The Festival of Ice and Snow by Angie Cui illustrated by Anna Wilson

"As the sun sets, the massive ice sculptures sparkly with multicoloured lights. 
It's like being inside a kaleidoscope."

Sometimes a memory or a fragment of a memory can be the impetus for a moving personal story. This book is based on the author's own childhood memory of visiting the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China. Angie Cui writes her story in both English and simplified Chinese.

The character I liked most in this story is the grandfather - he is brave enough to go on a 500 metre slide but not so sure about riding on the Ferris wheel.  I also loved the way he shared delicious sweet treats with his granddaughter and her cousin. There is a joy also in this story where we witness the shared experience of a child with their grandfather and the special memories they are creating.

The 210-meter-high Snowflake Ferries Wheel is absolutely another crowd favorites. A 20-minute ride treats you to breathtaking panoramic views of the entire Ice and Snow World in winter—especially spectacular at sunset and night. In summer, you'll be greeted by the lush, green wetlands lining both sides of the Songhua River.

You can see the giant Ferris Wheel in this photo:

I learnt a few new food names in this book: Madieer ice cream; and tanghulu (candied hawthorns, grapes, strawberries or pineapple).

Tanghulu are candied fruits popular in China as street food that combine the natural beauty of fresh fruit with a sweet sugar coating. It is carried by a bamboo stick or skewer. You can find it everywhere on the street, especially on cold winter days near the Chinese New Year. Typically Tanghuluis are made with hawthorn berries, which is a hard and sour fruit, but you can make Tanghulu with other favorite fruits.

This book could also be a jumping off point if you are talking about China - the story mentions The Great Wall and the Forbidden City and of course you will want to find a map so you can locate Harbin in Northern China.

Anna Wilson is sure to have enjoyed exploring the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. There are so many fabulous photos you can search for showing the ice sculptures and the lights.

The Harbin Ice and Snow World is the largest ice and snow theme park in the world, officially certified by Guinness World Records. ...  The park features over 2,000 ice and snow sculptures that blend cultural heritage with immersive tech-light effects, surpassing the monotonous displays found in most other countries. ... the Harbin Ice and Snow World has opened for 27 consecutive years. Each year, it builds delicate ice and snow sculptures under different themes. Visitors can marvel at the dazzling night views illuminated by colorful lights, participate in winter sports, snow shows, and other unique activities. To ensure a cozy and comfortable experience even in the bone-chilling cold, heated rest areas and warm food halls are readily available across the park. Source

This is a new book which will be released tomorrow. Thank you to UQP for my advance copy. Here are the teachers notes for The Festival of Ice and Snow (but I do suggest you and your young reading companion or class or library group plan to read and enjoy this book before you share some of the teaching idea ideas which analyse the page designs, word choices and illustrations).

You will recognise the name Angie Cui from her book My Mum is a Bird. It was a CBCA 2026 Notable title but I am sorry to say it is a book that just didn't resonate with me.

I previously talked about these books illustrated by Anna Wilson. I thought she was from the UK but now I discover she lives in Castlemaine, Victoria:

The Librarian's Stories

Love Birds

A taste of Home

And I have these books on my 'to read' list for a long time:

If the idea of visiting an ice and snow theme park interests you (it most certainly interests me!) I found this table comparing the Harbin event with others from around the world:

Finally take a look at this post about the book Our World Full of Wonder - if you visit China you might also like to see Rainbow Mountain China (Zhangye National Geopark).

The Dinner that Cooked itself by JC Hsyu illustrated by Kenard Pak

The Chinese zodiac, known as Sheng Xiao or Shu Xiang, features 12 animal signs in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Originated from ancient zoolatry and boasting a history of more than 2,000 years, it plays an essential role in Chinese culture. The 12 Chinese zodiac animals in a cycle are not only used to represent years in China, but also believed to influence people’s personalities, career, compatibility, marriage, and fortune. 

Five Elements: Ancient Chinese believed that all things in the world, including the zodiac animals, belonged to five categories – Metal (Monkey, Rooster), Wood (Tiger, Rabbit), Water (Rat, Pig), Fire (Snake, Horse), and Earth (Ox, Dragon, Sheep, Dog).

2024 is the Year of the Dragon. In this book the idea of marriage compatibility is explored with references to the Tiger, Dog, and Rabbit and the meaning of these signs - Wood, Earth and Fire. In the western world we might think of star signs in a similar way.

