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Summary
Summary
In this sweet, slice-of-life story, a curious and active Asian American girl spends the day learning tai chi from her grandfather, and in turn tries to teach him how to do yoga.
Mei Mei's grandpa is practicing tai chi in the garden, and Mei Mei is eager to join in. As Gong Gong tries to teach her the slow, graceful movements, Mei Mei enthusiastically does them with her own flair. Then Mei Mei takes a turn, trying to teach Gong Gong the yoga positions she learned in school. Will Gong Gong be able to master the stretchy, bendy poses?
Winner of Lee & Low's New Voices Award, A Morning with Grandpa celebrates, with lively spirit and humor, the special bond between grandparent and grandchild and the joy of learning new things together. Readers of all ages will want to try some tai chi and yoga too!
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
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 © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
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 [is] 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. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
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 expressionscross-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) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
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 portrait eyes crossed, cheeks puffed, and mouth pursed Mei 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.--Gepson, Lolly Copyright 2016 Booklist