#29 A Gift

A Gift
Author/Illustrator: Yong Chen
Boyds Mill Press, 2009
32 Pages

Multicultural

I liked the plot of thist story and decided to use it because, yet again, the importance of family in other cultures is apparent. I liked the way that Amy's family sent her a gift from China to keep them connected.
Amy is a Chinese-American girl who has never been to China. She has never been able to be a big part of the Chinese culture. Chinese New Year has arrived and her mother misses her family in China. She is homesick to see her two brothers and one sister. One day, a package and letter arrives for Amy. It is a necklace from her uncles and aunt. The letter tells how her uncle found a stone and took it to be carved. A dragon, which is a big symbol of the Chinese New Year, was seen inside the stone, so it was carved around it. Amy and her mother were extremely happy.
This book has full-page illustrations that look like mostly oil pastel. The pictures showed various characteristics of the Chinese cultures. I noticed deep red and jade green,which I often think about when I think of Chinese clothes and jewelry.
I would read this book to first-grade and above, especially if it was a group that contained Asian children. It would show them another culture that they might not know much about.
I am not sure of a specific subject that this would be appropriate for, but it would be a great read-aloud while talking about various cultures.
I found no awards for this book.