"Long ago in ancient China there lives an honest, respectful and hard-working man named Tuan."

"When Tuan was old enough to live by himself he moved into a small house with a small field but he was lonely and longed for a wife. And so Old Lin and Madame Lin hired a matchmaker."

Tuan was born in the Year of the Dog and so with a girl born in the Year of the Tiger there would never be peace. Then the matchmaker suggested the silk weavers daughter but her name contained the character for Wood and Tuan's name contained the character for Earth. 

"With Wood and Earth fighting for room under such a small roof there would never be growth."

One night Tuan found a snail in his garden. He took the snail inside and fed it cabbage leaves. Over the next nights, when Tuan returns from his work, there is always a delicious hot dinner waiting on his table. If you have read any folktales or fairy tales you might have guessed about this food. The snail contains a beautiful woman called White Wave - a fairy sent by The Lord of Heaven. 

No she is not destined to be a wife for Tuan but she leaves him her shell with the promise that it will always be filled with rice for his dinner. Over time Tuan does find a wife and the final words of this book will make you smile:

"They loved each other very much and lived happily together."

This would be an interesting book to share with a group of older students when you talk about Chinese New Year and the associated symbolism. The illustrations by Kenard Pak are wonderful. Hopefully you can find this book in a library because sadly it is now out of print. I have talked about other books illustrated by Kenard Pak - click on the label on this post to see more. 

Publisher blurb: Long, long ago, in a small town in ancient China, there lived an honest and respectful man called Tuan. Tuan was lonely and looked hard for a wife, but even the matchmaker couldn’t help him. One night, however, Tuan’s luck changed. And so begins the story of Tuan, White Wave, and the Dinner that Cooked Itself. This beautiful and enchanting Chinese fairytale will captivate the imagination with the perfect blend of magic and realism!

Video source: Skwigly

A breath of fresh air in its beauty and simplicity. Kirkus

This book feeds the mind and the senses as it is so atmospheric and the story really draws you in. Drawn in an amazing Chinese watercolour style, the book also shows you some simple Chinese symbols for some of the elements featured in the story so children can practice their Chinese calligraphy skills. It's a beautiful book indeed and such a satisfying story! Read it Daddy

The aesthetic of Pak’s work relies heaving on shape making, pattern and texture to encapsulate that traditional vibe of the tale. The muted palette and attention to detail all work together to make this book visually engaging and utterly beautiful. Particularly effective is the use of these techniques when creating images of food and landscape. Skwigly (you can see inside this book on this site)

You could compare this book with The Paper Crane.

Danny Chung does not do Maths by Maisie Chan illustrated by Ahn Cao

Danny is an only child. His Chinese parents run a successful takeaway food business. The family live above their business. Danny is under some pressure from his Ma and Ba to succeed at school and to progress to university and a 'good job' but Danny is not keen on school. His main passion is drawing.

His mother and father are friends with Mr and Mrs Yee. Danny calls them Auntie and Uncle but they are not related to the Chung family. Early in the morning, as this book begins, Uncle Yee arrives with a bunk bed for Danny's room. Danny is told to expect a surprise. What he does not expect is that the surprise will be his tiny grandmother or Nai Nai. And the surprises continue. Nai Nai claims the top bunk. The Easter holidays have just begun and Ma and Ba expect Danny to entertain Nai Nai. She cannot speak a word of English and Danny cannot speak or understand her regional Chinese dialect. 

Then Nai Nai discovers bingo. Danny discovers Nai Nai has a talent for numbers. He is supposed to be working on a maths project. It seems impossible but somehow there is a way for Nai Nai to help and along the way Danny learns a lot about being a friend, about being a grandson and about his own family heritage. 

I read this book in almost one sitting - yes it is that good. Danny is a likeable kid albeit a kid with flaws. His grandmother Nai Nai does not speak English, in fact she barely speaks at all in this book but I just loved her. She is feisty, she is wise, she is child-like, she is funny, she loves her grandson Danny and she is here to stay!

Maisie Chan’s debut novel is a warm-hearted and utterly convincing slice of family life and, what’s more, stars the kind of family too rarely seen in UK children’s literature. Books for Keeps

There's a lot of humour through the book, and some wonderful illustrations. The chapters aren't too long, and the language is accessible, so all of these things help make the book engaging and easy to read. The Boook Bag

Read an interview with Maisie Chan. Listen to an audio sample from Chapter One. Here is the US cover which I really like. It also has a different illustrator Natelle Quek.

Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance reader copy of this terrific UK book which was published in June 2021. I am keen to see the finished book with illustrations by Ahn Cao.

Companion reads:

Pie in the Sky

Front Desk

The Year of the Dog

A Glasshouse of Stars

A Glasshouse of Stars by Shirley Marr

 "This book is bursting with colour and heart" 

Libby Armstrong Beachside Bookshop

I am going to begin with two text quotes to give you a flavour of this writing.  Here are the first sentences from the opening pages;

"You have arrived for a better life at the New House in the New Land. It has been a long journey, the first time you've ever been on an aeroplane. It was nerve-racking when they checked the suitcases at the airport, even though your family has next to no possessions, let alone anything to hide."

Shirley Marr tells us so much from these few sentences but she also leaves so many unanswered questions. Where is the New Land? Who owns the New House? Where have the family travelled from? Why do they have so few possessions? Its been a long journey - is our narrator a refugee? If she is how did she come to travel by aeroplane?

The New House which Meixing calls Big Scary, was owned by First Uncle. He has died and left the house to his sister and her husband. Ma Ma is expecting a baby. Ba Ba will need to get a job and a car and this will be difficult when he has limited skills with the New Language. The neighbours - Mr and Mrs Huynh are kind and offer food and practical help but they speak another language (I assume Vietnamese) and so their food and customs are unfamiliar to the Lim family. Later we learn Meixing and her family have come from China.

Things at school are also confusing for Meixing. In this scene she needs to cross the road but the procedures with the lollipop man are so confusing:

"He thinks you're a silly girl who doesn't know how to cross the road. And he's right. You are a silly girl who doesn't know how to cross the road. Back where you came from there were hardly any cars. Or roads, for that matter. The workers flats you lived in, the deep wounds in the ground from where the machines took out the precious Earth Dust and the handful of shops were the only blights on the island. Beyond that was jungle and dirt tracks, and you went wherever you wanted. You were wild and free ... "

In the backyard of the new house Meixing discovers a greenhouse. When she steps inside she enters a magical place. First Uncle shows her how to plant seeds as a way to understand the past. Later she is able to share this magic with Kevin Huynh from next door and Josh.  "You know that if you call on the glasshouse in your hour of need, the glasshouse - suspended somewhere between reality and imagination - will never let you down."

It is not often that I say I really dislike a character in a book but in A Glasshouse of Stars the teacher Miss Cicely  is despicable. Her treatment of Meixing feels like child abuse. I shudder to think a teacher would actually speak to or treat a student in the way we witness from Miss Cicely and I do hope Shirley Marr was not subjected to this cruelty but since this story is semi autobiographical I worry that this part might be based on her experience.  Thank goodness for the compassion of the ESL teacher Ms Jardine. So you can  see from these comments that this is a book that makes the reader feel things. I loved the honesty of Meixing; the developing friendships; the fragments of each child's back story which we see in the glasshouse; the crazy aunties who arrive at Big scary; and most importantly the way Shirley Marr lets her reader experience just how hard it is when you don't have language skills to communicate your wants, needs and wishes.

When you pick up this book you may find the writing style is a little challenging. Our students are more familiar with either first or third person narratives.  Shirley Marr explains:

This is a migration story I have been trying to write all my life. But I also spent a lot of my life trying to forget and disappearing into myself. I tried to write it from a first person point of view, but it always felt too close and I would always pull back. Third person also felt so distant, like I was writing someone else's story. I happened to pick up a copy of Deadgirls by Nancy Lee from an op-shop while looking for reading matter while on holiday. I was immediately inspired by the first short story, written in the second voice. As soon as I started writing my story in the same voice, I knew it was right. I knew it was a story I had to tell while the reader walked in my shoes and saw some of the things I saw and experienced when I was a child.

The cover of A Glasshouse of Stars is beautiful. The art is by Cornelia Li. My copy of A Glasshouse of Stars came from Penguin Random House. In the UK Usborne have given this book a different cover. I love comparing covers with students. Take a look at this review.

