A bighearted tale of family, forgotten stories and the search for belonging, from award-winning author Maisie Chan. Perfect for fans of Benjamin Dean, Jenny Pearson and Helen Rutter.

'Truly captivating' Jen Carney
'An absolute delight' Clare Weze
'Tender, funny and heartfelt' Nazima Pathan

Nate Yu Riley loves three things: his Switch, his ant farm (especially Betsy, queen of the colony) and his family.

He's not so sure about some other things, like moving to a big city, starting a new school, and his parents making him do Chinese stuff. They're always trying to get him to embrace his heritage, but Nate can't speak Chinese, and he doesn't know anything about Chinese customs.

But when Nate comes across an old shell casing engraved with a Chinese dragon, he can't stop thinking about it. And when he touches the shell, someone extraordinary appears. A ghost from long ago. Someone who needs Nate's help - and Nate might just need his, too ...

A brand new middle-grade novel from Maisie Chan, author of the award-winning DANNY CHUNG DOES NOT DO MATHS

About the Author

Maisie Chan is a British-born Chinese author. Her debut novel Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths won the Branford Boase Award and the Jhalak Book Prize, and was also shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards and the Diverse Book Awards. Maisie also writes the young fiction series Tiger Warrior and is one of the authors in the bestselling The Very Merry Murder Club anthology. She runs the Bubble Tea Writers Network that supports and encourages writers of East and Southeast Asian heritage in the UK. Originally from Birmingham, Maisie now lives with her family in Glasgow.

Instagram and Threads: @maisiechanwrites Blue Sky: @maisiechanwrites X @maisiewrites

Reviews
A truly captivating story that explores identity, friendship, family and belonging. Told with bags of heart and humour, it was a delight to read. * Jen Carney (author of The Accidental Diary of B.U.G) *
A heartwarming and funny journey of self-discovery, rich with culture, history, family, and the occasional ghostly surprise. Full of charm, and unforgettable characters - it's a blast of a book! Betsy the queen ant would definitely recommend!' * Jenny Pearson (author of THE SUPER-MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF FREDDIE YATES) *
Nate Yu's Blast From the Past has all the trademarks of a Maisie Chan book - warmth, heart and humour! The world of ants and the realities of the Chinese Labour Corps combine to form a riveting story which will tug at your heartstrings and keep you guessing right until the very end! * Liu Sit (author of The Lucky House Detective Agency) *
This heartwarming story and its empowering characters is an absolute delight. There were tears in my eyes - sometimes inspired by laughter, but often by the situation of one very unusual and touching character. Irresistible. * Clare Weze (author of The Lightning Catcher) *
Nate Yu's Blast From the Past is a tender, funny, and heartfelt story about friendship, identity, and belonging. Captivating and charming, this book is a joy to read - I loved it! * Nazima Pathan (author of Dreamhunters) *
A haunting, gorgeous, moving, uplifting and heartwarming exploration of identity, community and belonging. A story of vital importance. * Ian Eagleton (author of Glitter Boy) *
Maisie Chan has surpassed herself with Nate Yu's Blast From The Past. It was unputdownable and packed with nuggets of information from history to myrmecology to culture and heritage. An absolute delight to read * Eva Wong Nava, children's author and representation advocate (author of Dancing Dumplings for One and Only) *
Loved this funny, feel-good story about friendship, family, hidden histories and diasporic Chinese identity. Filled with fun and laughter, it's also a beautiful book about self-confidence and the search for belonging. * Rashmi Sirdeshpande (author of HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD) *
Hopeful and important, Nate Yu's Blast from the Past expertly balances history, connecting with a culture the main character doesn't feel worthy being part of, and starting a new school with brilliant characters and genuine representation. Everyone needs to read this. * Niyla Farook (author of MURDER FOR TWO) *



Book Information
ISBN 9781800787896
Author Maisie Chan
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Piccadilly Press
Publisher Templar Books