September 1, 2021
Toddler-PreS-In the vein of such familiar titles as Guess How Much I Love You and Mama, Do You Love Me? Sze creates a warm, tender look at love from a small Asian boy's perspective. The boy peppers his mother with questions about love as she prepares dinner. How does one sense and experience love? The mother, noting that love feels a little different for every person, offers answers that are full of her favorite things. With many food references, this story is a timeless tale of a mother's infinite love, which takes many forms. Through Lee's stunning colored pencil and gouache illustrations, simultaneously detailed and serene, readers witness the loving bond of mother and child surrounded by food, dragons, fish, and their adorable dog. The simple, comforting text will be most effective as a read-aloud between caretaker and child. VERDICT A recommended purchase for public libraries and those serving young children. Asian culture and food references add a layer of depth to this story, providing a fresh version of a time-honored conversation.-Monisha Blair, Glasgow M. S., Alexandria, VA
Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2021
Preschool-Grade 2 As a mother prepares a traditional Chinese meal, her son asks her about love. Unloading groceries and putting together various dishes, she makes connections between the foods and her feelings for him, while colored-pencil and gouache illustrations capture the calm happiness of their home. The mother explains that love can be different for each person and, therefore, hard to describe. When she pours tea, she likens love to the way tea warms her. The child breathes in the good smells from the tea and spices in the food as the mother says love can be fragrant and rich. Two-page spreads, along with spot illustrations, provide imaginative details as the child tries to understand the descriptions. A large stand of bamboo, a bright red dragon, and fish that seem to fly visually transport readers outside the kitchen. The conversation includes only the mother and child, but the final picture presents a larger, multigenerational family gathered to eat, as satisfying as a gentle hug--or a tasty dumpling.
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Starred review from August 1, 2021
Food isn't just made with love, it is love. A youngster asks, "Mama, do you love me?" The softly textured cartoons rendered in sweet, bright colors portray the mother, who shares her offspring's pale skin and straight, black hair, bringing in groceries as she answers, "Yes, my child, of course I do." The child's curiosity is not satisfied, and the questions extend from the existential "But what is love, Mama?" to the sensory "What would it feel like?" Inspired by the ingredients laid before her, Mama attempts to translate the abstract to the tangible as she prepares a traditional Chinese meal. "My love for you feels warm. Like tea in my tummy." Here the child is portrayed enveloped in the curly steam from the teacup. The deceptively simple narrative continues through the five senses, encompassing "What does it smell like?" and "Does it make a sound?" As Mama explores each metaphor, she mentions flavors and dishes ubiquitous to Asian kitchens such as persimmons, star anise, and steamed sticky rice. Each passage is accompanied by delectable scenes of food preparation that fade out to majestic fields of rice, a stand of bamboo, a swirling dragon. As the preparations culminate in a feast, Mama's expression of love for her child achieves the infinite. This perfect marriage of illustrations and lyrical writing celebrates the affection that's expressed through a lovingly cooked meal. (This book was reviewed digitally.) This lovefest is a feast for all the senses. (Picture book. 4-6)
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