From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2–This simplistic story falls flat. JieJie describes how she and her little brother watch their parents and their aunt and uncle enjoying mahjong all day long and into the evening. As youngsters, the siblings use the tiles for building or learning to count in Chinese. Finally, after they have grown up and mastered the intricacies of the game, they are ready to pass on this tradition to their own children, thus linking together three generations. The nonfiction classification is misleading as this story reveals nothing about how mahjong is played. An author's note includes historical background about the game and provides a list of adult titles about learning how to play. The artist created the illustrations by using underglazes and stains on handmade porcelain plates. The flat, childlike drawings follow but do not expand the plot. Some basic ethnic facts are reflected in both the narrative and the artwork, such as hairstyles, clothing, or serving Long Jing tea. The oval-shaped pictures are presented on black backgrounds, while the text is printed opposite in black ink on red backgrounds. Chinese calligraphy appearing in the illustrations is repeated and translated on the text pages. Unfortunately, neither the bland writing nor the art will hold children's attention.–Margaret R. Tassia, Millersville University, PA
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Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Booklist
*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 2. This debut by two sisters celebrates the Chinese game of mahjong--and, by analogy, any beloved pastime, especially one that brings families together. Inspired by her relatives' addiction to the game, author Ginnie Lo writes from the perspective of a Chinese woman looking back, who recalls her fascination with the game's rituals, her solidarity with her younger sibling during the adults' marathon sessions, and their pride when asked to participate. Illustrator Beth Lo's quirky, glaze-on-ceramic paintings, set within ivory ovals on black backdrops, are reminiscent of the stylized engravings on mahjong tiles; on the facing pages, a solid field of red sets off a line or two of text and English translations of phrases written in calligraphy, many of which appear as dialogue in the scenes ("Do you want this tile?"). While some highly designed picture books are more accessible in theory than in practice, the Lo sisters' effort, like the best of Maira Kalman's work, speaks directly to kids, who will want to procure a mahjong set posthaste. For their part, teachers will love the historical endnote, the subject matter that suggests itself for classroom use, and the intergenerational themes. Prepare for requests for rule books, some of which are listed in a helpful bibliography. Jennifer Mattson
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Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
