Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

by Jessica Kim (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

One lie snowballs into a full-blown double life in this irresistible story about an aspiring stand-up comedian.

On the outside, Yumi Chung suffers from #shygirlproblems, a perm-gone-wrong, and kids calling her "Yu-MEAT" because she smells like her family's Korean barbecue restaurant. On the inside, Yumi is ready for her Netflix stand-up special. Her notebook is filled with mortifying memories that she's reworked into comedy gold. All she needs is a stage and courage.

Instead of spending the summer studying her favorite YouTube comedians, Yumi is enrolled in test-prep tutoring to qualify for a private school scholarship, which will help in a time of hardship at the restaurant. One day after class, Yumi stumbles on an opportunity that will change her life: a comedy camp for kids taught by one of her favorite YouTube stars. The only problem is that the instructor and all the students think she's a girl named Kay Nakamura--and Yumi doesn't correct them.

As this case of mistaken identity unravels, Yumi must decide to stand up and reveal the truth or risk losing her dreams and disappointing everyone she cares about.

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School Library Journal

Gr 3-6—Yumi Chung hates her prestigious prep school in L.A., but her Korean-immigrant parents think attendance there will increase her chances of admission to an Ivy League college and a better life. Yumi has no friends at Winston Preparatory Academy and feels she can never measure up to her parents' expectations or the legacy of her perfect older sister, Yuri, who is in medical school. Her passion is comedy and her dream is to be a stand-up comic. Instead of letting her enjoy the summer between sixth and seventh grades, Yumi's mother signs her up for a test prep course at a demanding hagwon so that she might win a scholarship to cover next year's tuition. When Yumi wanders into a nearby comedy club to check out its summer comedy camp headed by her favorite YouTube comedian, the director assumes that she is a tardy camper named Kay Nakamura. Yumi doesn't think staying will hurt anyone; but then she falls in love with the camp and makes some real friends. She decides to continue attending, impersonating Kay. The stress of juggling test prep, comedy camp, and helping out at her parents' struggling restaurant takes its toll in ways that are both heartbreaking and hilarious. Yumi's not the only one with secrets, though. Middle grade readers will find Yumi's first-person narrative utterly appealing. VERDICT Readers will root for Yumi even as they cringe at her choices in this refreshing novel. Highly recommended—every school has at least one Yumi!—Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

In Kim's well-paced debut, 11-year-old aspiring comic Yumi Chung struggles between her dreams and her Korean parents' wishes. Shy Yumi is frustrated when her mother enrolls her in test-prep tutoring to qualify for an academic scholarship at prestigious Winston Academy. But when Yumi accidentally assumes an absent camper's identity at YouTuber Jasmine Jasper's comedy camp, her summer suddenly seems promising. What follows is a balancing act of making new friends and sustaining parental expectations amid looming worries about Yumi's older sister, Yuri, and the financial state of the Chungs' restaurant. Amid fresh-feeling comic framing and contemporary conflicts about gentrification and community involvement, the narrative employs several elements that will be familiar to readers of similar titles--Yumi's strict immigrant parents compare her to other kids and expect good grades, genius Yuri is in medical school, and there's a lack of clear intergenerational communication. Yumi's friends and heroes are diverse, which feels genuine to the Los Angeles setting, and her gradual journey toward self-confidence will resonate with anyone who has had shy or awkward stages. Interspersed with entries from Yumi's Super-Secret Comedy Notebook, the engaging first-person narrative is a good first step into a rich landscape of reads about first-generation immigrant experiences. Ages 9-12. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. (Mar.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Praise for Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

"With wonderful supporting characters, strong pacing, and entertaining comedy bits, debut author Kim has woven a pop song of immigrant struggle colliding with comedy and Korean barbecue."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Kim has taught school, and it shows, both with the spot-on dialogue and the up-to-date social media references... This will certainly remind readers of Kelly Yang's Front Desk (2018)."
—Booklist, starred review

"A must-read."
—School Library Connection, starred review

"Being your true self can be tough, but with guts, gumption, and a whole lot of heart, Yumi Chung rises to the challenge and shows us all who she really is—a bona fide star."
—Booki Vivat, New York Times bestselling author of Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom

"A funny, tender story about family, friendship, and the courage to be yourself!"
—Karina Yan Glaser, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanderbeekers series

"Come for the puns, the laughs, and the wacky plot of mistaken identity, but it's the bighearted characters that take center stage in Stand Up, Yumi Chung!"
—Carlos Hernandez, author of Sal and Gabi Break the Universe

"I adored this book! Like, I seriously hugged it when I was done. This is quintessential middle grade—charming, funny, real, and overflowing with heart."
—Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, author of 8th Grade Superzero, Two Naomis, and Naomis Too

"This book is my favorite combination of heartfelt and hilarious. Yumi Chung is a headliner!"
—Remy Lai, author of Pie in the Sky

"This book is hilarious."
—Sarah True, Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Cincinnati, OH)

"One of the best middle grade books I have read all year!"
—Robyn Broderick, The Reading Bug (San Carlos, CA)

"Yumi is a smart and sassy heroine, and Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is a poignant and charming story that appeals to the dreamer in all of us."
—Jackie Jou, Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore (San Diego, CA)

"This book made me cry, cheer, and laugh out loud."
—Bethany Strout, Tattered Cover Book Store (Denver, CO)
Jessica Kim
Jessica Kim writes about Asian American girls finding their way in the world. Before she was an author, Jessica studied education at UC Berkeley and spent ten years teaching third, fourth, and fifth grades in public schools. She now lives in Southern California with her family. Learn more about Jessica at JessKimWrites.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780525554998
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Kokila
Publication date
March 16, 2021
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV013060 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Parents
JUV011020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - Asian American
JUV031000 - Juvenile Fiction | Performing Arts | General
Library of Congress categories
Friendship
California
Los Angeles
Parent and child
California, Southern
Attitudes
Girls
Korean Americans
Middle school students
Comedians
Asian Americans
Immigrant families
Korean American youth

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