Winston and his best friends. This action-packed story will thrill readers who enjoy titles that blend culture, adventure, magic and family relations.

This lively tween tale dips deftly into Chinese mythology while remaining completely modern. Twelve-year-old Winston Chu has a loving mom, an older and younger sister, and a tight circle of friends who support him, but the loss of his father in a war-related accident still shadows his life. His mom is struggling to find a job, his older sister Phillipa is moody and withdrawn, and Winston doesn’t quite know how to move on.

Enter Mr. Pang’s Whimsies. In a setup reminiscent of Bruce Coville’s Magic Shop books, old Mr. Pang runs a strange, now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t store, packed with enchanted objects like Kick-Me Boots and Warm Fuzzy Ukuleles. In return for an accidental good deed involving a pie, Mr. Pang offers Winston the chance to pick any store item that catches his eye — then tricks him into taking a broom and dustpan. These enchanted items, as it turns out, are inhabited by Lady Cloud Weaver and the Cowherd she loves. They are trying to avoid the wrath of the lady’s mother, but end up disappearing first Winston’s soccer jersey, then his goldfish, and finally his little sister Coco.

Working with his soccer buddies, Winston tries to get to the root of these happenings and rescue his baby sister, whose spirit has been swapped with that of a changeling. But part of the story’s strength is that it doesn’t just focus on the mythological aspects. Along the way, Winston deals with recognizable middle-school problems, like cruel assistant principals, candy smuggling, and trying to impress his crush, Dani.

The book is full of clever, snarky asides, sharp dialogue, and vivid descriptions like, “If the two islands were brothers, Alcatraz would be the crook, while Treasure Island, and old naval station, would be the dutiful one who had joined the military.” Author Lee strikes a balance between poignance and silliness, which readers of Rick Riordan Presents are bound to lap up eagerly and ask for more. Recommended.

I am often looking for more books with male protagonists for my library as I have a lot of boy readers who are still reluctant to read books with female protagonists. The tricky thing, though, is that I still want those books to have well rounded, diverse characters. I love Winston Chu for that reason -- he is a caring friend and brother who is working through his grief and mourning the death of his father, dealing with a crush on the girl he likes, and spending time playing soccer with his friends. I think he's a character a lot of kids will really like.

I was so excited to read this book because I love Stacey Lee's other books, and I thought this one delivered. It did feel a little long through the middle, but I appreciated this whimsical fantasy set in San Francisco. I sometimes feel like Rick Riordan Presents books can feel a little bit formulaic but this one did a good job of being unique and original.

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies. I’m a big fan of the Rick Riordan Presents series. That said, this story was not quite up to the level of previous books in the series in my opinion. It may just be for a younger audience, though it’s quite long, so I’m not sure.

If you or especially your child is reading this fun whimsically magical book, I would suggest you do not read the introduction first. It gives details that are brought up in a much better way within the story.

I grew to like Winston, his family, and friends. The adventure was a bit scattered, but fun overall. As an adult who loves to read middle grade, I stuck with it, I wanted to know how it ended and there were definitely some high stakes involved. It may be a bit long and repetitive in the middle for some young readers. A mixed, but honest review and a generally pleasant read.

From my blog post: I have to start this by saying that when I was reading this E-ARC, adulting was hitting me hard and I resented not being able to just sit and read this but it was a bright spot when I was able to sit and read it in chunks. This book was so funny, I laughed out loud quite often as Winston & his crew really got into some shenanigans. The story balanced the humor and grief so well, which I sincerely appreciated as someone who still grapples with grief. There were a lot of soccer references/puns and creative ways not to curse…the one that will stick with me forever is PITA (Pain In The Armpit, lol…which can really hurt), that I also really enjoyed! Winston Chu is inspired by Chinese Mythology & beliefs.

I have already purchased this book for my personal collection because it's that good.

Stacey Lee grabs the reader in the first few pages and never lets go. Her crisp, clear, vivid writing is a lesson in how to keep kids engaged in a story without bogging them down in unnecessary internal monologues or meandering descriptions of settings.