Here is the blurb from Readings in Melbourne: 

Meixing Lim and her family have arrived at the New House in the New Land, inherited from First Uncle who died tragically and unexpectedly while picking oranges in the backyard. Everything is vast and unknown to Meixing and not in a good way, including the house she has dubbed Big Scary. She is embarrassed by the second-hand shoes given to her by the kind neighbours, has trouble understanding the language at school, and with fitting in and making new friends. Her solace is a glasshouse in the garden that inexplicably holds the sun and the moon and all the secrets of her memory and imagination. Her fragile universe is rocked when tragedy strikes and Ma Ma refuses to face the world outside. Meixing finds herself trapped within the shrinking walls of Big Scary. Her parents said this would be a better life for them all, but it feels like the worst and most heart-breaking experience of Meixing’s entire existence. Surviving will take all the resilience and inner belief of this brave girl to turn their world around.

Here is another review from The Bottom Shelf and this book also reached Ms Yingling in Columbus, Ohio, United States. Karen Yingling gives, as usual, a great plot summary. While she enjoyed this book she feels it is too "Australian" for her readers.

Here are some companion reads. Just like Wen in Tiger Daugher, Meixing also carries the huge burden of parental expectations.

Tiger Daughter

No ballet shoes in Syria

Front Desk

Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim

"I'm really sorry,' I say simply, because there's no time to explain the parameters, the dips, and contours, of my life ... Even being in the middle of it makes no sense to me - how the rules keep changing and expanding as I grow, but never in my favour."

"To live is to risk everything."

Wen is the only daughter of Chinese immigrants. Her father is a skilled doctor but his qualifications are not recognised here and so he is forced, much to his shame and anger, to work in a Chinese restaurant. Dad, Mr Zhou, has traditional and authoritarian views about family life and he has very fixed expectations of his wife and child. He quotes from Confucius as a way to justify his extreme control over them but all of the advice is aimed at becoming a good man and Wen is a girl. 

She watches the suffering of her mother. Money is tight but her father expects her mother to produce lavish meals especially each Tuesday night which is his night off from the restaurant. She has to make 8 dishes, not seven, because seven is an unlucky number. Wen watches as her mother repairs her clothes over and over again and she comes to see that clothing, for her mother, is a bit like armour.

Wen cannot talk to her parents. They have high expectations for her and so she takes extra music lessons, has maths tutoring and attends Chinese language classes. In spite of all of this, though, her father does not acknowledge that Wen is a bright student.

Luckily her teacher, the wonderful Miss Spencer, does. She is certain Wen and her best friend Henry Xiao have a very good chance of winning a place in a prestigious school. Life is very hard for Wen's Henry. His family are poor and his mother is suffering from severe depression. Then the unthinkable happens and Fay Xiao takes her own life.

The publisher has listed this book for ages 10+ but I think this is too low. I would say this book is for very mature readers aged 11+. I am also listing it as a Young Adult title. I am going to predict that this book will be a 2022 CBCA Notable title and I am also certain, even though it is early in the year, that this book will be short-listed. 

Tiger Daughter is a thoroughly enjoyable and easy read, peppered with heartfelt and hopeful moments that will leave readers with a renewed faith in humanity. Books and Publishing

Beautifully written with insight and authenticity, this thought-provoking book carries many messages. It reflects the lives of many migrants and their struggles to become part of a better life, and the personal cost for this privilege. A Must Read for this year! Kids' Book Review

This book is breathtaking. It is so honest and raw. I started reading late last night and finished it off in one sitting this morning. There are heavy themes in this book - abuse, control, suicide but there is also a lightness to the writing and the promise that things will change and the family will take steps towards their own healing. I especially loved the open ending and the quiet wisdom of Wen herself. Readers are left to imagine what happens next for Wen and Henry knowing all will be well. 

Don't read this book when you are hungry - Mrs Zhou prepares the most delicious meals - your mouth will be watering. You will also love the generosity when she prepares food for Mr Xiao and Henry:

"In the bottom tier of the carrier is the rich broth mum has made from the qǒu qǐ or goji berries, lotus root, carrots, mushrooms, dried longan, dried scallops and fresh chicken. She even added a handful of dried white fungus for nourishment and for clearing lungs ... In the second tier is the boneless chicken meat she shredded for them, together with other ingredients. And in the top tier are the glistening white noodles, or lā miàn, that Mum boiled for less than two minutes, so they won't be too soft to eat when the hot broth is added to them."

Read more about Rebecca Lim and her desire to see herself in children's books in this recent article from the Sydney Morning Herald.  I previously talked about another book by Rebecca - book one from the Children of the Dragon series.

