The Invincible List of Lani Li, page 1
Praise for
The Invincible List of Lani Li
“The Invincible List of Lani Li is my favorite kind of book to read: full of heart, funny, and unforgettable. I loved the brother/sister dynamic and how it connected to the legend of the Eight Brothers. Veeda expertly portrayed an authentic tween experience that will resonate with young readers.”
—Yamile Saied Méndez, author of The Reel Wish
and the Pura Belpré Award–winning Furia
“A delightful and inspiring novel about the power of the stories we tell ourselves—and the courage it takes to change them. I loved Lani’s journey from shy, second-chair saxophonist to break-neck bold chaser of cheese. A true gem.”
—Linda Urban, author of Talk Santa to Me
“The Invincible List of Lani Li is a marvel and a delight. Charming, brave, spirited, and earnest, Lani Li is a character who will stay with you long after the final page. Here, sweet reader, is a middle-grade tale full of everything you want (and more): a quest, folklore, family, London, and, of course . . . cheese.”
—Lindsey Leavitt, author of The Garden Just Beyond
and co-owner of Folklore Bookshop
“With her brother’s bold wish, a legendary cheese race, and the fierce spirit of the Eight Invincible Brothers, Lani Li shows us that true bravery means more than facing fears—it means racing toward them heart first. This beautiful story proves that to be invincible is to lead with love—no matter how steep the hill.”
—Mae Respicio, award-winning author
of The House That Lou Built
other books by
Veeda Bybee
A Few of My Favorite Things:
Recipes Inspired by Family-Friendly Musicals
To Brendan
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Cover illustration: Hoan Phan
Book design: © Shadow Mountain
Art direction: Garth Bruner
Design: Halle Ballingham
Author photograph: Erin Summerill
© 2025 Veeda Bybee
Interior illustrations © Hoan Phan
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, Shadow Mountain Publishing®, at permissions@shadowmountain.com. The views expressed herein are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily represent the position of Shadow Mountain Publishing.
This is a work of fiction. Characters and events in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are represented fictitiously.
Visit us at shadowmountain.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Bybee, Veeda author | Phan, Hoan illustrator
Title: The invincible list of Lani Li / by Veeda Bybee ; illustrated by Hoan Phan.
Description: Salt Lake City : Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. | Audience term: Preteens | Audience: Ages 8–12 | Audience: Grades 4–6 | Summary: When thirteen-year-old Lani Li’s elite performance band is chosen to perform in London, she finds inspiration from her brother and the Eight Invincible Brothers from Chinese fables, and creates a list of challenges to help her overcome her fears and find her own inner strength.
Identifiers: LCCN 2025006663 (print) | LCCN 2025006664 (ebook) | ISBN 9781639934331 hardback | eISBN 9781649334701 (ebook)
Subjects: CYAC: Self-actualization—Fiction | Bands (Music)—Fiction | London (England)—Fiction | England—Fiction | Chinese Americans—Fiction | BISAC: JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Friendship | JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance | LCGFT: Novels
Classification: LCC PZ7.1.B935 In 2025 (print) | LCC PZ7.1.B935 (ebook) | DDC [Fic]—dc23/eng/20250407
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2025006663
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2025006664
Printed in the United States of America
Publishers Printing, Salt Lake City, UT 5/2025
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Author’s Note
Acknowledgments
Discussion Questions
About the Author
About the Illustrator
Chapter 1
Perched on top of the grassy Bowl, thirteen-year-old Lani Li stretched out her legs. It was a warm, beautiful day, ideal for celebrating the end of school and the promise of a significant summer. The anticipation of what could come hung like a fermata above the clouds.
Lani tipped her face toward the sky, soaking in the symphony of sound from her neighborhood park. Birds chirped a cheerful duet. Bees bopped around the wildflowers and buzzed with steady rhythm. Behind Lani, leaves rustled in the wind. Their delicate dance rumbling like the flutter-tonguing of a flute. It was like mother nature was on display, performing a quiet recital for only Lani.
For one sleepy second, it was as if she had the world, or at least Rock Canyon Park, all to herself. As one of eight kids in her family, Lani rarely enjoyed serenity. But in this moment, she was free from the stress of a late carpool or a fight for the last piece of mochi ice cream. This time alone felt weightless. Like she was floating on a lullaby.
Lani marveled at the panoramic view of the valley from where she sat on top of the hill. It was named the Bowl for the way it nestled the lower field, hugging the flat stretch of grass like the sloped rim of a cereal bowl. It had a decent enough incline for someone to pick up breath-stealing speed, but it smoothed out at the bottom to keep a cautious runner safe.
Caught up in May’s soothing song, Lani pictured herself not at a sprawling park in Provo, Utah, but thousands of miles away in London, England. Soon, she would be traveling overseas to play in her very first international band recital. She closed her eyes, almost imagining herself on stage.
