Summer at Squee - by Andrea Wang

About the Book

Tween Phoenny Fang attends a Chinese cultural overnight camp where she explores new friendships and first crushes and discovers a deeper understanding of her community.

Book Synopsis

From Newbery Honor-winning author Andrea Wang, a new middle grade novel about a Chinese American tween who attends a Boston-based Chinese cultural overnight camp--and the many ways it transforms her.

Phoenny Fang plans to have the best summer ever. She's returning to Summertime Chinese Culture, Wellness, and Enrichment Experience (SCCWEE for short and "Squee" to campers in the know), and this year she's a senior camper. That means she; her best friend, Lyrica Chu; and her whole Squad will have the most influence. It almost doesn't matter that her brother is a CIT (counselor-in-training) and that her mom and auntie are the camp directors. Time spent at Squee is sacred, glorious, and free.

On the day Phoenny arrives, though, she learns that the Squad has been split up, and there's an influx of new campers this year. Phoenny is determined to be welcoming and to share all the things she loves about camp--who doesn't love spending hours talking about and engaging in cultural activities? But she quickly learns how out of touch she is with others' experiences, particularly of the campers who are adoptees. The same things that make her feel connected to her culture and community make some of the other campers feel excluded.

Summer at Squee turns out to be even more transformative than Phoenny could've imagined, with new friendships, her first crush, an epic show, and a bigger love for and understanding of her community.

Review Quotes

PRAISE FOR ANDREA WANG:

Summer at Squee

2025 Charlotte Huck Honor Book for Outstanding Fiction for Children
2025 Capitol Choices Award
2025-2026 Golden Dome Book Award List
Read With Jenna Jr Summer Reading List (May 2024)
Children's Book Council (CBC) 2025 Favorites Awards List (Children's favorite, 6th-8th grade)

★ "Blending moxie and grace, this novel is a worthy guide through cultural expansiveness and summer camp antics and angst."
--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A fun summer camp coming-of-age story."
--School Library Journal

"Wang's tightly woven plotting and lively dialogue paint a rich portrait of the ups and downs of middle-school friendships, social awkwardness, and a desperate desire to belong....an excellent companion to Kelly Yang's Front Desk series and Grace Lin's Pacy Lin series."
--The Horn Book

"With light prose and even pacing, Wang (The Many Meanings of Meilan) relays themes of identity, belonging, and acceptance, deftly communicating the feelings of both the senior campers and Squee's newest members without minimizing their plights."
--Publishers Weekly

Watercress, illustrated by Jason Chin

A Caldecott Medal Winner
A Newbery Honor Book

★ "An adept gem of a picture book"
--Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Understated, deep, and heart-rending--bring tissues."
--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A powerful story sure to awaken empathy and ­curiosity."
--School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Affecting."
--The Horn Book, starred review

★ "Delicate and deeply felt."
--BookPage, starred review

★ "A deft exploration of the information and emotion gap between parents, especially immigrant parents, and children."
--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

★ "Powerful poetry and exquisite illustrations."
--Shelf Awareness, starred review

The Many Meanings of Meilan

★ "Wang's resonant middle grade debut features stunning prose and a fierce protagonist."
--Booklist, starred review

★ "Wang's middle grade debut is a ­vibrant exploration of family and identity . . . Meilan's story should be on library shelves everywhere."
--School Library Journal, starred review

"The little girl I was would have been thrilled to encounter Meilan and her many names in a book . . . and having found a character who embraces the complexity of being both Chinese and American, I would have been able to echo her words: 'I am not alone.' "
--New York Times Book Review by Jean Kwok

About the Author

Andrea Wang is the award-winning author of the picture books The Nian Monster (Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor), Magic Ramen (Freeman Book Award Honor), and Watercress (Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor). Her debut middle grade novel is The Many Meanings of Meilan, which was featured on a recommended reading list from TODAY Show Read with Jenna. Andrea likes to write about family, food, and culture. She spent her childhood in Ohio and Boston and now lives in Colorado with her family.