A deeply satisfying celebration of cultural identity, intergenerational relationships, and delicious sambal.
A young biracial girl looks forward to her Nenek’s visit from Indonesia.
Not only will Lintang meet her paternal grandmother for the first time, but Nenek will be cooking Indonesian food, including her famous sambal. But the chili paste is too spicy for Lintang. Even with reassurance from White-presenting Mama, who tells Lintang she had the same reaction to sambal years ago; Papa; and Nenek, Lintang feels left out. She’s determined to prevail over sambal, but every kind that she tries is too spicy for her. Nenek, who does not speak much English, quietly works to find a sambal that Lintang will be able to easily eat. This cozy story of familial warmth is a treasure. Wen’s digitally edited gouache-and–colored pencil illustrations on hot-pressed paper are bursting with cultural detail, from rattan chairs to the tikar mat on the floor to Nenek’s kebaya, and the Indonesian language is deftly incorporated. Nenek is a lovingly crafted character who’s keenly aware that Lintang feels that not being able to eat sambal means she doesn’t belong—and who helps her forge meaningful connections to her heritage, food traditions, and family. Wen makes clear, too, that despite language and geographic barriers, Lintang and Nenek can communicate in the ways that matter most, and their bond will last far longer than this visit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A deeply satisfying celebration of cultural identity, intergenerational relationships, and delicious sambal. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-316-28102-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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