The Year of the Dog

Posted on October 16, 2016July 3, 2020 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

The Year of the Dog (2008)
by Grace Lin

As Ms. Lin herself writes in the author’s note, “My favorite chapter books when I was younger were…stories (that) took place in school, in (someone’s) home, and in (someone’s) neighborhood.” And this story is just that. While not the “adventure” story that Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is, this debut novel is exactly the kind of book I would have read and enjoyed in grade school. As a blend of memoir and fiction, The Year of the Dog tells the everyday stories of young Grace growing up as a Chinese American.

In this new lunar year, young Grace is trying to find her “purpose.” The book follows Grace and her friends and family through their daily events such as school contests, Halloween parades, summer vacations, and so on. But intertwined in all of this, the reader gets a glimpse at how Grace sorts through the traditions of her family and the surroundings of her American life.

The anxieties, excitements, confusions, joys, and pangs of Grace’s year are told with a genuine simplicity and humor. I laughed out loud several times. Ms. Lin’s illustrations throughout the book are entertaining without detracting from the story or the reader’s imagination.

The more Grace Lin I read, the more I love her. On her website, she offers activities and real-life photos from some of the events in the story. The end of the book offers reader discussion questions as well.

The Year of the Dog (2008)

The Boy on the Porch

Posted on October 13, 2016September 14, 2022 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

The Boy on the Porch (2013)
by Sharon Creech

This is a very quick read. I read the whole book in my evening reading time before bed last night. There was really no way to stop reading it. The chapters are short, and the “mystery” of the story kept me going.

At first, the general plot sounded similar to the recent Odd Life of Timothy Green movie. A young boy suddenly shows up at a couple’s farmhouse out in the middle of nowhere and they begin to take care of him. That is where the similarities end though- no sprouting leaves here. The boy doesn’t speak, but instead uses tapping to communicate. It’s hard to tell too much of the story without ruining it, but it is a very beautiful story about love, parenting, generosity, and finding your purpose.

The Boy on the Porch (2013)
Quotes:
“It’s okay,” Marta whispered to the sleeping child. “I will sit here all day, if need be.” ch 2

“Even if we never see him again, we know he was here.” ch 48

More Love, Less Panic

Posted on October 12, 2016January 19, 2023 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

More Love, Less Panic by Claude Knobler (2015)

I was drawn to this book after reading an excerpt from it in Kiwi magazine. The title alone hooked me, More Love, Less Panic. Yes, that is precisely what I need.

Claude Knobler’s book is funny, endearing, honest, entertaining and, for me, incredibly easy to relate to. While Mr. Knobler does talk about his family’s unexpected adoption of a young Ethiopian boy, the lessons of the book are meant to apply to any parent. Like myself, the author tends to worry. A lot. He worries about his children and their habits and futures, their friends and schooling. While parents may not all share the same worries or the same intensity of worrying, we all do it; it just comes with the territory. So, to hear the thoughts of how this father learned to relax into parenthood a bit was a big help for me. A very likable author, relatable stories, and wonderful lessons. I wish there was an audio version of this book!

Quotes from More Love, Less Panic (waaay too many to choose from):

from Lesson One
“Children, after all, do tend to be childish, and then they tend to grow out of it, all on their own. I let go of my fears about what will happen if I don’t nag, because they’re going to grow out of being children and this is my life too. And I refuse to spend too much of it panicked about things I can’t control.”

“And if I believe, as I truly do, that I am not driving a car but am rather, more or less, a passenger on a train whose tracks have already been laid out for me, what’s next is for me to try to figure out how best to relax and enjoy the ride.”

from Lesson Two
“The answer to fear isn’t to try to solve problems that may not exist. It’s to relax and find just a little bit of faith that my kids will find their own paths in life.”

“I have to trust that my kids will respond better to the sight of my positive example than they do to the sound of my shrill nagging.”

from Lesson Three
“If our kids are who they are from the day they’re born, isn’t it possible that our jobs as parents should be a lot more about appreciating them than molding them?”

from Lesson Four
“He did not need to learn how to be more mature any more than I needed to teach him how to get taller.”

from Lesson Five
“The absolute, unavoidable truth about parenting is this: If you never lose your temper with your child, you are not spending enough time with your child.”

from Lesson Seven
“And therein lies the greatest secret of all. The miracle has already happened. All we have to do is never lose sight of it.”

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Posted on July 11, 2016July 3, 2020 by keepinthesunlightblog@gmail.com

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (2009)
written and illustrated by Grace Lin

This Newbery Honor Book tells the story of young Minli. Her family works very hard in their poor village, but her nights are filled with delightful storytelling from her father. In an attempt to change her family’s fate though, Minli ventures out to meet the God-like, Old Man of the Moon. On her journey, she befriends a land-bound dragon, a king, a poor buffalo boy, and a pair of young, giggly twins.

The storytelling element is woven throughout the book effortlessly and expertly. While this seems like a somewhat simple, approachable book, it is also astounding to see how Grace Lin intertwines and connects everybody’s stories in such an artful and beautiful way. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon feels ancient and far away, while still remaining comfortingly familiar. This book is so lovely and heartwarming. It is now on my “must own” list, and all of Ms. Lin’s other books are already on my library wish list.

The timing of this book was perfect for me, as I have been reading and researching storytelling. In the back of the book, Grace Lin discusses her inspirations for the book from traditional Chinese fairy tales she read as a child.

Ms. Lin’s gorgeous illustrations accompany the book, providing whimsy and beauty without getting in the way of your own imagination. She sells some of her book art on Etsy, and I am eagerly awaiting The King’s Garden print.

I highly recommend a visit to Grace Lin’s incredible website. She provides well-thought-out, detailed activities to accompany the book, including recipes, art, book discussion questions, a board game created by a young reader, and an amazing Where the Mountain Meets the Moon event with instructions and print-outs that I am so excited to try when our daughter is older!

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (2009)
Themes/Concepts include:
friendships
family
courage
storytelling
gratitude
compassion
appreciating what you have
fate and destiny

Some quotes:
“A soft breeze seemed to blow in the moonlight, spilling in through the open window and lighting the bowl like a lantern.” ch 20

“The exhaustion from the long night of worry had made her feel heavy and clumsy, but the children’s happiness seemed to carry her.” ch 34

“For all the time that she had been longing for treasures, she had already had the one most precious.” ch 44

“If you make happy those that are near, those that are far will come.” ch 44 (the fish)

“The sun seemed to warm her heart and joy bubbled inside of her.” ch 46