Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths by Maisie Chan

Author

Maisie Chan

Illustrator

Ann Cao

Publisher: Piccadilly Press

Suggested reading age: 9-12

Themes: family relationships, friendships, cultural differences, academic anxiety (fear of maths for one)

Opening lines: "Drawing makes me feel good.

I draw literally everywhere: in bed with a torch, and even on the toilet (well, you can be sat for quite a while, and yes, I always wash my hands afterwards). Sometimes I sketch in the park at weekends with Ravi, my best mate. My favourite bit is coming up with new characters; ones that are half one thing and half another - the best of both worlds, like wholemeal bread and white bread put together."

Summary: Danny, like any typical eleven-year-old, dreams of having his own space,a room big enough to contain all his secrets, dreams, and surprises. When his parents hint at an upcoming surprise, Danny's imagination runs wild with possibilities. However, the reality turns out to be quite different from his expectations: instead of getting a bigger room, he'll be sharing his current one with his grandmother (Nai Nai) from China, someone who feels like almost a stranger to him due to limited memories and communication barriers.

My impressions:

In this charming middle-grade novel, eleven-year-old Danny Chang faces a situation that many young readers will find both relatable and entertaining: the delicate balance between wanting to be "cool" and dealing with unexpected family changes.

When you are eleven you want to be cool and impress your peers. You also are in dire need of a room of your own, that is big enough for big secrets, big dreams, and big surprises.

So, when Danny’s parents announce that they have something to surprise him with, it intrigues Danny.

Little does he know, that his room will not turn bigger, it will be shared with the person he has very little memories about, and on top of that does not know how to talk to her. His grandma, or Nai Nai, from China.

The events unfold in a very interesting way from then on!

This book would particularly appeal to:

• Middle-grade readers (ages 9-12)

• Children navigating family changes

• Students who struggle with mathematics

• Young readers interested in stories about cultural identity

• Anyone who enjoys humorous family narratives

• Children experiencing multigenerational living situations

Read it! You'll enjoy the book.

For teachers and parents - Educational Value:

The book serves as an excellent resource for:

• Discussing family dynamics in diverse contexts

• Exploring intergenerational relationships

• Understanding cultural adaptation

• Addressing academic anxieties in a relatable way

About the author: Maisie Chan is a multi-award-winning author. She won the Jhalak Prize and Branford Boase with her debut children's novel Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths. Her new novel Nate Yu's Blast From the Past is one of the Best Children's Chapter Books for the Summer (The Observer) and The Week Junior Book of the Week. She writes a young fiction series called Tiger Warrior and has written for the best selling anthology The Very Merry Murder Club. She lives in Glasgow with her family and dog.

Author's website: https://www.maisiechan.com/

Rating: 5/5 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