Celebrating cultural diversity, a wonderful picture book
follows a spirited Chinese-American girl as she tries to convince her mother
and father that selling Chinese food on this all-American holiday is not
acceptable, but as the parade passes by and fireworks color the night sky, she
learns a valuable lesson.
Violet longs for the time when her family was connected: before life, distractions, and technology pulled them all away from each other. They used to gather at the table, with food and love, to make memories, share their lives, and revel in time spent together. But now her family has been drifting apart, and with nobody to gather around it, the table grows smaller and smaller.
Can Violet remind her family of the warmth of time spent together, and gather around the table once more?
A moving ode to the immigrant experience, as well as a
manifesto of self-love for Chinese American children.
What do you see when you look in the mirror, Mei? Do you see beauty?
We see eyes that point toward the sun, that give us the warmth and joy of a thousand rays when you smile. We see hair as inky black and smooth as a peaceful night sky. We see skin brushed with gold.
What is love? A child wonders. What does it feel like, smell
like, taste like? How does it move? How long does it last?
And as she prepares a traditional Chinese meal for
her family, the child's mother replies: her love for him is rosy as
wolfberries, warm like tea, sweeter than the red dates she puts in his soup. It
shines through the water like its own brilliant sun. It goes round and round
with no beginning and no end. Because a mother's love for a child is always
there, warm and soft, broad and tender.