Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Jun, whom end papers reveal has recently moved from Hong Kong to an American suburb, stands at a bus stop one Monday, the translations of three words scrawled on one palm. Jun worries about responding to a peer's greeting, and as a week of typical school days ensues, Jun moves through a grayed-out world in which others' conversations are portrayed in scribbles. Memories of home, and images of lunch box contents, are rendered in elegant full-color illustrations alongside swirling hearts and emanata, suggesting feelings of comfort and love. And the following Monday, the lunch box provides a language-barrier-bridging pathway to friendship. In an exceptional debut, Mo deploys digital illustrations that expertly use selective coloring to depict an experience of finding common ground. A glossary of Cantonese words and diagram of Jun's lunch box concludes. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4--8. (June)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Having recently emigrated from Hong Kong to America, young Jun starts school with a few English words and phrases (e.g., hello, thank you, I don't know, toilet) written on her palm. Nevertheless, she faces misunderstandings and struggles to comprehend a new language and culture. At the bus stop, unable to understand a question about her name, she responds with, "Th...ank you." Filling out a "Let's Get to Know You" worksheet in class, she answers each question, "I don't know." Despite her loneliness, Jun finds solace in her lunchbox, which is filled with her favorite Chinese foods, including bao, dumplings, and bok choy. After a difficult first four days for Jun, classmate Rose makes a friendly overture at lunch on Friday, which leads to sharing food with a small group of kids. Jun invites her new friends to her home, symbolizing the beginning of new connections. With its spare text (most of which is speech-bubble dialogue), the story is primarily conveyed through Mo's sensitively drawn, sometimes paneled illustrations, which vividly depict Jun's emotional state. Warm colors represent her cherished memories of home and the eventual feeling of belonging; cool tones mirror her initial fear and anxiety. This debut picture book captures an immigrant experience, highlighting the impact of small gestures of kindness and celebrating the unifying power of food across cultures and languages. A glossary of written and conversational Cantonese phrases in the story and a labeled illustration of Jun's lunchbox contents are helpfully appended. Weileen WangJuly/August 2024 p.108 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
When a young Chinese girl moves to a country where she doesn't speak the language, her lunchbox holds all the comforts of home--and offers an opportunity for friendship. The story begins in the book's endpapers as the cityscape of Hong Kong on the left blends cleverly into a suburban American street on the right. Jun happily sets off for school. She knows just a handful of English phrases (she's scrawled several words and their Cantonese translations onto her hand), and her big smile disappears as the day progresses, the colors fading from her world as she struggles to communicate. But when she opens her lunchbox in the cafeteria, she finds herself surrounded by vibrantly depicted memories, and her smile returns. Each school day's loneliness is punctuated by the joy of lunchtime, and by the following week, a few classmates, and Jun herself, become brave enough to use food as an opening for friendship. Mo relies on both full-page illustrations and comiclike panels; apart from minimal dialogue presented in speech bubbles, it's a mostly wordless tale. Similar in theme and structure to Young Vo's Gibberish (2022), the narrative charts its protagonist's emotional state through color, composition, body language, and visual detail. Round-faced, endearing Jun is utterly expressive; her sadness upon returning home each day is especially palpable. Jun's community is a diverse one. A touching immigrant story that hits the heart--and stomach. (glossary, information on Chinese foods) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
