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“A scheduling complication shakes up the life of Korean American senior Eliza Park…Through cooking lessons with her mom, Eliza begins to think deeply about her mother’s life experiences and the realities of immigration, giving her an impetus to reflect on her conflicted connection to South Korea and the relatives there she’s spent little time with…Tender, balanced, and nuanced; a story to savor.”

—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Lee’s delicious debut will surely satiate readers.”

—Booklist, Starred Review

“In her debut novel, Lee presents a character who doesn’t handle it all with grace, but who takes accountability, learning and growing over the course of the school year.”

—School Library Journal

Eliza, from Scratch

Written by Sophia Lee
Published by Quill Tree Books

Eliza Park’s senior year will be perfect: She’s going to be salutatorian, give a tear-jerking graduation speech in front of her parents, and enjoy her last year with her equally ambitious best friends. But when a scheduling mishap enrolls her in Culinary Arts, Eliza is suddenly the most clueless person in the class. Her typical title of star student belongs to the aggravatingly arrogant Wesley Ruengsomboon, a charming Thai American boy whose talent in the kitchen leaves Eliza both awed and annoyed.

With her rank on the line, Eliza’s only hope is to snatch the midterm cooking contest win from Wesley, however improbable that may be. Add in the flavor of her grandmother’s Korean recipes, the heat of being class partners with Wesley, and the sweetness of unexpected feelings—and Eliza must now rebuild everything she knew about success, love, and what it means to be herself, from scratch.

Primary ISBN: 9780063372634
Publication Date: May 2025
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older

Community Represented: ,

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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