Amy’s class has a new student from China named Lin! The students all welcome him and Amy in particular tries to make friends, but Lin doesn’t reply when she tries to talk with him. She wonders if she’s really made him feel welcome.
When Lin’s dad and little sister show up to get him after school, however, Amy sees that he “giggles and chatters in Chinese” with his family. She “ponders the two Lins” as she and her mother buy ingredients for their upcoming dumpling party. She gets an idea, and asks her mother if they will have room for a few more guests. She then asks her grandmother to help her make a banner that says “huan ying ni”—“welcome.”
The guests arrive for the party, and Amy wants to read the banner for Lin, but even though she knows how to pronounce the Mandarin characters, she can’t get the sounds out. Nevertheless, she and Lin make dumplings, and everyone has a good time. At the end of the party, Amy tries again, and finally says “huan ying ni.” The welcome is too late for the party, perhaps, but as Amy observes, “It’s never too late for a welcome.”
Author Kat Zhang’s text perfectly captures Amy’s thoughts without over-describing. Her explanations of how Amy remembers the sounds of the Mandarin characters are particularly lovely. Charlene Chua’s illustrations reflect the characters’ emotions as well as details like the dumplings, decorations around the home that speak to the family’s Chinese heritage, and a mischievous family cat. Back matter includes a guide to making your own welcome banner and a note from Zhang about her own childhood experiences that inspired the book.
I’m including this book in the database because two of the guests at the party are a two-man couple. We see them in several scenes, including one where Amy’s mom is holding out her hands to welcome them, and another where one of the men rests his hand on the shoulder of the other, showing they are clearly a couple. While they don’t play a role in the plot, seeing them here in a book about being welcoming feels significant.
Welcome this one to your bookshelves!
