The Unbeatable Lily Hong

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A smart, funny, and heartfelt middle grade novel follows Lily Hong as she strives to save her parents’ Chinese school and the town’s community center, utilizing her devoted friends, creativity, passion for filmmaking, and even her archnemesis. Lily despises being second best, which fuels her rivalry with Max Zhang, the new kid who outshone her in a fifth-grade reading challenge. Two years later, with her best friends Kelli and Lauren supporting her, Lily is determined to win the Clarktown’s Got Talent video competition. However, balancing her video project with regular homework and attending her parents' Chinese school proves challenging, especially as she senses something troubling with her parents. When her mom announces a showcase featuring traditional Chinese dance, Lily is perplexed; the community center is in disrepair, and they think a show is a good idea? Realizing the showcase's success could be vital for the center's future, Lily must juggle her video competition and dance preparation. When Max unexpectedly joins her class, showcasing impressive Mandarin and dance skills, Lily may need to collaborate with her rival to save the community center.