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Raymond's Perfect Present

Review
By Bayviews

(Bayviews, Association of Children’s Librarians) Louie’s well-chosen words and Wang’s simple, expressive pencil-rendered (and computer-scanned) drawings aptly capture a child’s anxiety and feelings of helplessness when a parent is seriously ill. The reassuring, well-told story of an Asian-American family living in an urban setting centers around a young boy whose intended gift of flower pots bursting with blossoms is poorly timed with his mother’s return from the hospital. However, in a hopeful, but realistically conveyed resolution, she is instead delighted by birds who flock to her windowsill when the wilted flowers go to seed.