Ming and Her Poppy

October 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 1- This gentle companion story to Ming Goes to School features the little girl spending time with her grandfather throughout the seasons. The work shines with the love between the characters and the comfortable familiarity of a routine. The minimalistic, poetic text informs readers that "Ming and Poppy know their way" as they ride the bus, tell each other stories, visit the park, make new friends, and relish treats at their traditional eating spot. The text is understated, leaving plenty of room for the luminous watercolor illustrations to tell the story. The stark white backgrounds allow the impressionistic paintings to draw the eye clearly to Ming and her grandfather, who generally appear in the foreground in sharper focus than their surroundings. With just a few strokes of her brush, Lofdahl depicts Ming's mood, whether she is joyfully playing in the leaves, feeling sad about being left out by the older girls, or smiling broadly as she makes a new friend. And always, Poppy is there, her companion, friend, guide, and protector as she shares her delights, hears stories, and enjoys all that the big, diverse city has to offer. VERDICT Young readers will enjoy this deceptively simple story of the deep relationship between a little girl and her grandfather, and will likely ask for Ming's other adventures. Best shared one-on-one and in small group settings.- Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 15, 2017
Following Ming Goes to School (2016), the little girl is back for another subtle journey through the year's seasons."Ming and Poppy know their way" and travel back and forth on foot, by bus, from school, through the park, to restaurants, on noisy streets, and in quiet places. Ming's name is Chinese; Poppy could be Asian or white, allowing readers to imagine various family structures. In any case, their loving relationship is evident in the sketchy line-and-watercolor illustrations showing a little pale-skinned girl with black pigtails that stick straight out and a tall pleasant-looking gentleman, often holding hands or sitting close together, enjoying ice cream or doughnuts. The seasons are never mentioned in the spare, poetic text but are noted in the clothing, as Ming's red school jumper is covered up by her coat and hat; boots replace shoes, which return; and finally she's in blue shorts and sandals. Red leaves drop, and new spring flowers bloom to give further proof of the time of year. The little girl is mostly carefree, enjoying her friends and her grandpa, but there is a hint of childhood strife in the line "by sticks, by stones, / by names that sting," when three children are shown whispering to one another and Ming plays alone on the sidewalk as Poppy looks sadly on. Lovely and quiet, this is a book to savor again and again. (Picture book. 4-6)

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