“Are you asleep or something?”
A jarring voice grated holes through Lani’s English daydream. Lani opened her eyes. There was Gavin, her ten-year-old brother. He stood above her, his black hair ruffled, shirt untucked. He was panting loudly, as if he’d used a lot of energy to make it to the top of the Bowl.
“When did you get here?” Lani said. She heard the impatience in her voice and felt a little bad. It wasn’t Gavin’s fault the family always grouped them together. She and Gavin were the youngest, the last of the large Li clan, and Gavin was the very last and her constant tagalong. As number seven, Lani was given the unofficial responsibility of looking after her baby brother.
Gavin grinned, unaware of her sour notes. His smile stretched wide, showing blue-stained gums. In his hand, he held a half-eaten blueberry lollipop. “Guess you need to work on your invincible hearing,” he joked.
“Invincible hearing?” Lani was confused. She was good at listening. Known for it, actually. Lani’s band teacher, Mr. Griffith, said that she had a good ear and that she was especially gifted in finding the pitch in songs. Seconds ago, she had practically picked out the squirrels chattering in the park. Until Gavin and his loud breathing had arrived. She heard that really well too. “What are you talking about?” Lani asked.
Gavin plopped down on the grass next to her. “You know, the superpower hearing of the First Invincible Brother?”
Lani paused. “I forgot about that story.” She let the title come to her mind. The Eight Invincible Brothers.
“It’s not fair,” Gavin said. “By the time I am old enough, everyone is already tired of family traditions and stories. We never have pizza Friday anymore. Mom doesn’t take us to get cones at the Creamery. No one remembers The Eight Invincible Brothers. May is in college, and Cash is graduated and will be gone too. Everyone else is busy with sports and music, and nobody cares about family dinners or the things you all did growing up. I hate being the youngest.”
May was the oldest kid, just wrapping up her freshman year at a local university. She lived in Provo, and sometimes dropped by. Cash graduated from high school this week. He was already working out of state this summer. The twins, Wesley and Gray, were finishing their junior year. Next came Sayla. She was going into her sophomore year. Sophie just completed eighth grade and was starting high school next fall. Finally came Lani, followed by Gavin—the forever caboose.
Lani knew Gavin didn’t like to be the baby of the family. Lani thought being the very last kid was better than coming in as second youngest. Not even the finale, Lani was a minor accompaniment, at best.
The Li kids grew up with The Eight Invincible Brothers as their family story. With eight siblings in the story, it paired well with the eight kids in their house. Lani’s siblings weren’t all brothers, but it was almost the same.
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How could she forget this story? When they were growing up, Mom had read it to them all the time. Lani knew the first page almost by heart. Every Li kid did. The Eight Invincible Brothers was their family book, practically their motto. Now that they were older, this book had faded into the background. Lani remembered seeing it on her bookshelf, unread for many years.
Gavin sighed a chasm long and sad. Its deep cleft tore away at Lani’s hard feelings, and she felt herself warming up.
She plucked prickly blades of grass and threw them into the wind. “I still remember the first line.” Lani looked down the hill. “In a land bright like the golden sun,” she recited from memory, “there was a family of eight brothers. Besides their love of ripe, juicy pears, they also shared the same secret. Every brother had a superpower.” She stopped. “I always wanted a different superpower,” she admitted. “The Seventh Brother had the superpower of flying.” Lani had never liked this comparison. She had never even been on a plane.
“Yeah,” Gavin agreed. “His power is wasted on you. You’re afraid of heights . . . and most things.”
“Hey!” Lani said. “I’m not afraid of everything.”
“I said most things,” Gavin replied. “Besides. I’m the one with the worst superpower. Did it slip your mind that I’m the Eighth Brother? The one with the weak superpower of crying?”
Lani laughed. She reached into her pants pocket, pulled out a bottle of nail polish and shook it, glittery stars floating around the inky-blue paint in the glass container, settling to the bottom like falling snow. It was her special color: Midnight Hope—with stars the color of her silver saxophone. “The Invincible Lis,” Lani said, still thinking about the book as she opened the bottle and began coating each nail. “That’s what Mom called us.” She looked over at her brother. “You should get down to the field. Dad will be there soon.”
“It’s not time yet.”
Lani nudged Gavin with her foot. “Rugby practice will be starting,” she insisted. “Go.”
Gavin folded his legs into a pretzel and pushed his hands into the grass like they were tent stakes in the ground. He looked stubborn, as if he intended to stay awhile. Lani expected him to say he was skipping practice altogether because unlike her, Gavin had no problem being late or otherwise defiant.
Lani stood up to leave. If he wasn’t going to give her this space, she would find someplace else. Suddenly, Gavin’s facial expression shifted. Shock registered on his face.
“Is something wrong?” Lani asked.
Gavin took a ragged breath. “My heart is racing.”
