disclosure: We were sent a copy of Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies by Stacey Lee in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own. No other compensation was received.
Open the magical, grasshopper green door that leads to Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies, a new Rick Riordan Presents book, written by Stacey Lee from Disney Books!
- Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies written by Stacey Lee
- A new Rick Riordan Presents book
- 368 pages; Age Range: 8-12 years old
Winston Chu didn’t mean to chuck a shoofly pie at those two guys wearing Hawaiian shirts. He didn’t mean to inadvertently stop a store robbery. He didn’t even know that Mr. Pang’s Whimsies existed. And he definitely didn’t mean to pick the broom and dustpan.
When weird things start happening, like his soccer jersey disappearing, his sister acting strangely, and two seagulls staking out his house, the strange broom and dustpan are surely to blame. Winston and his friends embark on a crazy, wacky adventure to find out who exactly Mr. Pang is, help the broom and dustpan (which are actually people!) and save his sister before the full moon.
Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies is a fantastically entertaining read. With quick wit, humor, mystery, zombie video games, and boba, I was hooked by the first page. In an almost Powerpuff Girl like way, it feels like Stacy Lee combined humor, great characters, and everything that makes a book amazing, and accidentally spilled in Chemical X, which added all the wonderful Whimsies!
Stacey Lee wrote a wonderful, humorous, and highly entertaining book, while incorporating mythology and weaving in important topics like grief and mental health. Winston and his older sister, Philippa, struggle to cope after their father’s death, while his friends also deal with fighting parents, lying, and accepting new people into their life. While kids enjoy this book, they can also learn that they aren’t necessarily alone or how to help a friend dealing with any of those issues.
I feel that I enjoyed Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies as much as I did because the story included all of my favorite things: humor, mythology, mystery, a slight cliffhanger (leaving me anticipating another book), and a good balance of dialogue and imagery. There was no point in the book where I was uncertain of what the characters were doing or saying, or had to backtrack to see where they were, which sometimes happens when an author focuses too much on dialogue or imagery. Stacey Lee managed to find the sweet spot of balancing the two, which resulted in this *amazing* book. If there is a second book, I’ll definitely be reading it!
Now go read Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies, and don’t skateboard with a pie! Filled with all sorts of magically crazy things like the Warm Fuzzies Say-Lulla-Bye-To-Your-Troubles Ukulele, Kick-Me Boots, and a Mischief Mustache, this is a book you don’t want to miss. So grab your Far-Seeing Eyeballs and look for it at your nearest bookstore! Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies is for ages 8-12, and will be released February 7th, 2023.
I’m NDK and this is my review 🙂
Hi! I am the Neurotic Disney Kid – sharing my expert kid-opinion all about everything Disney! My favorite attraction is The Enchanted Tiki Room and my favorite park is Magic Kingdom. I love to read and take pictures!
