(1) 4-6 Twelve-year-old July Chen has lived a lonely life. Her classmates and teacher constantly forget her ("Are you a new student?"), and her father is too tired and preoccupied to pay much attention to her. Ghosts, however, can see her, and unlike most people, she is able to see and communicate with them. July finds an unexpected friend in William Xiao, a wandering soul of a boy who has already survived several near-death experiences. On the night of the Hungry Ghost Festival, the two are chased by a death god and several zombie-like ghosts; they travel to the Underworld to find a way to protect themselves permanently. This graphic novel adventure effectively highlights the importance of friendship, family love, and remembering lost loved ones. Lai weaves many aspects of Chinese folk religion and Taoism into the plot while also creating colorful, memorable characters in both the living and spectral worlds (monstrous and friendly spirits who look like animals; blob-like aliens). She also infuses plenty of humor into a narrative that deals with mortality and the supernatural. An entertaining, engaging read with echoes of Miyazaki's film Spirited Away.

Reviewer: Michelle Lee | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) 4-6 Lai's finger is always precisely on the pulse of kid humor (see Pie in the Sky, rev. 7/19; Fly on the Wall, rev. 9/20), and she provides laughs galore in this graphic novel. Joanna "Jo" Lin just wants to escape her house, where she feels the absence of her dad (who works overseas) and acutely notices the presence of her vexing siblings. One Saturday, she follows an extremely capable dog running errands downtown. A class of art students immediately mistakes Jo for the owner, and they convince her to bring the pooch (whom Jo, inspired by the curriculum, dubs "Pawcasso") each Saturday to model for the group. What begins as a weekly art class grows into genuine friendships, and the mystery of Pawcasso's true owner unfolds in layers, encompassing an ­off-leash petition that polarizes the town and provides a B-plot family drama. Lai excels at visually and verbally conveying Jo's anxieties through humorous and resonant gags. A strong reliance on black ink outlines will remind older audiences of classic syndicated comics by Bil Keane or Patrick McDonnell, while Lai's expert attention to angles and perspective makes even small moments cinematic for younger eyes. Move over, Jeff Kinney!

Reviewer: Niki Marion | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) 4-6 Lai's follow-up to Pie in the Sky (rev. 7/19) is another accessible, fast-paced, copiously illustrated novel (this one in journal format) starring an unconventional hero. Henry Khoo is determined to prove that he is not a bao bao (Mandarin for baby) by embarking on "the greatest adventure everrr." Unbeknownst to his hyper-protective mother, sister, and grandmother, the twelve-year-old embarks from his home in Perth, Western Australia, for his father's apartment in Singapore. Henry's first-person present-tense narration is studded with text-speak, sound effects, doodles, web comics, poems, and more, resulting in a youthful, authentic voice. The three major arcs of the story (before, during, and after the flight to Singapore) move swiftly and are peppered with Henry's memories and musings on failed friendships and fraught family dynamics. Readers intermittently discover Henry's true reason for his flight: a host of insecurities (from mild to massive) that drove him to publish Fly on the Wall, a mean-spirited gossip blog about his school. It is only once Henry's adventure (imagined as an epic martial arts TV drama) comes to an end, and through the guidance of several quirky characters along way, that he acknowledges the damage he has done. With multiple overlapping subplots, a large secondary cast, and an overabundance of metaphors (both written and visual), the story's momentum can get muddled, but it is always reestablished through authentic emotion and entertaining cartooning. Lai's ­journal-format novel is ideal for readers looking for a more introspective tale than is ­typically offered in other big-name diary series.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(1) 4-6 Jingwen's family lands in Australia, where he doesn't know the language and isn't interested in making friends. All Jingwen wants to do is bake the elaborate cakes he and his two-years-deceased father perfected in preparation for opening a cake shop. Lai's debut novel—with frequent, blue-tinged illustrations--delves into grief, onerous fraternal responsibilities, and adjusting to life in an "alien" world. Heartbreakingly honest; in equal parts funny and poignant.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019