Shui dī shí chuān.
“If you are persistent, you can overcome anything.”

E.L. Shen’s The Comeback is a wonderfully written middle grade debut exploring the complexities of what it is like to be a 12 year-old athlete trying to navigate sports, school, identity issues, home life, friends and everything else.

You remember middle school, right? The ups and downs? The friends who find new friends, the bullying, the cliques? It can be the best of times and the worst of times and we encounter this with main character, Maxine Chen who’s passion for competitive skating is her primary focus. She is putting in the work and it shows until she begins to be the target of racial discrimination and bullying at school by classmates and a former friend. It is the. that things begin to unravel. Not only is she silently suffering at school but we see Maxine grapple with her identity and self-image. That is until she meets Hollie, forms an unlikely bond and ultimately learns to defend herself and walk into a new level of confidence. A transition that lends to learning to love and accept herself and her heritage fully.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review!

Maxine Chen is in many ways a typical 12 year old. She attends sixth grade at her local middle school, is navigating changing friendships, schoolwork and overly attentive parents. But she's hiding a secret: she is being targeted by a racist bully. She knows that if her mom finds out, the social fallout will be huge, so she keeps the hurtful insults to herself. On top of all this, Max is a competitive ice skater who just found out that the new transplant from Virginia, Hollie, can do higher jumps on the rink and better plies in the dance studio. Talk about pressure. Help is coming for Maxine, though, from the last place she expects.

I really enjoyed E.L. Shen's debut about racism, friendships from strange places and pursuing a dream. The references to ice skaters from the recent past were so fun to read, and I know that my students who love all that is ice skating and the Olympics will eat this one up! I really enjoyed Shen's easy writing style, well-suited to younger middle graders as well as those older. I hope to read many more from her!

Highly recommend this one for kids in grades 3 and up.

Thank you to the author and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and the author for an early copy to review.

**Thank you to NetGalley, author E. L. Shen, and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (BYR) for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

4.75/5

This own-voice, middle-grade novel is an intricate maze of growing up, developing skills, experiencing life, and standing up to those who try to put others down.

I could not put this story down and ended up reading it in one sitting. From the beginning, I was invested in Maxine's story and her interest in figure skating. She holds onto this dream of being a champion, even an Olympic, skater even in the toughest times of her skating career, but she is also realistic with her abilities and the goals she wants to accomplish. This was a great mix of determination and self-understanding. Maxine knows where she wants to be with her skating, but she also knows that day is still a few years into the future.

Maxine's character development was really dynamic and engaging to follow throughout the story, as well. Shen's use of the champion skaters to support Maxine (in her imagination) was really unique and I thought this added an element to the story that really emphasized Maxine's commitment and dedication to the sport.

Maxine fought many battles in this story, both in skating and in school. Reading about how she develops and grows from each challenge was really inspiring and I think this book teaches some good lessons for middle-grade-aged readers. *The analogy that Maxine's mom shares about trees growing at different paces is something that I think every person should hear and apply to their lives.*

Initially, there were a few phrasings that I didn't love. One example of this was when the ballet coach tells Maxine that the move she is struggling to execute "See...Not that difficult!" This rubbed me the wrong way because this is not something that should be said to someone who is struggling with something, but after thinking more about it, I feel like it captured yet another struggle that Maxine was faced with. It is frustrating to read, but I think it shows the ignorance of how individuals can think they are doing something positive when it can actually be pretty harmful.

I am definitely looking forward to recommending this book to middle-grade readers in the future, and I am very excited to see the final edition.

Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, and Racism

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for this digital ARC.

The plot of The Comeback reads like an 80's movie--in the best way! This is the story of Maxine Chen: a 12 year old sixth grader, a competitive skater, and one of the only Chinese people in her town. She works hard at practice, enjoys her friends, and does normal preteen stuff like watch YouTube make-up tutorials. But Maxine has to contend with a bully, a racist bully. While she works to keep his racist comments a secret, she also tries to alter her looks to make herself appear less Chinese. At the same time, the new girl in town is a better skater than Maxine. All of this adds up to more pain than a 12 year old should have to deal with. With the right amount of tension and triumph, this book had me feeling all the excitement and horror right alongside Maxine.

12 year old Maxine is an aspiring Olympic figure skater. She longs to be like her heroes Michelle Kwan and Kim Yuna. In addition to her budding figure skating career, she is also a normal teenage girl who is dealing with middle school bullies, dissolving friendships, and identity issues. But when she's on the ice, all of that fades away.

