Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic

Review
By Jama's Alphabet Soup

Ginnie’s story on its own is wonderfully delicious, but look at Beth Lo’s charming illustrations. They’re painted on porcelain plates! Talk about serving it up with style. Beth, an award-winning ceramic artist, has captured the warmth of family, the exuberance of children, the comfort of good homemade food, and the singular flavor of transplanted Chinese culture in her series of winsome, dishy vignettes, each of which tells a story of its own. . . . Ginnie and Beth have done a beautiful job of turning a personal memory into a story with universal resonance begging to be shared again and again. There’s also a great Author’s and Illustrator’s Note with wonderful family photos, info about Soybeans, and a Glossary with pronunciations and definitions of Chinese words.

Is there anything better than a shared meal with family and a new circle of friends? I think not! Be prepared to crave Chinese food after reading this book. Now, if you’ll excuse me, a bowl of soybeans has my name written all over it. Chi fan le! Time to eat!