A Morning with Grandpa - Hardcover

Sylvia Liu

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1620141922 ISBN 13: 9781620141922

Publisher: Lee & Low Books, 2016

Synopsis

Mei Mei s grandpa is practicing tai chi in the garden, and Mei Mei is eager to join in. As Gong Gong tries to teach her the slow, graceful movements, Mei Mei enthusiastically does them with her own flair. Then Mei Mei takes a turn, trying to teach Gong Gong the yoga she learned in school. Will Gong Gong be able to master the stretchy, bendy poses? Winner of the LEE & LOW New Voices Award, this title celebrates, with lively spirit and humor, the special bond between grandparent and grandchild and the joy of learning new things together. Readers of all ages will want to try out some tai chi and yoga too!

About this title

About the Author

SYLVIA LIU was inspired to write this story by the playful and loving relationship between her children and their Gong Gong. Before devoting herself to writing and illustrating children s books, she worked as an environmental lawyer at the US Department of Justice and the nonprofit group Oceana. She lives in Virginia with her husband and their two daughters. This is her debut picture book.

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2—A bright and cheery girl and her grandfather spend a morning teaching each other tai chi and yoga in this sweet, intergenerational picture book. Mei Mei, an adorable girl with pigtails and flair, is curious about the slow dancing that Gong Gong does. She is determined to replicate his actions but instead bursts with energy, creating her own bouncing movements. Mei Mei decides to teach Gong Gong the yoga poses that she learned in school, but his elderly body cannot twist and turn as agilely as hers. In the end, they each assure the other that their movements are "perfect," sending a sweet message that it is the process and the practice that are important. Digitally rendered illustrations place Mei Mei and Gong Gong in a lush backyard garden filled with sunflowers, red maple leaves, and dragonflies. While the background images are repetitive, the focus of the illustrations is on the intergenerational pair. Mei Mei's face expresses a full range of emotions, while Gong Gong's is somewhat one-note. The text is brimming with similes and metaphors describing their movements, and the words follow the actions, with the letters in words such as arched and stretched curving and bending on the page. Descriptions of the movements do not overwhelm the story, and a full set of instructions for the poses, as well as discussions of the practices, are included as back matter. VERDICT This selection stands out from other yoga picture books for its introduction to tai chi and will circulate well in collections where there is an interest in movement, health, and fitness activities.—Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA

About this edition

• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1620141922
• ISBN 13: 9781620141922
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Christina Forshay