This was such a great middle grade read! It reminded me a lot of A Good Kind of Trouble in that it's a pretty wholesome book that captures middle school life, but it also touches on social issues as well. I found Maxine's character endearing, and very relatable. I also loved the portrayal of her parents and how supportive they were of her. Her dad belting out "Grease Lightening" on the way to her competition was my favorite! I think every young middle school student would like this novel!

Maxine Chen is a competitive figure skater who is dealing with challenges on and off the ice. There is a new skater at the rink who is really good and seems like she will be tough competition. At school, Maxine is facing racism and bullying from a classmate. In addition to giving insight into the sport of ice-skating, there are relevant and timely themes.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for review.

How refreshing to read a middle grade novel that doesn't dumb down emotions or racial profiling and can still be hopeful and informative. To have a strong female protagonist with flaws is a bonus.

Maxine skates and has her eye on an Olympic medal. She'll take a while to get there, so in the meantime, she practices hard, keeps up her school work, and deals with lost friendships and school bullies.

When she meets Hollie, a new skater in town who is almost perfect, Maxine is not looking for a friend. Who is this superstar here to compete?

When Maxine gets to know Hollie, she finds a friend. And while Maxine's parents throw every extra dollar at costumes and coaching, they still know there is more to life than at the rink. Hollie's mom is pushing for the best of the best, even if that means homeschooling to be on the rink more.

Not only a story in racism and school bullies, it's also a story of perseverance and learning the grass is not always greener in the other yard.

Recommend for grades 3 and up.

With thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an early copy in return for an honest review.

There were many things I enjoyed about E.L. Shen's OwnVoices Middle Grades debut, The Comeback. I loved the setting of the book and by the time I was finished reading I wanted to visit Lake Placid, NY. I also thought Shen did a wonderful job navigating friendships, racism, and the pressure many kids can feel related to their sports or other pursuits. I also appreciated the uniqueness of the sport represented in the book as I don't believe I've seen many MG books about ice skating. Will definitely be recommending this book to students.

Great debut novel from own voices author, E.L. Shen. The story moved well and made sense, even though I have little ice skating knowledge. I liked how it touched on racism, bullying, and friendship.

If you’ve been following along for awhile, you’ll already know that one of my favorite places in the world is Lake Placid, NY. One weekend I was scrolling through Instagram (as one does) and my favorite independent bookstore, The Bookstore Plus, shared a story from author E.L. Shen with her new novel, The Comeback. She was sharing photos of it in the place it’s set: Lake Placid! I immediately knew I had to have it and after reading it, I can’t recommend it enough for readers of all ages.

Synopsis: “Twelve-year-old Maxine Chen is just trying to nail that perfect landing: on the ice, in middle school, and at home, where her parents worry that competitive skating is too much pressure for a budding tween. Maxine isn’t concerned, however―she’s determined to glide to victory. But then a bully at school starts teasing Maxine for her Chinese heritage, leaving her stunned and speechless. And at the rink, she finds herself up against a stellar new skater named Hollie, whose grace and skill threaten to edge Maxine out of the competition. With everything she knows on uneven ice, will Maxine crash under the pressure? Or can she power her way to a comeback? Set in Lake Placid, New York, this is a spunky yet stirring middle-grade story that examines racism, female rivalry and friendship, and the enduring and universal necessity of love and support.”

What I Liked:

The Setting—Like I already said, I love Lake Placid! I haven’t been able to find a lot of book set there so when I find one, I hold on tight! I think this did a great job of bringing us into the history and pressure of the town while still bringing us a little of that Olympic magic.

The Commentary on Female Competition—I loved the main character, Maxine’s, growth as a competitor and as a young woman in this book. We explore the natural feelings of jealousy with fellow skaters but we also get to see her find her footing in friendships with these skaters as well. There is a very special moment with an older skater that I think really showcases women supporting women that really stuck out to me. Not only does Maxine idolize this older skater because she shows her it’s possible to lift up fellow athletes, she also shows Maxine that she is perfect just the way she is.

The Own Voices Narrative—E.L. Shen writes unapologetically about the targeted racism Maxine receives from a boy in her 6th grade class at an overwhelmingly white school. While I loved seeing Maxine’s confidence grow and her ability to “handle it” herself, I was very happy to read that the boy was held responsible for his actions.

What Didn’t Work:

Nothing! I would have loved this book just as much at 12 as I did at 28!

