My Day with Gong Gong
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A day in Chinatown takes an unexpected turn when a bored little girl makes a connection with her grandpa.
May isn't having fun on her trip through Chinatown with her grandfather. Gong Gong doesn't speak much English, and May can't understand Chinese. She's hungry, and bored with Gong Gong's errands. Plus, it seems like Gong Gong's friends are making fun of her! But just when May can’t take any more, Gong Gong surprises her with a gift that reveals he’s been paying more attention than she thought.
With lighthearted, expressive illustrations by Elaine Chen, this charming debut expertly captures life in the city and shows how small, shared moments of patience and care—and a dumpling or two—can help a child and grandparent bridge the generational and cultural gaps between them.
A glossary at the end of the book features translations of the Chinese words from the story into Chinese characters and English.
*A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
May, a girl of Chinese descent who only knows English, is nervous about spending the day with her maternal grandfather, who mainly speaks Cantonese. As the duo strolls through Chinatown and Gong Gong converses with neighbors, cashiers, and waitstaff, May grows frustrated (" Can we eat?' I ask. He pats my head and smiles, but that's not what I asked for!"). But when errant pigeon poop proves the last straw, Gong Gong shows he may understand May more than she thought. Watercolor and pencil crayon illustrations referencing various Chinatowns conjure a dreamlike authenticity in the neighborhood's bustling, vibrant nature, finely balancing realistic backdrops with sweetly cartoonish characters, including May's genuine, youthful first-person perspective. A glossary featuring traditional Cantonese characters and phonetic English pronunciations concludes this gentle, resonant portrayal of the way love can overcome language barriers. Ages 4 7.
