A Morning with Grandpa

November 23, 2015
In a charming outing from newcomer Liu, which won the publisher’s 2013 New Voices Award, a girl named Mei Mei gets a backyard tai chi lesson from her grandfather. Gong Gong’s movements are graceful and calm, but Mei Mei has a more raucous approach: during the “Play the Lute” pose, Gong Gong is “a musician serenading the sunflowers. Mei Mei a rock star playing guitar for the daisies.” Then Mei Mei steps into the teaching role, walking Gong Gong through a few yoga poses. Forshay’s polished digital art lends both characters distinctive and contrasting personalities. Closing instructions highlight the tai chi and yoga poses discussed, but the book’s sweetness stems from the thoughtful gentleness with which Gong Gong guides Mei Mei, never restraining her natural exuberance. Ages 5–8. Illustrator’s agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

July 1, 2016
Mei Mei lacks the patience to correctly imitate her grandfather's tai chi; old Gong Gong is short on flexibility when Mei Mei shows him yoga poses she learned in school. Though they don't exactly convey the pace and fluidity of movement in tai chi forms, the book's illustrations are inviting, and playful text usefully describes the two practices (notes on both appended). Bib.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

April 15, 2016
Preschool-G This playful and unique story combines tai chi and yoga as Mei Mei and her grandpa Gong Gong show the merits and techniques of each. When Grandpa demonstrates Cloud Hands (arms miming a gentle summer breeze), Mei Mei responds with wild arms (a frisky fall wind). In a wildly humorous portraiteyes crossed, cheeks puffed, and mouth pursedMei Mei tries breathing in and out. So Gong Gong explains how tai chi's slow movements send good energy (qi) through your body. Now it's Mei Mei's turn. She starts with downward dog, which Grandpa executes like an old dog, creaky at the knees. The two go on to perform tree pose, becoming two royal palms, swaying in the wind. The story finishes up with the contented pair mutually bowing in namaste. Colorful, digitally rendered pictures illustrate the happy relationship of grandfather and grandchild and the joyful natural world they inhabit. Back matter describes in words and pictures each of the four tai chi moves and the four yoga positions so children can practice them.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

March 15, 2016
Debut author Liu scores with a sweet story about the joys of intergenerational relationships. Some children bake cookies with their grandpas. Others play chess with their grandmas. Mei Mei and her grandfather, Gong Gong, find a special way to connect. "Tai chi is a martial art that sends good energy through your body," explains Gong Gong. "Martial art!...I can do karate. HI-YAH!" replies Mei Mei. As Gong Gong demonstrates his graceful tai chi moves, Mei Mei interprets them using her own style and tempo. "Gong Gong conducted a quiet symphony. Mei Mei drummed the earth with hands and feet." Next, Mei Mei teaches Gong Gong some yoga moves. Mei Mei sits elegantly like a mermaid "with one leg bent behind her and the other leg folded in front....a creature of the deep sea guarding treasures." Gong Gong on the other hand, "twisted his leg this way and that and almost fell over. He was a fish in the water trying to escape a dangling hook." Together, Liu's lively text and Forshay's playful illustrations effectively capture a true-to-life relationship that transcends cultures and generations. Vibrant colors, dynamic scenes, and bubbly expressions--cross-eyed Mei Mei sucking in her cheeks is a winner!--all add to the giggles. The love between the two shines through in both text and illustrations. The illustrated guide to tai chi and yoga poses that follows the story is a pleasing touch. A fine example of contemporary multicultural literature. (glossary, sources) (Picture book. 4-8)

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June 1, 2016

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

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