The Legendary Mo Seto (The Legendary Mo Seto #1)

What happens when a Chinese American martial arts student defies her parents and uses an assumed identity to audition for a movie featuring her idol? In Chan’s kick-butt debut, 12-year-old Taekwondo student Modesty “Mo” Seto does just that, along the way unearthing family secrets and battling villains. Mo’s father is traveling for work and hasn’t been answering her texts. So, with the support of her BFF Ignacio “Nacho” Garcia, she surreptitiously auditions for a new movie starring martial arts superstar Cody Kwok; she resolves to land the role, which will hopefully lead to much-desired attention from Dad. After Mo finds a mysterious book containing information on secret martial arts moves unlike anything she’s seen before, she adopts them into her practice. But as auditions proceed, so too do strange and dangerous happenings, such as plummeting set lighting and unexpected explosions. And if she hopes to find her place on and off the movie set, Mo must learn to stand—as well as kick, punch, and spin—on her own. Action-packed prose mimics the cinematic high-intensity atmosphere of a classic martial arts film, while Mo’s desire to connect with her father acts as a driving force in this adrenaline pumping series opener. Ages 8–12. Agent: Jennifer March Soloway, Andrea Brown Literary. (June)