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Featured books by
Grace Lin
Grace Lin's childhood is vividly brought to life in her books. She celebrates her Chinese background and its traditions in stories and illustrations. They reflect her specific cultural heritage as well as the universal emotions of growing up. Meet Newbery honor winning author and illustrator, Grace Lin, as you celebrate the Lunar New Year, grow a garden of bumpy vegetables, find adventure and friendship — and more — in her novels and picture books.
Grace Lin brings the Chinese New Year traditions to life through the eyes of a young girl and her family as they prepare for their family New Year celebration. Vivid color and bold line illustrate their planning which concludes with a dragon and noisemaking for a joyful celebration of this special Chinese festival.
A Chinese family goes out for dim sum ("little dishes"), choosing their favorites off the restaurant cart and sharing with each other. The illustrations evoke the textures and patterns in this traditional meal, and an endnote provides background on the cultural history and customs surrounding dim sum.
Product Description: Pacy is back! This summer, Pacy's family is going to Taiwan for an entire month to visit family and prepare for their grandmother's 60th birthday celebration. Pacy's parents have signed her up for a Chinese painting class, and at first she's excited. But everything about the trip is harder than she thought it would be. At least the dumplings are delicious…
The family's meal finishes with fortune cookies, the daughters' favorite part of eating out! They share their fortunes as their engaging look at the world shines through in the simple narration and boldly colored, entertaining illustrations.
The young narrator describes how she and her family each contribute to a handsome kite which they then enjoy flying. Signature illustrations show traditional Chinese kite designs combined with an author's note about kite history. The result is the celebration of an ebullient family tradition that readers may want to take up themselves!
Even though Ling and Ting are identical twins, they are not the same. How they differ becomes clear in short chapters in this winning book just right for new readers. The charismatic Asian-American sisters are depicted in word and illustration with humor and affection.
Lissy is new at school and so makes a small origami friend to keep her company and to help her feel braver. A new friendship starts when Lissy's lost paper crane is returned. Children will empathize with Lissy's loneliness and her quiet coping in this appealing story.
Product Description: When Olvina gets invited to the Tenth Annual Bird Convention in Hawaii, she decides it's high time to overcome her fear of flying. But on the day of her big plane trip, Olvina's tummy is filled with butterflies and she has second thoughts. After all, chickens aren’t supposed to fly. Or are they? This tender and funny story is for children who love to fly as well as those who have not yet had the experience.
Olvina can swim about as well as she can fly, but her reluctance to swim hasn't been a problem until she's on vacation in Hawaii with her friend Hailey. Will Olvina let her fear of the water spoil her fun? Not with Hailey on the job. Children (as well as chickens) may find learning to swim a daunting challenge. This reassuring story shows that with a little courage, lots of practice, and the help of a good friend, one can accomplish just about anything.
A closer look at the four seasons is presented through questions and answers (“Does everyone have four seasons?”) and evocative poems. Large illustrations depict the unique wonders of each time of year.
"A little mouse resides with his family in a leaky, old, leather boot that constantly needs repair. As winter approaches, the others are all for sealing themselves inside to shut out the cold. Robert has always yearned to play in the snow, so when he accidentally slips out of his window, he is delighted. Soon, however, he becomes lost and must be saved by a 'big animal' with red fur and blue eyes. He delivers the little mouse to his home, and when the snow melts, Robert's family is mystified and delighted by the appearance of a brand-new boot right next to their old one." — School Library Journal
"When doctors told Lin and her husband that a cure for cancer was his greatest hope of survival, they decided to raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Lin called upon fellow children's book authors and illustrators, and a project was born–each one would decorate a wooden snowflake that was then auctioned, raising over $100,000…Featuring reproductions of work by Eric Carle, David Shannon, Emily Arnold McCully, Eric Rohmann, Denise Fleming, Ian Falconer, and Lin herself, the book is a handsome showcase of art." — School Library Journal
Rendi, a self-centered, unhappy boy runs away from home and winds up in a sad town. Storytelling, however, instigated by a mysterious newcomer allows Rendi to mature and help the villagers. The rich narrative incorporates tales inspired by Chinese tales in this worthy companion to Where the Mountain meets the Moon.
As they did for the Lunar New Year, each family member contributes to the preparations for the mid-autumn moon festival. Their special picnic includes mooncakes and tea as well as affection. An author's note not only informs but may inspire other celebrations.
In this enchanting story from Grace Lin, a king and queen try to find the cause of their mysterious heartache. Finally, an old peddler discovers that someone far away is tugging at their hearts with an invisible red thread. In order to discover who that someone is and cure their heartache, the king and queen must follow the red thread to its end. Based on an ancient Chinese belief that an invisible red thread connects those who are destined to be together, this beautiful book will resonate with adopted children and families alike.
In a neighborhood of flower gardens, a Chinese-American girl and her mother plant what the child considers to be ugly vegetables. The ugly vegetables, however, become attractive and help build community when made into a delicious soup! A recipe is included.
Join Minli as she journeys to save her village and her family from a dreary fate. A storyteller's voice effectively brings to life this unforgettable award-winning novel, illustrated with exquisite Chinese paintings.
Grace (aka Pacy) does a lot of growing up during the Year of the Dog. She meets and befriends another Asian girl, learns a bit about her Taiwanese background, and discovers her talent. Simply drawn illustrations and a straightforward voice make this culturally specific story universally appealing.
The Year of the Rat is a year of change for Grace. Melody moves with her family to California, and Grace finds the courage to stand up for what she knows is right. As in Year of the Dog, this sequel recognizes the universal growing pains of childhood in its short chapters and line drawings.
Interested in wonderful interviews with tween and teen authors? Hop on over to our sister site, AdLit.org, and browse the library.
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