Rising Star

When Jaden gets a call inviting him to Comicon to test out a new version of his favorite game, Cross Ups, he is thrilled . . . sort of. He'll get to go with his best friend, Cali, they'll be in New York City, and best of all, he'll meet his idol and the greatest gamer of all time, Yuudai Sato. But he's got no time to practice, and worse, his signature moves no longer work. His trip starts to feel less and less exciting, and more and more like one big problem. Jaden has to come up with some solutions fast. He looks to some older gamers for guidance, but is JStar willing to change who he is for the sake of a game?

With its sharp dialogue and relatable characters,Rising Star, the third book in the Cross Ups series, chronicles the ups and downs of middle school with a relevant, contemporary twist. (From Annick Press)

Rising Star is for readers aged 9 and up.

Rising Star is available in Oct. 2019.

Chiang is a teacher and author of middle-grade books. Her Cross Ups series was inspired by her video game-loving students.

Choi is an illustrator based in Toronto.

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