I was recently introduced to “Cilla Lee-Jenkins: Future Author Extraordinaire” by a sweet 9 year old girl who wrote to me, asking me to please add her favorite book series onto my website.  Boy, am I so glad she recommended this book to me!

Susan Tan writes a humorous story about 7 year old Priscilla “Cilla” Lee-Jenkins, who is extremely unhappy about the upcoming arrival of a baby sister and works diligently on becoming a best-selling author so her thunder isn’t stolen when the baby is born.  Cilla’s family has an interesting dynamic because not only is she half Chinese and half Caucasian, but both sets of grandparents, who don’t interact with each other…at all, play a huge role in helping to raise her. It’s a lovely representation of the African proverb: “It takes a village to raise a child.”

Although it’s tempting to compare Cilla with the classic “Ramona” series, Tan takes her protagonist to another level. She manages a skilled balance between fun and serious, going from common childhood problems like not wanting a baby sister or having a falling out with a BFF to dealing with racial ignorance or the struggle of growing up biculturally.

For children, it’s a funny and engaging story with plenty of teachable moments. But as a parent reading this book, I can’t tell you how many times my heart was moved, in particular with the special relationship Cilla has with each grandparent. There’s a real focus on family and the diverse needs that are met by each member, even the new baby sister.

It’s a wonderful read for elementary age kids (though my 6^th grader is enjoying it now). I can’t thank my new friend, Sophia, enough for recommending this series to me and I really look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!