sandraagee's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this audiobook, and the narration was sooo good - just pitch perfect. It's one of those audiobooks that I can almost imagine that I'd prefer to listen to it read aloud than to read it myself. Maybe I'll test that theory somewhere down the line.
But I really love Millicent's sharp narration and her absolutely perfect word choice - just enough big words to remind us that she's a genius, but with plenty of average-kid cynicism and cluelessness. Excellent balance between the two.
But I really love Millicent's sharp narration and her absolutely perfect word choice - just enough big words to remind us that she's a genius, but with plenty of average-kid cynicism and cluelessness. Excellent balance between the two.
ficklefever's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know what other way to say it, but I love this book. This book is the reason I wanted to become a writer when I was ten years old. It's the reason I still want to become a writer. Looking back now, MILLICENT MIN isn't exactly phenomenal or ground-breaking, but it does hold a special place in my heart as the first book that really changed my view on the literary world.
Millicent was the perfect protagonist. A child prodigy who's even been on Jay Leno (I loved the "resume" section so much), she's never known the affection and company of a true friend--until Emily. Then there's Stanford, the poster boy for idiocy, according to Millicent. A shame to Chinese kids everywhere or something like that. These three characters make up the best trio in my entire childhood of books--and trust me, there were a lot. Each character stood on their own, but together they were a trifecta of hilarity, poignancy, and general awesomeness.
My review is hardly anything to be proud of and really does a horrible job of conveying how I feel about this book, but I recommend it to anybody, middle grade or not.
Millicent was the perfect protagonist. A child prodigy who's even been on Jay Leno (I loved the "resume" section so much), she's never known the affection and company of a true friend--until Emily. Then there's Stanford, the poster boy for idiocy, according to Millicent. A shame to Chinese kids everywhere or something like that. These three characters make up the best trio in my entire childhood of books--and trust me, there were a lot. Each character stood on their own, but together they were a trifecta of hilarity, poignancy, and general awesomeness.
My review is hardly anything to be proud of and really does a horrible job of conveying how I feel about this book, but I recommend it to anybody, middle grade or not.
caitiep92's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
3.0
katrinky's review against another edition
4.0
loved it. love the things you know that Millie doesn't yet. love the natural way Yee has her mature over the summer; it felt very true. love the depictions of the lives of all the grownups, who each got more thoughtful attention than parents usually do in books for and about this age. definitely recommend.
somewheregirl7's review against another edition
3.0
Millicent Min is graduating highschool at 12. She's a certified genius and as socially adept as your average earth worm. In fact, Millie's only friend is her grandmother, Maddy. Then her mom enrolls her in volleyball for the summer and Millie is forced to tutor her grandmother's friend's son, Stanford - the idiot. At volleyball Millie meets Emily, the new girl in town and the two hit it off. Except Emily has no idea Millie is a genius and not a regular girl. Millie tries desperately to keep her secret so she can have at least one friend her own age.
This was an impulse read for me. Not my usual thing but I thought I'd give it a chance. There were a few cute moments and the characters were quirky and interesting. I felt like this was a book in search of a plot however, and it rambled along quite a bit. Overall not a bad read, just not one of the greats.
This was an impulse read for me. Not my usual thing but I thought I'd give it a chance. There were a few cute moments and the characters were quirky and interesting. I felt like this was a book in search of a plot however, and it rambled along quite a bit. Overall not a bad read, just not one of the greats.
ikuo1000's review
4.0
I picked up this book because of my interest in diverse books, especially for children. The main character is an 11-year-old girl who happens to be Chinese. Race is not a central issue of the book, but Chinese-ness does make occasional appearances. (I found it interesting, perhaps even a little disappointing, that Millicent did not call her grandmother by any of the typical Chinese words for grandmother.)
For the first few chapters, I felt uneasy. Millicent Min is a child genius, an 11-year-old who is just finishing up her junior year in high school. Each chapter is a journal entry, and Millicent's voice is both informal and pedantic, making for great humor. The first-person narration, however, is unreliable; Millicent seems unaware that other students treat her poorly, yet the reader sees the situation more clearly. I felt bad for Millicent, and wondered if other readers might laugh at her, just like her classmates. As the book progressed, though, Millicent became much more self-aware, her character more likable (she reminded me of the endearing Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory), and the uneasiness lifted.