He grabbed Lani’s hand and tried to place it on his shirt. “Can you feel that?”
“Watch it!” Lani yelped. “I just painted my nails.”
Her brother slowly stood up next to her and started to pace. “You were born with an average circulatory system and all the normal parts of a working human heart.” Gavin started to ramble like he did whenever he got nervous. “You don’t know what it’s like to be limited.” He paused.
Lani could tell he was trying to work on his calming exercises. She placed his hands in hers. “Close your eyes,” she said, wincing when she thought about her nail polish getting smudged. She didn’t let go. “Count backward from ten to one.”
Gavin sighed deep. He inhaled and exhaled loudly, exactly ten times. After the last breath, he let out a big whoosh. “There goes the Monkey King,” he said.
Lani saw dark-blue paint from her nails smeared on Gavin’s palms. “Will you stop with the myths already?”
As if there weren’t enough Chinese legends to clutter up their life, the Monkey King was another constant in the Li family. At least, for Gavin. But because of him, this was one she could never forget. The Monkey King was the nickname of his last heart valve replacement, named after his favorite Chinese fairy-tale character.
Gavin was born with a congenital heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which meant he had defects, or imperfections, that affected his heart. His blood didn’t flow normally, but he did well most days. When he was only a few days old, he’d had open-heart surgery to replace his pulmonary valve, which would help increase blood flow. As an infant, he’d cried. A lot. To Lani, it had been very fitting. Along with birth order, Gavin had linked himself to the Eighth Brother through his tears.
With the valve replacement, or Monkey King, Gavin was able to get better. He could almost be like a typical kid. He could run (not too fast). He could jump (not too high). After some pleading, he’d even convinced Mom and Dad to let him join the local rugby team (not too rough).
“You’re going to ruin this for yourself,” Lani said. “Dad’s going to tell Mom about how you’re late to practice, and that will be it. No rugby for you.”
Gavin slunk down next to her again. “Why does it matter? I don’t play the entire time anyway.”
This was true. Dad usually had Gavin sit out after twenty minutes. It took Mom years to allow Gavin to join the rugby team, and the only condition when it finally happened was that Dad was one of the team coaches. Conveniently there to keep an eye on Gavin.
Lani watched Gavin place a hand on his chest. As if he were trying to feel the rapid, loop-the-loop fluttering of a heart not always so steady. “Are you okay?” she said.
“I don’t know.” Gavin frowned. “Lately, the Monkey King has been off. Right now, it feels like he’s pounding his monkey punches hard into my body. It’s kind of difficult of breathe.”
Lani placed her nail polish down. “Maybe you shouldn’t go to practice today.”
“No way.” Gavin balled his hands into fists like heavy whole notes ready to take up all four counts in a song.
“If I sit out of practice, Mom will think something is wrong,” he said. “What if she gets worried and says I can’t go to England? I’d miss your Moonlights concert in London. And the trip to Cooper’s Hill.”
Lani was part of a really-hard-to-get-into performance band called The Moonlights. They met after school in a studio in Orem, the next town over. Their director, Mr. Griffin, was a pretty chill guy. He once played the drums with some rock band that won a Grammy. Now he taught music to gifted students after school. Lani was one of them.
In this premier band, musicians had the chance to showcase their work at venues across the nation and overseas. This year, The Moonlights were playing in a youth music festival in London with several other ensembles. In a few days, she would get on her very first airplane. And cross the ocean to play in a global music competition. It was exciting but also terrifying. She wanted to be brave but wasn’t sure if she had it in her.
Lani wiggled her painted toes. “I still can’t believe you managed to talk Mom into letting you come on my band trip to England. Besides Dad, no one else is coming.”
“Everyone else has work or summer camps,” Gavin said. He didn’t sound sorry at all for being included on the trip. “Besides, there is room in England for the both of us.”
Lani held out a hand. “Don’t you want to stay home with Ye Ye and Nai Nai?” she asked. “Our grandparents are the best babysitters. They let us eat whatever we want, play video games without a time limit. Who cares about touring London when you have eight days of unsupervised play?”
Gavin considered this for moment. “Nah,” he said. “You need me on this trip. Otherwise, you would only do boring things, like visit museums and drink tea.” He pretended to hold out a cup and made an exaggerated pucker.
Lani shook her head. “Not only did you weasel your way into the Moonlights trip, but you convinced Mom to add some random hill in the country to the schedule too. What’s this race we are going to watch called again?”
“The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake,” Gavin said. “Basically, it’s a contest to run down the most amazing hill after a wheel of cheese.”
“What’s so great about this hill?” Lani said, glancing at her watch. The rest of his team should be arriving soon. She was almost free from Gavin duty.
“Do you mean the three-hundred-foot drop of sheer terror or the cheese-rolling race that has taken place every bank holiday weekend in May for the past two hundred years?”
