New Year

Summary: A moving, lovely cri de coeur from a father whose daughter has moved to another country. Set during Chinese New Year, a time when Chinese families come together for a wonderful feast, this delicate picture book tells the story of a father and daughter who live in different countries. The father's sense of loss and dislocation is countered by his acceptance of his child's need to move away, grow up, and become herself. The loss, for both parent and child, that comes from leaving home and finding independence is beautifully and lovingly portrayed. Though this story refers to a specifically Chinese celebration, at this time when so many families have been forced to be apart, even for traditionally essential family festivals, all of us can relate to the universal feelings expressed in New Year.