Review by Booklist Review
A little girl living in a snowy city is eager for her family's annual Lunar New Year tradition of the "tray of togetherness," a platter containing eight treats symbolizing good wishes for the upcoming year. The girl and her family prepare by decorating their house and going to the market for treats, such as tangerines, candied lotus root, and watermelon seeds, and the girl looks forward especially to sharing those treats, and thus the good wishes, with her friends and neighbors. The setting is wintry, but the artwork exudes plenty of warmth, especially the red of the tray and the various red hues of the family's clothes, a color representing good fortune. Families who celebrate the Lunar New Year will appreciate markers of the holiday celebration in the artwork--red envelopes scattered on the table, dragons, and paper lanterns--and the bustling party in the book's closing pages emphasizes how the holiday can bring community together. A brief author's note offers a little more context about the tray in particular and describes the symbolism of the treats.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
An unnamed child, portrayed with tan skin and brown hair, looks forward to a Lunar New Year celebration in this anticipatory picture book about "celebrating the new moon that begins each brand-new year." Preparing to feast with family and friends, and to share "the lucky sweets that fill our Tray of Togetherness," the narrator accompanies adult caretakers--cued as an intergenerational, interracial family--out with the mission of stocking the eight-section tray. Leung details the significance behind each treat: "Tangerines mean gold. Look, we're rich!" and candied coconut stands "for strong family ties." Treats are shared on the snowy walk home before residents and guests, portrayed with varying skin tones, appear decked out in traditional lucky red. Leung's rosy hues and dot-eyed characters aptly carry the message of togetherness in the Lunar New Year via a sweet family tradition and reiterative text. An endnote gives background on the Cantonese wordplay associated with the tray's treats. Ages 3--7. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A young girl narrates her excitement and family's preparations for a Lunar New Year celebration; in particular, gathering the eight foods for the Tray of Togetherness. She and her grandmother travel to the market to buy the symbolic foods, including candied kumquats for wealth and peanuts for a long life. On the way back, she gives away some of their goodies to friends and neighbors, sharing the holiday treats and wishes "From me, to you, and you!" Extended family and friends then gather, some on a computer screen, for the party she has been helping prepare for all day. Cozy illustrations showcase the warmth of the winter holiday. The bouncy rhythm and repetition of certain lines makes this a strong choice for reading aloud to young children. A brief author's note at the end explains the Tray of Togetherness, a tradition not often highlighted in Lunar New Year picture books, to readers who are unfamiliar. The main character's mother reads as East Asian, and her father as white; extended family and neighbors feature a range of skin tones. VERDICT A sweet read focusing on a young child's infectious excitement over holiday traditions. Recommended for most collections.--Jennifer Rothschild
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The story of a treasured holiday item. In anticipation, a child with one Chinese parent and one parent who presents as White looks out of their apartment window on a snowy urban landscape. The young narrator announces that their family is having "a New Year party" as they excitedly greet their grandmother at the door. Grandma tells the child that they are "celebrating the new moon that begins each brand-new year," so they must prepare a feast including "the lucky sweets" in their special "Tray of Togetherness," a decorated, sectioned item brimming with treats that symbolize various good wishes. Bold colors and subtle textures make for a bustling Chinese market where the child and their family pick up ingredients. Along the way, the narrator explains that "tangerines mean gold," and you eat "pistachios for happiness." Appealing dishes of other confectionaries, like candied kumquats, candied winter melon, and watermelon seeds, stretch along the page accompanied by their meanings. The spare, upbeat narrative explains that each special food is a wish that you share with others as the child hands a passing peer a treat. As the protagonist's extended family and neighbors of ethnically diverse backgrounds arrive and settle in for a large feast, the child once again looks over the tray. Further explanation of the Chinese or, more specifically, Cantonese tradition of the Tray of Togetherness follows. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A delectably delightful celebration. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
