Kids learn to achieve goals in society, but no one is pegged into an ironclad track. Fast forward to the year 2053 when gutsy, twelve-year-old Hana Hsu meets the challenge of her life. Encouraged by her achievement-oriented but grieving family, she competes for a coveted status as a Start-up that will label her as an elite with benefits for life. With a backdrop immersed in Chinese culture, Hana and her teammates are embroiled in a world of implant mesh biowares, artificial intelligence, bots, and genetic codes. She’s astute enough to realize a malicious all-knowing corporation like the I Ching, which controls their society, can disregard not only one’s privacy but endanger their health while ignoring societal problems like climate change. How she deals with a villainous conspiracy is why I highly recommend this science fiction thriller for middle schoolers.

Good sci-fi can be hard to find for the middle grade crowd, but this action packed title will hit the spot!

I'm always bemoaning the lack of sci-fi in middle grade, so it was a real treat to read one as smart and inventive as this one. Living in a tech infused United States three decades in the future, where polar ice caps have melted flooding coastal cities and five corporations control the planet, Hana Hsu is excited to be in the next class of kids to become enmeshed -- or have her brain connected to the multiweb where everyone and everything she could ever want to know is literally just a thought away. But soon she stumbles across a conspiracy and has to decide if it's worth losing everything she loves, and maybe even her life, to unravel the plans and save her fellow students. Kids will want to dive in and get lost in the ultra cool futuristic world created by the author!

So much fun! That’s my assessment of this story and the main character Hana Hsu’s adventures set in a future world of massive corporations, ubiquitous internet access directly through the brain, called enmeshing, and inequality.

Twelve-year old Hana feels left behind. Her mother, an executive in one of the big corps, I Ching, has been working nonstop since the sudden death of her husband a year earlier. Hana’s older sister Lin will soon be enmeshed (all kids are at the age of thirteen), and is totally wrapped up in her friendships and other activities. Hana is isolated at home, and feels that only her grandmother/Popo has time for her. Hana loves spending time with Popo, who seems to be gradually losing her memories.

At Lin’s enmeshing ceremony, it’s announced that all 12-year olds will be attending an accelerated Startup enmeshing program and those who succeed will be enmeshed earlier than the traditional age of 13.

Before beginning Startup, Hana encounters a teen in a rundown area of town who implies that there are things to worry about about Startup. And that not everyone is treated the same as the kids “lucky” enough (i.e., wealthy) to attend Startup.

Almost from the get-go, Hana notices things are a bit weird with Startup, with some kids getting sick, and none of Hana’s efforts to implement aspects of the tech are working for her. She also discovers there is an underground movement called Ghost Crab Nation that is suspicious of the enmeshing technology.

I liked the pacing in this story, as well as how much emphasis was placed on Hana’s emotional growth and resilience as she copes with one new problem as another. She badly wants to be enmeshed 1) so she can reconnect with her preoccupied mother and sister, and 2) so she can begin developing a way to stop Popo’s memory loss.

The focus on friendship and Hana’s loneliness and warmth were perfect. Enmeshing sounds super suspect, never mind the conspiracy Hana and her friends expose that has corporations doing terrible things in the name of doing good in the world.

I expected a number of the story beats before they occurred, but I still really enjoyed this book, which, even though it dealt with some heavy topics, was still centred on friendship.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Young Readers Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

I absolutely loved this! Fun, fast paced, uses common MG tropes in smart new ways. Thrilled to add this to my collection and give it up kids looking for fresh sci-fi adventures.

Thank you to Razorbill and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The year is 2053 and twelve-year-old Hana Hsu cannot wait to get meshed to the multiweb like her mother and older sister. Hana is attending an accelerated session of Start-Up so she can be meshed by the end of summer instead of waiting until she turns thirteen. Popo, Hana’s grandmother, who is not meshed, has dementia. If she was, the tech would repair her brain. Hana hopes by getting meshed early, she will get a good internship that will help her find a treatment for Popo. Hana likes to build automatons, something she used to do with her late father, and frequents the junkyard to find materials. It is there that she meets Ink, who leaves a stolen e-scroll for her to find. This leads to Hana meeting Wayman, a leader of the Ghost Crab Nation, who tells Hana all is not as it seems at Start-Up and to keep an eye out for anything unusual. Soon Hana notices that some of her classmates are getting sick, her tech boosts don’t work, and she wonders if it’s really worth getting meshed after all. Hana finds out that there is a conspiracy between Start-Up and the tech companies that will affect the way the Big 5 corporations (I Ching, Nile, Plex, Maskbook, and Pear) that run the world conduct their business.
This book takes a different perspective than most sci-fi novels. It is also very timely and I do think the target audience will get the Big Tech references. It is a very enjoyable and quick read, with great “what will happen next” aspect. It is meant to be a stand-alone book but hopefully Liu will pen another. I would highly recommend this book for grades 5 and up.
#HanaHsuAndTheGhostCrabNation #NetGalley

