Gigi Shin, Live from Manhattan

This “worthy sequel” (Kirkus Reviews) to Gigi Shin Is Not a Nerd, which gave a fresh take on The Baby-Sitters Club, follows Gigi and her friends to New York City as they attend the art camp of their dreams.

Gigi Shin is looking forward to her best summer ever: not only did she get accepted to the prestigious Starscape Art Academy in New York City, but so did all her friends and fellow Ace Squad members! Plus, Gigi’s art idol, Christiana Moon, is going to be a guest lecturer and Gigi is determined to make a great impression.

But as soon as they land in NYC, things don’t exactly go to plan. Instead of being able to room with each other, the girls are all assigned to room with other attendees; Gigi is paired with Sohee, who doesn’t seem too excited to have Gigi as a roommate. The workload is heavy, and while the teachers are all experts in their field, they aren’t exactly the best instructors—including Gigi’s idol, Christiana, who’s dismissive when Gigi asks her for advice.

When all the attendees are given a huge opportunity to showcase their work, Gigi and her friends are determined to turn things around and make the best of camp, using the city for inspiration. With the help of some unexpected allies, can Gigi prove to everyone—and herself—that she has what it takes?

Lyla Lee is the bestselling author of young adult novels like I’ll Be the One and Flip the Script. She also writes the Mindy Kim series for younger readers and the Gigi Shin books for the middle school crowd. Her books have been translated into multiple languages around the world. Born in South Korea, she’s since then lived in various cities throughout the United States. Inspired by her English teacher, she started writing her own stories in fourth grade and finished her first novel at the age of fourteen. After working various jobs in Hollywood and studying Psychology and Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California, she now lives in Dallas, Texas. Visit Lyla at LylaLeeBooks.com or on Instagram, X (previously known as Twitter), and TikTok @LiteraryLyla.