Companion reads:

Front Desk

Prairie Lotus

Ruby's Wish

Children of the Dragon Book One The Relic of the Blue Dragon by Rebecca Lim

"This was not a movie. There was no conveniently placed garbage skip down below filled with large pieces of soft foam to land on. It was an empty alley lined with cobblestones, broken glass and old spew. That was it."

Harley Spark's dad Ray is a "major (unconfirmed) underworld crime figure." Harley and his mum, Delia, live away from Ray but Harley still sees him each month. Harley, until now, has been an law abiding boy but when he sees an interesting large Chinese vase outside an antique shop he decides to snatch it. Is this a case of like father like son?

"The vase wasn't very big or very heavy; it was maybe thirty centimetres high with one very long azure-coloured Chinese dragon looped and coiled around and around the body and new of the vase. ... (it had) two golden, stag-like horns and two burning gold eyes with black centres ringed in a thin line of blue ... the painted dragon seemed almost alive."

Harley grabs this precious object and hides it in his school and rushes home. The vase seems to take hold of him and later when his mum comes into his room he begs her to smash it. Just like the genii in the bottle doing this sets free a girl. She is clearly from a different time.

"She had a triangular face with high, pronounced cheekbones ... the tunic she wore, plain black but crawling with the looping body of six coiled dragons."

Even her slippers are embroidered with gold and azure dragons. She takes up a defensive stance similar to ones Harley knows from his Tae Kwon Do lessons. Who is this girl? Where did she come from? Delia and Harley are buzzing with questions. Luckily Delia knows a few words in Chinese but real communication does not begin until this mysterious girl breaks into the State Library where she rapidly reads a series of ancient books and somehow learns English in just one night. I know all of this sounds utterly fanciful but it actually makes sense in this fast-paced plot and the rush through the night time streets of Melbourne make for a thrilling series of scenes.

The crux of the story relates to an ancient Chinese legend of five dragons. All were daughters of the First Dragon. Their names match their colours - Vermilion, Yellow, Azure, White and Black.  The Second Dragon had nine sons. He considered himself greater than the First Dragon so he had his five nieces abducted and a magician cast each into a plain porcelain prison. Harley and his mum have accidentally set the Azure daughter free and now the race is on to reunite these girls.

Harley asks his father for help. Ray has powerful connections in the underworld. Harley is whisked off in a plane to a museum which holds a precious ancient Chinese vase but no one seems to check and this might be the wrong vase.

You will need to wait to read The Relic of the Blue Dragon from the new series Children of the Dragon by Rebecca Lim because it is not due for publication until August 2018 but do pop it on your to read list because this is a terrific story which middle primary students are sure to enjoy. This might seem strange but I was so pleased this book only had 171 pages. This meant I could read it all in one sitting. This made it easier to keep track of the rapid fire twists and turns that make this an enjoyable story. The plot has the feel of a highly charged action movie - one you don't want to end.

Take a look at this ABC Splash interview with Rebecca Lim and this detailed review. Rebecca Lim is new to me but we do have four books from her series Whiffy Newton in our school library. She is also an acclaimed Young Adult author and she received an impressive STAR review with Kirkus for the YA title The Astrologer's daughter.

If you enjoy action and crime thrillers I would follow this book with Loot by Jude Watson.

Norman Speak! by Caroline Adderson and Qin Leng

... an affectionate look into the surprises of 

bringing home a new pet  Kirkus

One of my most loved books is Let's get a pup by Bob Graham.  Norman Speak! is the perfect book partner.

Norman Speak!
"We went to the animal shelter. So many kinds of dogs were there - brown, black, white, gray, large and small, curly and straight ... the sad way those dogs looked at us made me want to cry."

Let's get a pup
"At the Rescue Centre they found plenty of dogs without a home, and lots of dogs all alone. They found big dogs, small dogs, sniffers and sleepers, wire-haired, short-haireds, scratchers and leapers."

The family select Norman because he has been in the shelter the longest.  "His wag was a hula dance of happiness" compares well with Dave from Let's get a pup.  "Dave was so excited he came out sideways ... and he turned a complete circle in the air."

Norman seems happy but he just doesn't want to do anything the boy asks such as sit, come, speak.  The family decide he is not very smart. Then one day at the park a man calls out to his dog and Norman runs over to this stranger.  The man speaks Chinese and Norman understands.

"We signed up for Chinese lessons on Saturday mornings in the basement of a church."  Mrs Wang teaches the whole family Chinese words so they can talk to Norman - he such a smart dog!

Here is the web site for the author Caroline Adderson.