The characters are distinct, essential to the story, and flawed in just the right places. Readers will cheer for the them, especially sweet, scared/brave Winston.

Kids will ultimately decide the if this book is worth their time and attention, but I will recommend it to readers who love adventure, humor, mythology, and dynamic writing.

Thanks to NetGalley for lending me this ebook. My opinions are my own.

Every Rick Riordan Presents book is an exciting new adventure, and as I continue reading the stories that come out of this imprint, I learn more and more about other cultures and their mythologies. In Winston Chu, Stacey Lee presents a story I’m wholly unfamiliar with—that of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. In her book, the characters of the Cowherd and Cloud Weaver are pulled from their mythological origins and placed in a modern setting, allowing kids (and adults!) to better relate to this classic tale.

One of the highlights of this book is Lee’s ability to capture the spirit of a 12-year-old kid. Children can be so random and strange at this age, and she really tapped into that voice for Winston and his friends. But Lee also wasn't afraid to tackle large topics like loss and grief. All of Winston’s emotions—from the sadness to the anger—are completely valid, and it was truly inspirational to see the author write such a big, profound story in a children’s book. Loss is a part of life, and I’m glad Lee talked about this issue head-on without fear that it might be too much for a kid to read about.

Stacey Lee’s imagination is also top-tier because each one of Mr. Pang’s whimsies has a clever name and a truly inspired magical property. His shop opens up a whole new avenue to Winston and his friends, where each whimsy could either be a tool used to aid them or distract them from their ultimate goal. All of them are fun and clever and even a little scary at times, but they’re also full of a magic I’m dying to explore further.

Lee plants each detail in Winston Chu with care, and doesn’t forget to go back to every single one of them in order to provide us with a satisfying ending to this book. I loved all of the full-circle moments, as well as the way she wrapped up all the threads she had exposed in the beginning. I’m so excited to see what’s next in the Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies sequel. Something tells me it’ll be even more magical than this one!

4 stars

This was different from other Chinese mythology books I've read in that it talked about Qi, Feng Shui, good luck and bad luck, and changelings. The title encapsulates the story perfectly, in my mind, as it felt like a whimsical tale of adventure and working with friends to save the world from the bad guy.

I enjoyed getting to know Winston and the things that mattered to him. At first, I wasn't sure about his friends, especially his wealthy friend, and the rest of his family were also unknown, but as the story progressed, I got drawn into his quest to save his baby sister. I liked that he started out thinking he was the only one who was really struggling, only to find out that he was not alone in his struggles, and I also liked how the different friends worked together at the end and that even though Winston had powerful chi as a legacy of his father's, he needed each of his friends to accomplish what he wanted.

The magic system of this story was a little different from what I've seen before, and I didn't quite get it until close to the end. However, by the time we got to the end, I think it was developed enough that it will work well for future books. This book was not listed as part of a series, but the ending is open-ended and leaves many things hanging about the villain(s) and makes me think there is much more to come.

Overall, I enjoyed this introduction to Winston Chu's world and I look forward to future books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

<i>Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

This was just the right amount of goofy to keep me going. I felt confident the minute that I read about those peeps doing surveillance that this book was going to be a good time. This included some great healthy friendships, with lots of communication and loyalty; when characters hurt each other's feelings, they talked through it. I loved Winston's family also - I was so invested in Philippa's life it wasn't funny. I need to know if she and Monroe become a thing (I'm hopeful), if she gets a new job (also hopeful), and how she and Winston grow together as time passes. I was grateful for some other emotions from the "salty teenager" character, and it was nice to see her and Winston working together by the end. I wish more had been done between Winston and his Mom; there were some glimmers of conversations that needed to be had, but there was so much other stuff going on that it kind of got pushed to the side.

I've seen some other reviewers noting that you need to be familiar with the original "Cowherd and Weaver Girl" myth that is featured in this book. I didn't find that to be true - I was able to enjoy it just fine not understanding what was going on right away. It's explained as it goes on, and I liked being along with Winston as he figured everything out.

