I received this book as an advanced copy, and I was not required to write a positive review.

This book was refreshingly cute! I really enjoyed the Christian messages and the Vietnamese representation here. Definitely something I would recommend young chapter book readers giving a try. Our main girl, Ly-Lan, has such a kind heart, and I loved how she was trying to help her friends and make sure everyone had a "fair" Book Fair experience. I think these sorts of characters are super important for children's books, and I was very pleased with that.
I loved the glossary at the end, and the bookish bits within. Honestly, I think Zondervan really wrote a fine children's book here, and I'm very glad to see these positive stories being published for young readers.
Also, adorable illustrations and cover. I know, I know, we don't judge books by their covers but... I mean, come on, it was really cute.

Ly-Lan eagerly awaits her school book fair. As she counts down the days, she asks her parents how much money they will give her to spend at this year’s book fair. Instead of offering to give her money, her parents’ response baffles her. They tell her she is getting older, and she will need to spend her own money.

The travesty!

She feels immensely disappointed. She needs to solve this terrible problem.

Along the way, she encounters injustices that feel even worse. She realizes there are children in the school who cannot afford even a single book, including some of her friends.

She wonders how she can support her friends and these other students.

This is such a sweet book. The characters are well-drawn and feel true to life. My daughters are both in elementary school, and this book touches on so many themes I hear them discuss with their friends at school.

I absolutely loved Ly-Lan and the Unfair Book Fair. I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zonderkidz for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

Ly-Lan loves the book fair. She loves buying books and posters and buttons. She has calculated how much money she needs, but is shocked to find that, gasp, the price of books and posters has gone up in price. She doesn’t have enough money. She figures she can just ask her parents for more, but finds that, wow, they want her to earn it.


She notices that a new girl isn’t buying books or posters or anything. She realizes that some kids might not be able to get money from their parents, so decides to start a tip jar, so that kids can get at least one book.


In the meantime, once she has saved up enough to get the one book she wants, her friend buys the last one. What will she do?


This is a cute story of ways to solve a problem. How to show friendship, and help others less fortunate than you, and also how to share.


I enjoyed this, because Ly-Lan is a typical third grader, thinking she should get what she wants, and not understanding that it doesn’t always work out that way. This book also brings religion into the mix, but it isn’t too heavy handed about it.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out on the 13th of January 2026.

I appreciated that the author explained the pronunciation of the main character's name right at the beginning, and I really enjoyed the glossary in the back of the book of Vietnamese phrases used throughout the book.
I really liked the message that God's goodness is shown through the good things that we do for others. This book teaches kids about needs versus wants, and to save up their chore money to buy what they want, and to not expect to keep receiving things for free without working for them. It explains planning, prioritizing, and budgeting. I love that these kids are feeling the pinch of inflation. 🤣
It also demonstrates the importance of generosity and sensitivity when dealing with money matters.
The illustrations are nice, but I would prefer full color to black and white.
It was great how the characters learned to share and be considerate of others, and to resolve their conflict.

Oh Ly Lan you sweet, sweet soul. I love these books. Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book early! The book follows Ly Lan as the book fair comes to her school. She's SO excited to buy the newest in her favorite book series, but when she gets there she realizes prices have gone up and she doesn't have enough. She earns more money from doing jobs for her parents. I love that they don't just hand her the money! Anywho, she also realizes her friend doesn't have any money to buy a book and its just not fair. It's not fair that prices went up and that prices are so high it leaves some kids out. She comes up with a Change for a Change jar where kids can donate their change in order to raise money for kids who can't afford books. She doesn't want to buy stuff for herself until she's made enough money to allow her friend to buy a book too. By the time she does, her favorite book is gone. Furthermore, she finds out her friend didn't want her donation and it was all a misunderstanding, but there are other kids who can benefit from the cause. I love Ly Lan's heart and the way she feels so genuine with great guidance and support through her parents and teachers. Love this series!

This was a great book! It’s definitely lower middle grade for sure, but it was still fun!

Ly-Lan is excited for the book fair, and is faced with decisions about money and unfairness. There’s also a Christian sub-plot about how God is fair, which is what Ly-Lan learns from Sunday school!

I also appreciated the pronunciations guides and glossary since there are Vietnamese words used!

My only complaint is sometimes it was a little repetitive but children might not have a problem with that.

It was definitely a book that teaches valuable lessons, which is why I recommend.