A SWEET NEW YEAR FOR REN

A young Chinese American girl enjoys the bustle of new year preparations.

Excited that Lunar New Year is nearly here, Ren wakes up to a window of blooming cherry blossoms. She rushes to the kitchen to ask her parents if she can finally help make the pineapple cakes for the celebration. Her mother, however, insists that she is “still too little” even though Ren points out that she has grown two whole inches since last year. Undeterred, Ren persists with her requests while her family hangs lanterns and visits the local market to buy ingredients for the upcoming feast. Ren asks various extended family members if she can help, but her pleas go rebuffed. It is only when her older brother Charlie arrives that Ren finally has the opportunity to participate. The descriptive narrative is surprisingly subdued at the moment when Ren finally gets her hands on some dough. Still, the gentle pace brings an overall charm to the family get-together. Ho captures the messy coziness of families wrapping and steaming dumplings. Layers of textures and splatters of colors bring depth and movement to each scene, especially when the hand-tossed noodles are prepared and then added to a pot of boiling water. A recipe for the cherished pineapple cakes follows. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A celebration teeming with family, love, and, of course, food.