Shanyi Goes to China

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-A simple text provides an introductory look at China as seen through the eyes of a child. Ivy So keeps a journal of her family's trip to visit relatives and her parents' friends. Each place visited, urban and rural, is identified on a map at the front of the book-Hong Kong, Panyu, Aotou, Gaochang, Macau, and Kowloon. The spare text and numerous photos highlight sights and customs in each place. While some of the pictures are sharper and clearer than others, most are bright and colorful. A recipe for steamed egg custard, prepared for Shanyi by her grandmother, is included. This book is suitable as a general introduction to China from a tourist point of view. Those seeking more in-depth information will have to look elsewhere.-Margaret R. Tassia, Millersville University, PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Shanyi and her family are off to China. They last went when Shanyi was three, and she doesn't remember much, so this time she's going to write a journal to share with her friends. From arrival to departure, she visits several different regions of China and describes what she sees, including her extended Chinese family, the different modes of transportation she encounters, a trip to the zoo, some cultural and religious practices, the food she eats, the clothing she tries on and the landmarks she sees. Each spread includes lively and colorful photographs of Shanyi on her travels, accompanied by short paragraphs that provide some background. While very successful as a photo essay-the images are striking and have a narrative of their own-the text doesn't work as well and is at times so basic that it seems extraneous. Taken as a whole, however, this travel journal will be useful to teachers, familiar to any child who has visited relatives in another country, and fascinating to anyone who wonders what life in modern China might be like. (Picture book. 6-9)