(2) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Downing. Lotus, a mute Chinese girl shunned by the other kids, finds companionship and purpose when she saves a magnificent, wounded crane. Feather dances when Lotus plays her reed whistle, which delights the other children, who become Lotus's friends. Downing's watercolor and pencil illustrations provide ample visual interest to balance the lengthy text; details recall Chinese landscape painting, enhancing the book's cultural specificity.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Ruth. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Tai Shan's father is sent to a labor camp outside the village, but they stay connected by flying kites on their far-apart hillsides. The vivid kites, appearing in red and blue in the muted-tone art, resonate as symbols of freedom and connection between the father and son. An author's note details Jiang's real-life inspiration for the powerful story.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt