"
I hug Popo when I come back to visit.
Now "ni hoa" is what feels strange in
my mouth. Other words, too, are hard to catch, like fish in a deep well."
While living in Taiwan, the little girl who narrates this intergenerational story spends a great deal of time with her grandmother - her Popo. The family's move to San Diego changes that. Now, they are far away from each other and the joyful times they spent together are only memories.
School begins, and she meets and makes friends with children of all cultures who have much to learn and to teach. As the days go by, the grandchild is in constant contact with Popo, letting her know what she is learning in her new home and what she is missing from her old one. A visit to Taiwan causes concern when her new language changes the way she communicates with Popo. Her mother offers assurance:
"I ask Mama why I can't talk to Popo like before.
"You can still hug her as tight as before," she says.
I do. Popo hugs me even tighter."
As years pass by and both grow older, their love remains strong. When Popo falls ill, her granddaughter dreams about her. Although they cannot be together, that dream holds memories of connections, smells, and love always.
Julia Kuo creates beautiful, telling artwork that is filled with the fundamental aspects of life in Taiwan and in the child's American home. It is lovely to watch the young girl grow and continue to bask in the love the two will always share. She talks about her new life with online calls, and continuing visits to her grandmother's home. It is a memorable story.
Both author and illustrator provide notes that speak to their personal experiences as children of Taiwanese parents. They share poignant events from their lives: Taiwan, holidays, food, love for their grandparents, and happy times spent together. Finally, a glossary presents Taiwanese words, and the pinyin pronunciation for them.
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