HANA HSU AND THE GHOST CRAB NATION is the clever middle grade sci-fi that will have you thinking about the role technology plays in our lives. I loved diving into this futuristic world (2053!) where being ‘enmeshed’ (getting connected to one another via brains to a multi-web) is a thing, and our heroine, Hana Hsu, is on the brink of going through the process with the hopes it will also put her on the same page as her mom and sister—both of whom she feels worlds apart from. I loved Hana’s drive and smarts as she uncovers one secret after the other! There were plenty of twists and turns that kept the pages turning! I adored the diverse cast of characters and the friendships Hana developed throughout. I recommend this to sci-fi readers looking for adventure!

Ready to travel the meta verse? Make sure Hana Hsu is by your side! Sylvia Liu’s exciting sci-fi, Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation, guides readers through a multi-dimensional adventure filled with bold characters, honest emotions, and a playground of high-tech gear. Liu strikes a beautiful balance between enmeshing with technology and holding family traditions close to your heart. In a constantly shifting digital age, this story is exactly what you want on your summer reading list.

I had such a good time reading this book and I really loved getting to know Hana as well as the friends she made. She was funny at the right moments along with sassy and feeling her grief. There was a great balance with the heavy to the light and I'm hoping for another book because I was really enjoying Hana's voice...if Hana's other friends are featured, I would love that too! I think they would make a great series! I'm looking forward to more from Sylvia!

It is 2053 and the majority of the world has been enmeshed—connected to one another through their brains to the multiweb. Twelve-year-old Hana Hsu is envious of her sister Lin as it is nearly her turn to mesh, which means Hana will be the only one in her family left on the outside. Though Hana is a part of the elite Start-Up class, she nonetheless feels separated from her mother and sister, especially in the wake of her Ba’s recent death. Each day introduces Hana to new people who challenge her understanding of her world, making her question everything she initially blindly accepted as reality. As she gets deeper into her training, truths are revealed that require Hana to choose sides in a dangerous battle she never saw coming.

This fast-paced middle grade novel contains elements of several stories that have been incorporated into an entertaining new package. Hana lives in a future that is reliant upon technology, where people and machines work in tandem and frequently intertwine. The effects of global warming are omnipresent, from mentions of a perpetually gray sky to coastal cities buried under feet of water. Within all of this is a corrupt government that claims to have the people’s best interests at heart, but with a little bit of digging, lies and deception become obvious. Bouncing between a physical reality and a game-centered virtual reality, Hana and her companions interact with one another in novel and compelling ways as they get closer to uncovering the secrets they seek.

Fans of high-octane stories like The Hunger Games will fall easily into this similarly dystopian tale. Readers with an interest in massive MMORPG and VR gaming will likewise appreciate the easy incorporation of avatars and gaming tropes that occur in this story. Much like a middle grade interpretation of Ready Player One, this novel emphasizes the fact that the virtual world is just as important as the physical one as complex truths come to light. Realistic predictions of a not-too-distant future make the setting accessible to young readers, especially as Chinese culture and widespread technology are embedded within the plot. Middle grade readers are sure to connect with Hana on an emotional level, as well, as she manages complicated feelings within the context of an exciting and memorable story. This is an excellent addition to library collections for middle grade readers.

This is a dystopian Sci-Fi adventure story. The main character is a girl but this story will appeal to boys and girls. I loved it! It has continuous action that keeps the reader turning the pages. It is a perfect middle grade book for the grades 4-6 crowd. It's like Ready Player One for elementary school. Readers and video game players alike will clamor for this title!

In Hana Hsu and the Ghost Crab Nation, Sylvia Liu masterfully creates a futuristic world that raises real questions about our modern society's values. This action-packed sci-fi adventure is filled with twists and secrets that will keep you on the edge of your seat and turning the pages till you get to the satisfying end!

