With Twice the Love Dessie Mei

Award-winning author Justina Chen delivers her middle grade debut in this moving story about Dessie Mei, who moves to Seattle and meets a girl who looks exactly like her. The girls learn they were adopted from the same orphanage in Hunan—only Dessie was adopted into a white family, and her twin was adopted into a Taiwanese American one. Perfect for fans of Janae Marks and Kelly Yang.

What do you say to your long-lost twin?

Dessie Mei Breedlove doesn’t know what to say when she first sees Donna Lee. After all, the two girls look so similar. As in: the exact same glossy black hair, the exact same brown eyes, the exact same cheeky smile.

When her family up and moves to Seattle for her ailing grandmother, Dessie has to join a new sixth-grade class at a new school in the middle of the year. That isn’t the only surprise. There she meets Donna. A secret DNA test reveals the shocking truth: they’re identical twins. Not only were the girls adopted from the same orphanage in China, but they were separated into two different families: one white, one Taiwanese American. The Breedloves and the Lees.

Making up for lost time, the girls throw themselves into their newfound sisterhood, relishing in every similarity: cats or dogs (dogs!), sweet or savory (both!), favorite band (A2Z, duh!). Even as Dessie learns about her sister, she realizes there’s so much she doesn’t know about their East Asian heritage. And soon the small differences between the girls creates a larger rift…so when a crisis threatens their community, and Donna needs her twin more than ever—Dessie must figure out who she is, where she belongs, and what it truly means to be a sister.

Justina Chen is the award-winning author of several young adult novels, including Lovely, Dark, and Deep and North of Beautiful. With Twice the Love, Dessie Mei is her middle grade debut. She lives in Seattle, Washington

“Justina Chen is such a welcome voice in middle grade literature! With her engaging writing, readers will discover that America’s promise is for all of us.” -Grace Lin, Newbery Honor winning author of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

"When fate delivers a shocking surprise, Dessie's life is turned-upside down. Family and friendship are tested in this wonderful heartfelt novel about what it means to belong." -Lisa Yee, Newbery Honor Winner

"Universal themes of identity and belonging radiate in this exploration of international transracial adoption." -Kirkus Reviews