The Rice in the Pot Goes Round and Round

Starred review from March 15, 2021
A young Chinese family enjoys a visit to their grandparents' house. Modeled after "The Wheels on the Bus," the narrative opens with, "When my family gets together we laugh and sing, / laugh and sing, laugh and sing." The grandparents along with their small white dog give a warm welcome to their extended family. The four grandchildren are two grade schoolers, a tutu-wearing toddler, and a baby. The dinner table is stacked with bamboo steamers and numerous dishes, with a lazy susan in the center. As the story progresses, each family member is addressed in Chinese and associated with a traditional dish. "Nai Nai drinks her tea with a hoo, hoo, hoo" (the kids' grandmother is evidently blowing on the hot liquid); "Ye Ye eats noodles going slurp, slurp, slurp" (the grandfather slurps a comically long noodle); and "Ba Ba takes a pancake to roll up the duck" (the dad happily munches Peking duck). The repetitive stanzas and delectable onomatopoeia establish a rhythmic pace that irresistibly begs for participation. Tu's illustrations elevate the joyful tone with brightly colored cartoons filled with textures and lively details. Shang follows up with a detailed glossary explaining food, family titles, and dining etiquette. The explanations are thorough, accompanied by characters in both Traditional and Simplified Chinese and Romanized spellings. This deceptively simple story artfully brings an authentic expression of family love. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 90.3% of actual size.) An utterly charming Asian twist to a familiar tune. (author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 3-5)

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August 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 3-Whether or not the tune of "The Wheels on the Bus" hits readers' ears when they first see the title, what unfolds in Shang's pages will soon have them humming along. A joyful Chinese family, as shown in Tu's funny and irascible illustrations, celebrates meal time at large round tables with lazy Susans making every single dish available to all. Nai Nai sips her tea with a "hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo," and there is eating with a "yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum." It works beautifully and young listeners won't need much of a cue to jump in and celebrate, too. A guide to Chinese dining etiquette explains the correctness of an appreciative slurp and the possible problems of cleaning your plate (a host or cook may fret that you have not had enough to eat!), followed by notes from both author and illustrator, cementing this book's ode to memory and eating as shared family bonds. VERDICT With a food glossary included, this is a take-along book for restaurant dining, or a book to start children discussing their own food memories and festivities. And please, bring snacks.-Kimberly Olson Fakih, School Library Journal

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