Loved this one! Lots of action and movement and was unexpectedly incredibly deep. I definitely enjoyed reading it. The style is easy to get into and the plot moves along at a great pace. I loved the characters and their struggles and how all of it felt so very easy to relate to despite being in such an outstandingly detailed new world.

Me reading the end of every single chapter of this book: "Well, I can't stop THERE! Maybe one more page..." (Turns into reading a whole chapter.) "Well I can't stop THERE EITHER! More!"

Hence, I finished this book in less than 3 days, which is really, really fast for me. I couldn't put it down!

Set in a future society where governments have ceded control to four major corporations that now run the world, Hana Hsu is a winning and engaging hero who struggles with age-old issues such as family changes, independence, and changing friendships...all while deciding whether she wants to get hardwired to be plugged into the omnipresent internet. The worldbuilding feels possible and never heavy-handed. I believe this is the first in a series and I can't wait to see where Sylvia Liu takes her characters and what new elements of the world we get to explore!

A non-stop and exciting ride into the future!

This is easily one of the most exciting and fun books I've read this year, not to mention inventive. There are so many elements of our modern society-big corporations, virtual reality, elite programs for students-that this all felt very close to home, despite being set decades into the future.

Hana is such a great main character to follow, and she's complemented so well by a cast of likable and intriguing side characters (shoutout to Ink). Liu's plot and pacing are tight, so there was never a dull moment. Maybe that's why I devoured this sci-fi adventure in two days!!!

Very eager to recommend this book to all my friends, and don't miss out. You'll be glad you took a change on Hana Hsu.

All Hana Hsu ever wanted is for her family to stay whole even after losing Dad and Grandpa.
But when she set out to find that one special piece to complete a very special gift for her big sister, she steps into a world that was always there, but she didn't know to look for.

I loved how quick paced the story was but one of the many things that gave me sparkly dreamy eyes after I finished reading it was the world building. There was so much to see of this near-future sci-fi world and (in my humble opinion) not enough time to see it all.

The mystery is woven in a seamless way that left me with a "oh, right!". The signs were there all along, but I was so invested in Hana I only saw what she wanted to see. Brilliant.

Twelve-year-old Hana Hsu can’t wait until she’s finally old enough to get “meshed”—have her brain wirelessly connected to the multiweb. When her neural connection is activated next year, Hana will gain instant access to all known information and be able to communicate brain-to-brain with others who have been meshed. Best of all, Hana believes the procedure will allow her to re-connect with her mom and older sister, Lin—IRL.

Both have been distant and distracted in the year since Hana’s beloved dad died. Hana’s mom has been busy with her high-powered biotech job at I Ching, one of the world’s Big Five Corporations that essentially control society. Thirteen-year-old Lin just finished Start-Up, a competitive, one-year program that molds high achievers into the next generation of corporate leaders. After the excitement of Enmeshment Day, who can blame Lin for diving into the multiweb with her BFF?

Meanwhile, Popo—Hana’s loving maternal grandmother—is showing signs of dementia. This is no longer a problem for older adults who are meshed because their brains repair automatically. But Popo, who did her doctoral thesis on the effects of electromagnetic radiation on the meshed brain, felt the risks outweighed the benefits.

When Hana begins Start-Up, the program is undergoing several changes. Her enmeshment class will be the first to be fast-tracked but, in another twist, only half will succeed and become “meshed” early. For Hana, failure is unthinkable. Not only is she hungry for attention and approval from her mom and sister, she desperately wants to find a cure for dementia and help Popo. Those opportunities begin with Start-Up success, which provides its graduates with a lasting, artificial boost in intelligence, strength or sensory perception and entrance to the best jobs.

But Hana struggles in the program after her tech continues to mysteriously fail. When her new friends fall ill, she vows to discover why and help them. Although Hana regularly scavenges the junkyard for materials to make her small, wind-up automatons, her sleuthing takes her farther into the Bottoms than she’s ever gone. In the sprawling, congested neighborhood of tin-roofed shacks, kids still shoot hoops with actual hoops and balls and connect to the multiweb through untraceable, illicit-market implants. Hana finds friends there, including an old man who teaches her the ancient practice of Qigong.

As Hana discovers the mysterious Ghost Crab Nation, her investigation turns more dangerous, and she begins questioning everything—including what she’s always believed about her society and even her own family.

In her debut middle grade novel, Sylvia Liu has crafted a thrilling STEAM adventure in a not-so-distant future America. It’s 2053, 24 years after the Infotech War that Hana’s mother says took the life of her father (Popo’s husband and Hana and Lin’s grandfather), who was part of the AntiTech movement. After the war, national boundaries blurred and traditional governments lost power.

