So it’s halfway through the summer and you’ve been enjoying lots of reading time with your kids. You’ve been through all their favorites in the bookcase - many, many times. Looking for some new ideas?
Grace Lin is a Newbery-winning author whose work appeals to children of all ages. Read on for a partial list of her books that will pull your family out of a book rut and provide hours of reading enjoyment!
(Click on the book image to go to the book's page on Amazon)
Picture Books
The Ugly Vegetables
A child admires the flowers in her neighbors’ gardens, while wondering why her mother insists on growing veggies that look so different than everyone else’s. When harvest time rolls around she realizes the beauty in diversity and how a delicious pot of soup can bring people together.
Dim Sum for Everyone!
The bright illustrations and minimal text in this story will appeal to preschoolers and new readers. A child describes the magic of going out to eat dim sum, and how special it is to share a meal with family.
Kite Flying
A family works together to make and fly a kite. While the story honors the Chinese tradition, it is relatable for any family who likes to fly kites. Much like Dim Sum for Everyone!, the pictures and short text make this book ideal for preschoolers and early readers.
Lissy’s Friends
Being the new girl at school can be pretty lonely. Lissy decides to solve her problem by creating a tiny friend using origami. Her collection grows quickly and brings her much needed joy. Eventually, she is able to share her love of origami with her new human friends.
Early Readers
Ling and Ting: Together in All Weather
Ling and Ting are twin sisters who take readers through their fun, silly, and relatable lives in this early reader series. From thunderstorms to rainbows to selling lemonade, the girls have fun together in all seasons.
Ling and Ting: Twice as Silly
Ling and Ting take readers through six ridiculously silly stories, including high hopes for planting jelly beans and devising intricate plans to pick the apples from the top of a tree.
Ling and Ting: Share a Birthday
Of course the twins share a birthday, but they love sharing lots of other things, too! This book begins with a tale of two pairs of shoes and takes readers through the fun of birthday cake, shopping, gifts, wishes, and a special story at the end.
Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same
While Ling and Ting are alike in almost every way, they are not exactly the same. This book takes readers on yet another series of silly adventures.
Chapter Books
Year of the Dog
This is Grace Lin’s first book featuring a character named Pacy and her family and friends. The book begins with Pacy and her family working to prepare for their Chinese New year celebration. It is the year of the dog which Pacy’s mom describes as a good time to find oneself. Throughout the rest of the story readers follow along as Pacy does just that. As with many of her other books, Lin manages to blend cultural traditions with modern family lives.
Year of the Rat
The Pacy series continues as Lin crafts books based on her own childhood experiences. Pacy is not feeling as lucky as she did in Year of the Dog, as she deals with her best friend moving and struggles to work toward her goals to be a writer and illustrator. As with many of her books, Grace Lin tells many stories within this story, layering traditional tales within modern realistic fiction.
Dumpling Days
This third installment in the Pacy series has readers traveling to Taiwan as Pacy and her family prepare for her grandmother’s birthday. Pacy continues to navigate her way through new cultural traditions and life experiences. As with the other books in the series, nurturing relationships is an underlying theme.
Novel
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
This novel will transport older readers to a world of fantasy. Min Li embarks on a journey to meet the old man of the moon in hopes of asking him how she might change her family's’ fortune. Throughout her journey she meets an array of fascinating characters - including forming a friendship with an unconventional dragon - and learns more about herself than she ever dreamed she might.
Grace Lin has written and illustrated many other books. We hope this list will help you and your family discover a new author for everyone to enjoy!