AMY WU AND THE WARM WELCOME

Amy Wu finds ways to welcome a new classmate in this series installment.

Ms. Mary announces the arrival of Lin, a student from China. With eager smiles, Amy and her classmates give him “a big, warm welcome.” Lin grins but, with rosy cheeks and a shy smile, doesn’t say a word. At school pickup, Amy gets a glimpse of “a whole new Lin” as he giggles and chatters happily in Chinese with his family. Pondering and pondering, Amy might just have another way to say welcome. With Grandma’s help, Amy decorates a colorful banner with the characters she already knows, “huan ying ni,” to unveil at her dumpling party. Zhang creates a circular narrative, as Amy now finds herself with the words stuck in her throat and cheeks aglow. The power of actions resonates in this third outing with Amy Wu and her classmates. When words escape us—or we might not know the right ones—kind gestures can speak loudly. Chua’s expressive illustrations capture the emotional beats of Zhang’s text. The energy of Amy’s interactions in class and Lin’s comfortable rapport with his family contrast with the shyness and hesitancy on their faces at other points. Amy and her family are Chinese American; her classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Full of warmth indeed.