Hana and her family are Chinese-American, living in Old Virginia, but thanks to I Ching’s dominance, the world has embraced Chinese food and culture. (It’s a far cry from the 1990s, when classmates teased Popo for her homemade lunches.)

Readers will enjoy Liu’s skillful and clever worldbuilding. (Besides I Ching, the Top Five Corporations include Nile, Plex, Maskbook, and Pear.) People working from home send holograms to the office in their place. At school, virtual reality rules, lockers open with a wristband, and nurse bots staff the infirmary. Ads are ubiquitous: Scrolling across glass buildings and drifting billboards and even inside brains. Glance at the mayor, for example, and you can learn what hair product and bronzer he used.

Global warming continues to be a threat. (Only the super-rich can afford to waste water with a bath.) Liu sprinkles digital news briefs through the story, providing a fascinating and chilling look at this new world. Some things remain the same, though: “dead-tree books” (although an anomaly), a grandmother’s delicious, homemade dumplings, a sister taking time to braid her little sis’ hair, and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

Liu’s entertaining novel isn’t a call to abandon technology, but it will encourage readers to think about the role tech plays in their lives—in all our lives—and is sure to spark lively discussions. Hana is a smart and likeable protagonist, surrounded by a diverse cast of friends and family who challenge and support her. The Start-Up mystery drives the plot, but this novel isn’t all flying cars (as cool as that is). As Hana faces her grief and loneliness, she slowly learns how to connect deeply with others—IRL.

**Posting date: May 20, 2022
Publication date: Jun 21, 2022 by Sylvia Liu, Penguin Young Readers Group

My Thoughts:
This is an exciting beat the clock and the bad guys middle grades science fiction #AAPI adventure. Hana canʻt wait to turn 13 so she can get enmeshed with the webverse and finally get closer to her older sister Lina and her mom who never seems to have any time for Hana after her father died.

Hana is a curious 12 year old who loves to make automatons by looking for spare parts at the dump. It is something that she learned from her grandmother and her father. But now that her father is gone and her Popo (grandmother) seems to be losing her memory, Hana feels lonely and misunderstood.

She meets new friends in the Start-Up school, but a tattooed hacker, Ink, who she meets at the dump opens up a new vision of technology, secret experiments and corporate power grabs. Are all the adults hiding secrets or is Hana paranoid now? Who can she trust?

This book will keep readers hooked. If they like this book, offer the graphic novel In Real Life: IRL by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang, or even the indigenous YA sci fi Walking in Two Worlds by Wab Kinew. And of course, if they have not read or watched it, the original reality versus web fantasy is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline and Marie Luʻs duology Warcross and Wildcard.

From the Publisher:

Perfect for fans of Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee, this thrilling, cinematic sci-fi novel follows Hana Hsu’s mission to save herself—and her friends—from a dangerous plot to control their minds.

Hana Hsu can’t wait to be meshed.

If she can beat out half her classmates at Start-Up, a tech school for the city’s most talented twelve-year-olds, she’ll be meshed to the multiweb through a neural implant like her mom and sister. But the competition is fierce, and when her passion for tinkering with bots gets her mixed up with dangerous junkyard rebels, she knows her future in the program is at risk.

Even scarier, she starts to notice that something’s not right at Start-Up—some of her friends are getting sick, and no matter what she does, her tech never seems to work right. With an ominous warning from her grandmother about being meshed, Hana begins to wonder if getting the implant early is really a good idea.

Desperate to figure out what’s going on, Hana and her friends find themselves spying on one of the most powerful corporations in the country—and the answers about the mystery at Start-Up could be closer to home than Hana’s willing to accept. Will she be able to save her friends—and herself— from a conspiracy that threatens everything she knows?

HANA HSU is an exciting sci-fi, futuristic adventure, full of well imagined details and impressive world-building that brings the story to life for the reader. I loved the suspenseful plot, the action scenes, the envisioning of a not-so-distant future in which everyone is meshed once they turn 13. Most of all, the characters are fully fleshed; the emotional connections among Hana and her family are what really kept me turning the pages. Highly recommend!

Wow! So much scary truth and realizations about how “connected” we are to the internet!
Hana Hsu doesn’t really know what she’s getting into other than knowing this is what kids her age are suppose to do.
Many things become uncovered and secrets are revealed in this sci-if dystopian novel that middle grade readers will enjoy.