Review by Booklist Review
It is the night of the Lantern Festival and the eve of the Lunar New Year. Lili is tucked in bed, tired and happy after an evening spent among family gathered to celebrate with traditional food, riddles, and paper lanterns. But Lili is a little sad as she misses Lăolao, her grandmother. She falls asleep under the glow of the full moon that whispers to her while giant vines creep into her window. Lili climbs down the vines into a wonderland of creatures from Chinese mythology. With every encounter she asks, "Can you take me to my lăolao please?" Sadly, neither the Dragon King nor the Jade Emperor know where Lăolao is, but they send Lili along on her quest with their blessing and occasionally a riddle. Readers will share in Lili's bittersweet journey, delighting in the celebratory moments while feeling her sadness. Intricate illustrations bring this charming story of love and loss to life, while the back matter supplements with explanations of Chinese folklore, symbolism, and directions for making a paper lotus.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A sense of longing ignites a young Chinese girl's fantastical journey. Lili and her family, who live in a village by the sea, have finished observing the Lantern Festival, the last day of the Lunar New Year festivities, marked by riddles, food, and, of course, lanterns. Lili is exhausted. Yet the absence of her grandmother Lăolao (perhaps deceased, though this is never explicitly stated) lingers in her mind as she falls asleep. In her dream, brought to life by charmingly textured illustrations against a blue backdrop, she walks through her backyard to a stream, where a boat (with eyes and a mouth) is waiting for her. "Can you take me to my lăolao?" Lili asks. Although the boat doesn't know where Lăolao is, it offers to take her to the Dragon King of the East Sea. The King welcomes her but doesn't know where Lăolao is, either. He turns into his dragon form to take her to the Jade Emperor in his Celestial Palace. The Jade Emperor demands that she solve a riddle. Lili correctly answers it and is whisked away to a village crowded with festivities, where she and Lăolao, reunited, fill their quiet moments together with new memories. This tender tale of family bonding is followed by detailed backmatter, including an author's note in which Zhang describes her relationship with her own grandmother, now deceased. A charming journey rich with Chinese folktales and imagery. (descriptions of the Lantern Festival, information on Chinese mythological figures and symbols, craft activity) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