I did feel like there was a random climax in the middle of the book that kind of left me hanging. I was surprised because it felt like we were creeping up on the end of the book already, but when I checked my page count we still had half the book to go. It was a little slow after that, until the characters returned to Mr. Pang's shop. It definitely picked up then, and had a great pace that I wish had been more present for the rest of the book.

I've not seen anything about a sequel, but there were a lot of loose ends at the end of this. Between the Mr. Gu plotline, and Philippa's potential character growth, I have a lot of questions that I'd like to see answers to.

(There were some distracting typos in this that I'm imagining got cleaned up before publication. This didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story, but there were a handful of them.)

Thank you to #NetGalley, Stacey Lee and the publisher for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Winston's mom enrolls him in a cooking class to try to help him with his impulse control, but that's going to take awhile for Winston. One day, on his way home from cooking class and with a pie in his hand, Winston stops a robbery in progress at a local Chinatown store. To thank him, the owner lets him choose anything from the store.
After Winston picks his items and his personal stuff starts to go missing, Winston wonders if it's related to the store.
Will Winston be able to figure out what is going on?

I love the "Rick Riordan Presents" books and this one did not disappoint! Winston was a real relatable character and I think kids will be able to relate to a character that has impulse control like Winston. I look forward to buying a copy for my class!

Winston Chu is such a likeable character, that of course Stacey Lee created (she's so good at that) and it's got some entertainment, drama, adventure, humor, and action.

I love the setting-- in California in San Francisco. There's a cool weird shop owner. Winston's got some cool friends. He's still grieving his father, killed in friendly fire overseas serving in the military, while being a brother and son. The entertainment of action is perfect for the Rick Riordan fans. And Winston's many delightful hobbies and side pursuits (skateboarding, ukulele, cooking) make for a well-rounded adventuresome set of circumstances. I'm a fan of the "lost sibling" trope.

With humor, daredevil moves and a supporting cast of friends Winston is pulling out all the stops in trying to get back the things that were magicked away by the old broom and dustpan he earned by stopping a robbery. Little did he know that those items would start robbing him! Fused with Chinese mythology, great San Francisco locations and some pesky seagulls, this book is sure to bring out the smiles in everyone. Highly recommended!

I loved this fun quirky MG book featuring Winston Chu and his friends as they embark on a quest to find Coco. I wasn't familiar with the Chinese myth the Cloud Weaver and the Cowherd but I liked how it was integrated into the story. My favorite character was Winston's grumpy older sister, Phillipa, and I liked reading about her search for her father's friend. The way Winston described his surroundings and family was unique and had me laughing. I'd recommend this to younger readers who enjoy fantastical elements, mythology, and a little spooky mystery.

What a fun and fantastical story! I adored Winston, the main character, and getting to see him navigate grief and belonging felt so raw and earnest. The supporting characters were well established, the villain was obvious to me but was still fun to see Winston, his friends, and sister figure it out for themselves too. I was a little disappointed for there to be very little of Winston attending the cooking academy, I assumed more of the story would take place there. The beginning was a slower than I liked but the pacing picks up and gets much more enticing about halfway through- although I am an adult reading a book targeting elementary schoolers so take that with a grain of salt.

I'm excited to suggest this title to kids who love fantasy and want to dig into a new series! Thanks to NetGalley and Rick Riordian Presents for an early read in exchange for an honest review.

This was a ton of fun to read! Winston and his friends and family are all such well-developed characters, and I think Mr. Pang's Whimsies are so fun and a certain type of young reader would have a blast dreaming up their own Whimsies. And the family dynamics and exploration of grief are lovely too. There is a lot packed into this book--I would say for me the middle dragged a littttle bit but readers who are even more interested in the mythology and magic will be living.

I will def read the sequel this seems to be setting up! Another hit from Rick Riordan Presents for sure.

