Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Kids who love gaming will find a lot to love in this action-filled story of the Chu siblings, who need to get past their ongoing sibling rivalry so they can help new and old friends - and themselves - escape from inside a virtual reality laser tag game.. The game plot is very fun, and the story is enriched by the challenging relationship between Sadie and Clip and their family dynamics at home.

I loved this book! This story was SO much fun, emotional, educational, and everything all in one. I love all stories with VR or VR like gaming, laser tag, and gaming in general, and sibling and family stories are the best too.
This story is about Clip and Sadie - brother and sister and how they're both very competitive and want to prove themselves to each other and prove that they can do anything the other can do or that they want to do. They both have an extreme love of laser tag, so they both get super excited when the Blackwood Gaming Arena comes to their town.
When both of them and their group of friends go to the new gaming place with the VR headsets and laser tag they see a mysterious figure in the game that claims to be part of it, but they find themselves suspicious of this figure at first and then they find themselves on a quest in the game. They have to find and figure things out relating to/with this mysterious figure and discover if they can work together to figure things out or not. This is a super fun story that teaches about teamwork, friends, family, and figuring things out. I would recommend this to anyone who loves Middle-Grade fantasy, gaming fiction, or the like. I'm excited for the next book in this series and to see what happens with Clip, Sadie, and their friends next.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for letting me read and review this awesome story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a fun jumanji/legend of the hidden temple-esque book! I loved the sibling dynamic so much, especially since this was a middle grade book and we don't tend to get insight into somewhat complicated sibling relationships ESPECIALLY in asian households too often. I thought the sibling rivalry was done so well, especially because you could see they just wanted each other's approval.

Obviously, the family relationships were my favorite part of the book, especially when it came to having to deal with parental expectations and deeply implanted gender roles and having to navigate and unlearn that. It was really well done in this book even though the primary focus was the video game plot.

The plot itself was really fun and fast paced. I loved the laser tag setting a lot! I don't think there was any huge plot twist, but I enjoyed the little bits of mystery and drama that kept the plot fast paced and fun. Overall, I really enjoyed this and would definitely recommend it!

Clip and Sadie Chu are siblings just eighteen months apart. They are different as can be, with Clip excelling at athletics and Sadie starring at academics, and they bicker all the time. The one interest they do share is laser tag. When the new Blackwood Gaming Arena opens complete with state of the art laser tag courses, their rivalry steps up a notch as the pair compete for the opportunity to compete on a reality game show on the network run by Blackwood’s parent company. Things take an unexpected turn when Clip and Sadie encounter Tom, a mysterious figure who claims to be stuck in the game and asks for their help escaping it. The pair soon find themselves pulled into the game along with their friends. The Chus will need to figure out a way to work together if they want to find their way back out of the game. Readers who are game fans will love the twists and turns of this action packed story. The sibling rivalry tones ring true and will be relatable for many readers. With chapters told from the alternating perspectives of Clip and Sadie, readers are able to see both of their points of view as the action progresses. This is a creative and engaging story that will be a big hit with middle grade gaming and adventure fans.

I enjoyed this story and the dual perspective of these siblings and their rivalry...honestly, I felt like I was reading my sister & I (I'm the oldest). I understood both of their perspectives and could empathize with them at times. I also loved their friends as well and how they support each other. I hope we get more of them in the future.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus, & Giroux and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Clip and Sadie are brother and sister, eighteen months apart in age but miles apart in interests. Like most siblings, they constantly squabble. Clip excels in soccer and Sadie does very well in school but both kids LOVE laser tag and are super competitive! When the new Blackwood Arena opened, the siblings and their friends were there opening night. But during one of the games, Sadie sees and talks to a boy, Tom, who offers to help her in exchange for helping him. Sadie isn’t sure if he is real or an NPC (non-player character). Clip sees Tom another time and accepts his help so that he can beat his sister at the game. But Tom isn’t an NPC and Clip finds himself in a predicament from which he isn’t sure he can escape.

These types of books are becoming more and more popular. This book reminded me a lot of the movie version of Jumanji, especially the Dwayne Johnson version. It is fast-paced, has relatively short chapters, and is told in alternating point-of-view. I think this book will be very popular. According to the author, this isn’t the last we’ll see of Team Chu! I highly recommend this title for grades 4 and up.

#TeamChuAndTheBattleOfBlackwoodArena #NetGalley

The only thing Sadie and Clip Chu seem to agree on is that laser tag is the best game ever, so when a new arena opens nearby, they are excited to play. When they get pulled into the game, they have to work together to find their way out.

Perfect for middle grade readers with its heavy gaming influence and sibling rivalry, but I had fun as an older reader with the homages to adventure shows and games like Legends of the Hidden Temple and Pitfall. The pacing was perfect for the story, it never felt like it dragged on, but didn't whip by in a flash either. The characters are all realistic middle schoolish children, with the conflict resolutions to match, but it never grated on me like it does with other characters. Their jealousy and rivalry is perfectly kept at a child level, and when they need to step up, it's not as if an adult suddenly starts speaking. Writing children can be difficult but Dao executed it perfectly to make a fun and approachable novel about how strong a sibling bond can be.

Loved this fun adventure-scifi-mystery story about two laser tag-loving siblings. Sadie and Clip are opposites, but as Sadie's laser tag skills improve, Clip resents her moving into his territory. Sadie just wants her big brother to show her a little respect. But they will have to learn to cooperate when they get pulled inside a laser tag game at the new arena, if they ever want to get back out.
What I loved: Vietnamese culture and foods! A group of friends who could include soccer stars and fantasy nerds. Sadie standing up for herself to her grandmother, who actually listens to Sadie and pays attention. Clip reflecting on his own sportsmanship and learning to be a stronger leader not by being the best, but by playing with his team.
The action was easy to follow, and kids who love gaming will enjoy this adventure, the dual POV, and the hint of more to come in this new series!

This book was so fun! Middle graders will love it, has a bit of everything or everyone. The sibling dynamic was so realistic it elevated the read for me. Each game so full of adventure with such a variety of fun that it made you wish you could play too. Fully engrosses the reader in the book, younger readers won't be able to put it down!

This was a really fun, exciting adventure for middle grade! Lots of fun, a little scary and a great story about the power of family and the relationships within siblings and how hard it can be to compare to each other!

Am incredibly exciting and fun read, this book will appeal to a wide variety of middle grade readers- those who love gaming, who are interesting in sci-fi and mysteries, and those who love insightful family stories. Fast-paced and engrossing, I highly recommend this title.