TW/CW: Racism, bullying, derogatory language

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Steam Rating: N/A Overall Rating: 5/5

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Maxine has dreams of becoming an Olympic figure skater. Currently, she navigates seventh grade with a friend who has suddenly dropped her for the boy who constantly makes racist remarks about Maxine's Asian heritage while attending skating and ballet practices almost daily. While preparing for regionals, a new student joins Maxine at the rink and the two become friends.

The book is a sweet middle grade novel about being proud of who you are and standing up for yourself.

I have always believed figure skaters should be superheroes. How they can glide on top of ice, have the bravery to launch themselves into the air. The Comeback was an incredibly emotional story for me as a Chinese-American. Both Maxine and I grew up in mostly white neighborhoods and while the racism she encountered is worse than I did, my heart went out to her. The ways we are supposed to shrug off the jokes. That silent moment after the joke where amidst the laughter, we pause.

So many experiences within the book (like double eyelid tape) could have been taken straight out of my childhood. The ways that people assume you're good at math? All of it. The Comeback was a charming story about skating and friendship. While also being a story about a person's comeback. About finding the right retort. It is tempting to want to lash out, to make them feel the sting of our words. But what we each have to learn is that feeling is temporary. That to concentrate on ourselves, our success and dreams, is the ultimate comeback.

Meet Maxine Chen: 12 year-old aspiring ice skater, Chinese-American, sassy and classy. Things are going pretty great for Maxine--her ice skating is improving each day and she can practically taste her Olympic future. Plus, she’s always got her ride-or-die best friend by her side. But when Maxine’s white classmate starts slinging racist insults at her, Maxine feels totally alone. As the bullying increases, the chasm between Maxine and her best friend widens; Maxine finds herself getting closer to Hollie, a new skater in town, and this new friendship just might help her find her voice.

The Comeback is a charming, heart-warming middle grade novel that deals with so many complicated themes. As Maxine becomes the target of bullying because of her Chinese-American heritage, she finds herself struggling with her own internalized racism. Maxine feels out of place in her mostly-white town of Lake Placid, and is even tempted to change her appearance in order to look more like her white classmates. This is an experience that I know so many young readers will relate to. E.L. Shen presents these complicated, heavy conversations around racism and bullying in a thoughtful way that works perfectly for the age range for this book.

This is a coming of age novel that is very much about growing up and watching your friendships change. Throughout the novel, Maxine watches as a longtime friendship begins to shift. Her best friend becomes friendly with Maxine’s bully and is reluctant to stand up for Maxine, which creates a rift between the two throughout the book. Maxine has to process this change in her friendship dynamic while also learning to make space for a new friend, Hollie, whom she meets at the skating rink. I love stories about friendship growing pains and learning to let go of old friendships and making room for new ones; The Comeback tackles this so beautifully. While Maxine struggles to let go of her former best friend and open up to Hollie, she finds that this new friendship gives her the strength and inspiration that she needs.

Maxine is a lovable, relatable character who is struggling with very real things. I think she’s a character that many young readers will see themselves in, and I especially loved that she had a big dose of sass and wit! Hollie was an important addition to the story, and I loved that she has a very different experience than Maxine: Hollie is white and is homeschooled in order to train for skating, while Maxine still goes to public school. Hollie also struggles with familial pressure in a way that Maxine doesn’t. These two characters are deeply different and the juxtaposition makes for an unlikely yet heartwarming friendship.

Debut author E.L. Shen has definitely won me over with The Comeback. Maxine’s voice feels so real and the novel was utterly heartwarming. Shen’s writing is engaging, funny, and authentic in a way that will hook middle grade readers of all ages. I found the pacing to be spot-on, and I didn’t want Maxine’s story to end. One of my favorite aspects of the story was how much Maxine looks up to the Asian-American ice skaters who’ve come before her--this felt like a love letter to honor those skaters and to continue their legacy.

You can bet I’ll be keeping my eye out for future middle grade releases from E.L. Shen. I’ll be recommending The Comeback to readers who enjoyed Ana on the Edge by A.J. Sass, Not Your All-American Girl by Wendy Wan-Long Shang & Madelyn Rosenberg, and American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar. This was my first middle grade read of 2021, and I couldn’t have picked a better one to start the year with.

