Ruby Lost and Found - by Christina Li

About the Book

"Thanks to her Ye-Ye's epic scavenger hunts, thirteen-year-old Ruby Chu knows San Francisco like the back of her hand. But after his death, she feels lost, and it seems like everyone--from her best friends to her older sister--is abandoning her. After Ruby gets in major trouble at school, her parents decide she has to spend the summer at a local senior center, with her grandmother, Nai-Nai, and Nai-Nai's friends for company. When a new boy from Ruby's grade, Liam Yeung, starts showing up too, Ruby's humiliation is complete. But Nai-Nai, her friends, and Liam all surprise Ruby. She finds herself working with Liam, who might not be as annoying as he seems, to help save a historic Chinatown bakery that's being priced out of the neighborhood. And alongside Nai-Nai, who is keeping a secret that threatens to change everything, Ruby retraces Ye-Ye's scavenger hunt maps in an attempt to find a way out of her grief--and maybe even find herself"--

Book Synopsis

For fans of Kelly Yang and Rebecca Stead, this touching middle grade novel maps one girl's quest to remember her grandfather through his scavenger hunts; reconnect with her family; and fight for her community in her rapidly changing hometown. Winner of the APALA Youth Literature Award!

Thanks to her Ye-Ye's epic scavenger hunts, thirteen-year-old Ruby Chu knows San Francisco like the back of her hand. But after his death, she feels lost, and it seems like everyone--from her best friends to her older sister--is abandoning her.

After Ruby gets in major trouble at school, her parents decide she has to spend the summer at a local senior center with her grandmother, Nai-Nai, and Nai-Nai's friends for company. When a new boy from Ruby's grade, Liam Yeung, starts showing up too, Ruby's humiliation is complete.

But Nai-Nai, her friends, and Liam all surprise Ruby. She finds herself working with Liam, who might not be as annoying as he seems, to help save a historic Chinatown bakery that's being priced out of the neighborhood. And alongside Nai-Nai, who is keeping a secret that threatens to change everything, Ruby retraces Ye-Ye's scavenger hunt maps in an attempt to find a way out of her grief--and maybe even find herself.

Review Quotes

"With wonderfully nuanced characters, Li crafts a beautiful intergenerational story about grief and the struggle of changing friendships. Engaging, cultural, and authentic--everything I love about storytelling can be found here." -- Chrystal D. Giles, critically acclaimed author of Not an Easy Win

"A warm, beautiful read. Ruby Lost and Found brings the most tender touch to a story brimming with hope and loving memory." -- Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Foul Lady Fortune

"A beautiful story balancing the ever-present question of what to fight for and what to let go of. Full of friendships, loss, and heart-wrenching realizations, Ruby Lost and Found is a guide to overcoming the inevitable." -- M.T. Khan, author of Nura and the Immortal Palace

"Readers will fall in love with Ruby and her quest to find joy, family, community, and friendship after a loss." -- Sylvia Liu, author of Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation

"A warm hug to readers searching for their own place to belong." -- Adrianna Cuevas, Pura Belpré Honor-winning author

"Essential reading for anyone who needs a reminder that the love someone's given them never goes away." -- Jake Maia Arlow, Stonewall Honor-winning author

"Vividly imagined characters, relationships, and family dynamics are at the heart of this involving novel. A moving, intergenerational story." -- Booklist (starred review)

"Readers will identify with Ruby's roller coaster of emotions amid the challenges of growing up. Empathetic and emotionally intelligent." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Affecting. An economically told, emotionally driven story that deftly incorporates multiple strands." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"What begins as an isolating and overwhelming journey through grief turns hopeful as Ruby learns that she doesn't have to navigate change alone." -- Horn Book Magazine

"A thematically rich novel that will spark important discussions, and to which any tween can relate. Perfect for fans of Merci Suárez Changes Gears and Maizy Chen's Last Chance." -- School Library Journal