Hello, reader!
Today on the blog, I’m shining a spotlight on a new middle grade action-adventure story called The Legendary Mo Seto by A.Y. Chan! I was contacted by The Write Reads and, as soon as I saw the cover, I knew I wanted to help get the word out about this novel. This seems like a book I could just sink into and I love that it is centered around a sport that was a part of my life for awhile when my brother was deep into taekwondo.
Before I jump into my spotlight, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads and all the lovely people behind the scenes for allowing me to participate! It is, as always, very much appreciated.
Alright, now let’s get to it!
A fast-paced, high-kicking debut that’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon meets Stand Up, Yumi Chung as a young taekwondo artist uses an ancient book to help save her dreams—and her father.
Twelve-year-old Modesty “Mo” Seto dreams of being a taekwondo champion. Even though her mom disapproves, Mo can always count on her dad, who is her number one fan and biggest supporter. Lately, Mo has been on a losing streak, and it doesn’t help that she keeps losing to her archnemesis, Dax, who’s much bigger than her. If only she were faster, stronger, not so petite. Mo can’t even lean on her dad like usual with how distracted he’s been lately.
When Mo learns about the chance to audition to star alongside her idol and legendary martial artist and movie star Cody Kwok, she knows this her chance to prove to her dad, to the world, and to herself that she can compete with anyone, no matter her size. Unfortunately, Dax is auditioning, too. As Mo and her nemesis progress to callbacks, someone attempts to sabotage the movie set and Mo’s dad disappears—and both events seem linked to a mysterious book, the Book of Joy.
The book contains information on a secret dance-like martial art developed by Mo’s ancestral grandmother. Armed with these powerful moves and an unexpected ally, Mo embarks on a high-octane adventure to rescue her father, save the movie, and discover an unexpected joy in being small.
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A.Y. Chan is the author of The Legendary Mo Seto, a story about a 12-year-old female martial artist who auditions for a movie role opposite her favorite martial arts movie hero—only to find out she’s too small for the role. Growing up in Canada’s Greater Toronto Area, A.Y. read all the middle grade and young adult books she could get her hands on. To this day, those remain her favorite genres. After achieving her black belt in Taekwondo, she explored a range of other types of martial arts, and she draws upon her experiences in learning new techniques and philosophies to inspire her writing. These days, she continues her martial arts training some mornings, writes in the afternoons, takes long walks to muddle out plot points, and falls asleep reading.
Why I wrote this book:
I started training in taekwondo when I was six and, growing up, I longed to read books about kick-butt girls doing kick-butt things, but there really weren’t as many as I had hoped for. The idea for this book has been percolating in my head ever since. I wish to inspire kids not only to be brave and never give up, but also to be proud of who they are.
My inspiration for my story came from a real city-wide competition, where, like Mo, my protagonist, I faced off against a bigger, stronger boy during the final match. At that time, pairings were determined by belt-level and age, not by weight class. I ended up losing. I remember feeling so crushed by my second-place finish, and I kept replaying the fight in my head, wondering what I could have done differently.
I was also inspired by martial arts movies—especially the stunt actors and body doubles, and the thugs in the background serving as punching bags for the protagonist. As an introvert, I never wanted to be the main character…but to get beat up by the main character? That seemed awesome. After achieving my black belt in Taekwondo, I explored other types of martial arts and came away with an appreciation for the similarities and differences in the different forms, and how each has a unique philosophy linking the physical to the mental (and spiritual). Martial arts is about discipline and practice, but it’s also about respect (for oneself and for others) and integrity. And, of course, indomitable spirit, the all-encompassing light within us all that shines with determination and hope and an unshakable optimism for a brighter tomorrow.
Best,
A.Y.
Kerri McBookNerd 