Kristi Yamaguchi. Michelle Kwan. Nathan Shen. Names like those evoke images of grace, strength, and artistry on the ice. Figure skaters are incredible athletes and I loved the way this book showcased the discipline and dedication young skaters embrace. Maxine truly loves skating and her parents support her while encouraging balance in her life. The competitive side of skating is evident and we watch Maxine mature in her attitudes toward the skaters who are both her teammates and competition. Despite all the positives in her life, the microaggressions she faces from a classmate come quite close to undoing her progress in her training. What a poignant reminder of the power of negative words and actions. When the pattern of discrimination is brought to light the school deals with it firmly and Maxine's parents refrain from playing the victim card. She is strong and has reinforcements all around beginning with her parents and including all the skaters who have gone before her and have Asian roots. This book made me long for the Winter Olympics. Looking forward to 2022!

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC digital copy. I have not been compensated for my opinion and this is an honest review.

Thoroughly enjoyable book about the trials of middle school made even more difficult by looking different than others in one's community. The bullying situation was written authentically and handled well. Without giving away spoilers, I will say I was pleased with the ending.

Being a librarian myself, I appreciated the history teacher's line of "We'll be working with the librarian on best research practices." Thank you, EL Shen, for promoting our profession!

Topics include: Asian culture, own voices, figure skating, racism, bullying, friendship, family.

There are so many things I enjoyed about The Comeback -- the setting, the friendship between Maxine and Hollie, and Maxine's relationship with her parents, to name a few. I especially loved the behind-the-scenes look at ice-skating competitions.

My only concern with the bullying subplot is how long Maxine waited to get help from the adults in her life. My own middle-grade reader had her own bully a couple of years ago, and she thought she needed to handle it on her own. I think this book is a great conversation starter!

This is going to be great for those that are interested in reading books about figure skating while also reading narratives that discuss marginalized groups and racism. Thank to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All thoughts are my own.

The Comeback: A Figuring Skating Novel follows the skating experience of Maxine Chen as she trains and competes to make it to sectionals, nationals, and then the Olympics. This book has trigger warnings for racism, the use of racial slur on page, bullying. I was ultimately surprised at how heavy this middle grade book got at times. It tackles topics like racism, bullying, and even the ups and downs associated with childhood relationships. Maxine goes through some ups and downs related to her friendships but finds solace in a person that she finds herself not liking at first.

While the novel does focus on the technical aspects of Maxine's skating career, Shen does a great job writing this novel in a way that will appeal to all readers even if they aren't fully immersed into the world of figure skating. One of my favorite parts of this books was seeing the support that Maxine receives from her parents especially in contrast to another character that may not have had the same amount of support. Quite often parents of athletic children get a bad reputation for putting too much pressure on the children to excel in the sport. Maxine's parents are the complete opposite. They are most focused on Maxine taking breaks when necessary and having fun like other children her age. They provide her with the support whether she does well or not during training or competitions. And I also loved that they promoted healthy eating. I know that in certain sports people become obsessed with maintaining smaller bodies to the point that it becomes unhealthy. Maxine's parents promote healthy wholesome eating on page.

This book heavily focuses on bullying in the form of racism. Maxine lives in a town where she is one of the only people of color and while no one in the town seems to directly say anything, it is something that Maxine is constantly reminded of how she is different. It takes a lot of encouragement from a friend and her parents to overcome severe bullying that she faces at the hands on one student at school. And while I thought that this was going to be easily resolved, Shen definitely adds several layers that mold Maxine into a mature young adult capable of being the bigger person. Once again, Maxine's parents are present to assist her with understanding how racism has also impacted their lives. This is particularly important to me because while I may not experience racism in the same way, I know that this is a conversation that I will also have to have with my daughter.

Overall, I thought that this was a great middle grade novel with great conversations. I'm extremely interested in seeing what else this author writes in the future. In fact, I would love to see another that focuses on what happens to Maxine in the future.

A charming and honest look at middle school through the eyes of a young student athlete. Maxine dreams of figure skating in the Olympics, but it's not always a fun journey. There's lots of balancing her school work, some jealousy with more talented competitors, and the challenges that can come with being a person of color in a not-very-diverse town and thus becomes the victim of bullying. I read this entire book in one sitting and was rooting for Max every step of the way!

The Comeback by E.L. Shen is an engaging middle-grade read. Maxine Chen is a competitive skater dealing with a bully at school making racist remarks and a new skater at the rink who is much better than her. This #ownvoices story will appeal to my students who love sports stories and those who love friendship stories.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The plotline is pretty basic, but I love that this is a sports story with a female protagonist who struggles with more than just her sport. The protag grows so much over the course of the story; her perceptions about her parents, get friends, and herself completely change. I would have loved reading this as a kid during my obsession with Ice Princess. The illustrations are adorable. This is a quick read, good for reluctant readers.