The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Cheng, Andrea

Grandfather Counts

32 pp. | Lee | October, 2000 | Trade ISBN 1-58430-010-8 $$15.95

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ange Zhang. When Helen's Chinese grandfather comes to live with her family in the United States, the language barrier seems insurmountable until each finds pleasure in introducing the other to words in his or her native tongue. Although Helen's narration occasionally lapses into clichÃ©, the book's theme of cultural assimilation is subtly rendered (her biracialness isn't stated outright), and the illustrations are fittingly textured and tender. Glos.

Reviewer: Nell Beram