I waffled back and forth between 2 and 3 stars on this one. Since it's a pre-lease, I gave the author the benefit of the doubt, hoping for a better final product. The cover is great, which is a big plus, but once inside, it quickly turns into a slog. The problem is that the author throws too much at the wall, and unfortunately, a lot of it doesn't stick. If an author is going to make a plot this circuitous, at some point things need to start tightening up. Unfortunately, instead of working to undo the knot, she just throws in more string.

First of all, I want to address the setting. I love that the story takes place in San Francisco, especially China Town, but to be honest, I did not get a good sense of place. As someone who has been to SF several times as a tourist, I was disappointed with the weak setting description. SF is an amazing town and I didn't feel it.

Second, characters. I have a very good sense of Winston. His father died from a freak accident while serving in the military. His older sister is pursing closure on this while looking for a job. His mother is doing well as a single mom and also looking for a job. His toddler age sister becomes a key player in a very strange way (more on that). The disappointment is the other characters. Mav is Winston's rich friend. Don't know much about him other than that. Cassa's dad has a new girlfriend which is stressful for her. That's about all we know about her. Bijal. We know virtually nothing. I really don't understand how these friendships came to be or what holds them together. I also don't get a strong sense of Chinese culture. Disappointing.

The story opens with Winston and his friends precariously trying to get a cake back to his house to celebrate his deceased dad's birthday. On the way, they run into two thugs in China Town who appear to be robbing a store. They thwart the plot and ruin the cake, but Mr. Pang, the owner, is so grateful that he tells Winston to pick out anything from the store. Whatever he touches first will be what he gets. By mistake, he touches a broom. Reluctantly, he takes the broom and dustpan home and that's where the plot begins to go off the rails.

First, things begin to go missing. His athletic jersey. His goldfish. He attributes this to the broom and dustpan, which he's convinced are possessed, so he attempts to get rid of them by throwing them into the bay. Unfortunately, they come back. Then, after reading an excerpt from a book about Chinese mythology, his baby sister begins behaving strangely. Winston and his friends return multiple times to the shop to have a chat with Mr. Pang, but things are incredibly complicated and strange. Sometimes the shop is there, sometimes it isn't. Sometimes Mr. Pang is a human, sometimes he's a magpie. Talking to people doesn't help. Explanations are conflicted. What they DO know is that Winston's baby sister is possessed by a changeling and if they don't figure out how to switch her back soon, it will be too late.

All I can say is that if Chinese mythology is this complicated, then I'll stick with Roman and Greek, or even Hindu. Aru Shah and the End of Time far exceeds this book in my opinion. I will most definitely be passing on this book, but I hope someone gives Chinese mythology another shot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for providing a copy of this eARC for review.

I enjoyed this story. There was less movement and drama surrounding the initial problem than I thought there would be, so it seems slow on occasion. I enjoyed the characters and how we got to see bits and pieces of their lives and personalities throughout the novel. There was some character development, but this was mostly plot driven.

I wanted to like this, but I just couldn't get into it. The story was slow, the plot obvious, and the characters felt unlikely.

Winston Chu Vs. the Whimsies is another example of well written fiction coming from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. It was a fun read. The characters of Winston, Cassa, Bijal, and Maverick were quirky which made for a great dynamic between the gang. Mr. Pang, Cowherd, and Cloud Weaver were interesting ways to bring in the Chinese folktale aspect. I wish there had been a little more of the backstory between Cowherd and Cloud Weaver but it didn't detract from the overall storyline, Overall, the story was well paced and developed. I will definitely be adding it to my classroom library and will encourage my students to give it a try.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

First of all, I love stories with a strong sense of setting and I truly felt transported to San Francisco through the pages of the story. I loved the creativity of the whimsies in the stories (the mustache and unicorn pinatas in particular!), but the story was a bit longer than I can often convince 3rd-6th grade students to read. I also thought there were several engaging storylines/characters that could have been a bit more in depth but because of the number of characters/storylines, that just wasn't possible. Overall, I think for the right reader this would be a great fit.