Heading into the book, I was also concerned that a Chinese child genius might feed too much into the model minority stereotype of all Chinese students being academically successful. This may have been true, but I think the other non-stereotypical Chinese characters more than balanced it out. Millicent tutors Stanford Wong, a Chinese boy who is a jock and not at all academically oriented; her parents are laid back and goofy, the opposite of tiger parents; her grandmother does have an interest in Feng Shui, but otherwise her grandparents were known mostly for being community activists.
Mostly this book is about Millicent trying to figure out where she belongs, and how that sense of belonging relates to happiness. There is a very meaningful thread about the loss of a grandparent, perhaps making this book a relatable option for someone who has experienced the same.
I have to admit that both Stanford and Emily (Millicent's best friend) had to grow on me, but in the end they won me over - Stanford by growing as a character, and Emily by being loyal and just the kind of friend Millicent needed.
For the first few chapters, I felt uneasy. Millicent Min is a child genius, an 11-year-old who is just finishing up her junior year in high school. Each chapter is a journal entry, and Millicent's voice is both informal and pedantic, making for great humor. The first-person narration, however, is unreliable; Millicent seems unaware that other students treat her poorly, yet the reader sees the situation more clearly. I felt bad for Millicent, and wondered if other readers might laugh at her, just like her classmates. As the book progressed, though, Millicent became much more self-aware, her character more likable (she reminded me of the endearing Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory), and the uneasiness lifted.
Heading into the book, I was also concerned that a Chinese child genius might feed too much into the model minority stereotype of all Chinese students being academically successful. This may have been true, but I think the other non-stereotypical Chinese characters more than balanced it out. Millicent tutors Stanford Wong, a Chinese boy who is a jock and not at all academically oriented; her parents are laid back and goofy, the opposite of tiger parents; her grandmother does have an interest in Feng Shui, but otherwise her grandparents were known mostly for being community activists.
Mostly this book is about Millicent trying to figure out where she belongs, and how that sense of belonging relates to happiness. There is a very meaningful thread about the loss of a grandparent, perhaps making this book a relatable option for someone who has experienced the same.
I have to admit that both Stanford and Emily (Millicent's best friend) had to grow on me, but in the end they won me over - Stanford by growing as a character, and Emily by being loyal and just the kind of friend Millicent needed.
book_nut's review against another edition
4.0
Cute. And funny. And sweet, but not cloying. Kind of endearing, too. Not spectacular, but very, very... cute.
bookreader230's review against another edition
4.0
This is a very fun, good, silly book...if you want a quick, uplifting read with a healthy amount of suspense.....here you have it!
abigailbat's review against another edition
5.0
Millicent Min is a genius. She's only 11, but about to enter her senior year of high school. For fun this summer she's taking a college level poetry class. And things are fine, really. Her parents are forcing her to take a volleyball class, which is a little annoying. Oh, and she's tutoring Stanford Wong, this jerky kid she can't stand. And pretty much her only friend is her grandma Maddie... but really, things are fine.
Enter Emily Ebers. Millie meets Emily at volleyball and they click instantly. Finally Millicent has a friend her own age! The only problem is that Millicent hasn't told Emily that she's a genius. She's afraid that if she tells Emily that everything will change between them, so she keeps putting it off. But Millie can't put it off forever.... can she?
I really enjoyed this book a lot! I found Millicent's narrative voice to be hilarious because of how seriously she takes herself. I also really liked that it has an Asian American main character, but race is not really much of an issue. The book was fun and funny and touching at the same time, seeing Millicent really begin to grow and realize that there is more to people than brains.
Enter Emily Ebers. Millie meets Emily at volleyball and they click instantly. Finally Millicent has a friend her own age! The only problem is that Millicent hasn't told Emily that she's a genius. She's afraid that if she tells Emily that everything will change between them, so she keeps putting it off. But Millie can't put it off forever.... can she?
I really enjoyed this book a lot! I found Millicent's narrative voice to be hilarious because of how seriously she takes herself. I also really liked that it has an Asian American main character, but race is not really much of an issue. The book was fun and funny and touching at the same time, seeing Millicent really begin to grow and realize that there is more to people than brains.
jengennari's review against another edition
5.0
Impressive--great well-rounded characters. Loved the role of the grandmother Maddie and the way we are so inside Millie's head so we can laugh about how naive she is about social situations. A happy book, nice.