February 4, 2025 by Allida
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Cindy lives with her mother and two older sisters, Jess and Em, in California. Four years ago, her father moved back to Taiwan, but her mother has not let the girls tell anyone that the parents are separated. This makes a project that Cindy has to do for Mrs. Tembrock's class a little difficult, since it is all about What Family Means to Me. Cindy is a great artist, and her teacher, as well as her friends Grace and Kelsi, want her to submit her project to a contest. Cindy is angry at her father, who last visited for her fifth grade graduation, so when he calls with the news that her Nai Nai has died, she is not thrilled to travel to Taiwan for the funeral. She brings her journal with her, and captures some of the events in her drawings. There are many preparations for the funeral, but there is also some fun like shopping and eating delicious food. When the father visits with a small boy, Cindy and her sisters are devastated to find that he is the reason that their father left, and also the reason he will not be coming back. Their mother did not know how to tell them that their father was in a new relationship and had a son, although the older sisters guessed. Cindy must find a way to make peace with her father's decisions, and see if she can make a "perfect" picture of her imperfect family, now that she is able to share this news.
Strengths: This was a great virtual trip to Taiwan, and it was interesting to see scenes of the streets, shops, and restaurants there. The family dynamics are interesting, with the older sisters, secretive parents, and extended family both in the US and in Taiwan. While family projects like the one Cindy is assigned are increasingly rare (for reasons just like Cindy's!), I always enjoy seeing children's doing homework, and love that Cindy was concerned about missing school. Mrs. Tembrock was very understanding. The drawing style is very pleasant, and I enjoyed the color palette. (The green on the cover is very much the color of the 2020s!) This seems to be set in the modern day, since characters have smart phones and FaceTime each other.
Weaknesses: I am beginning to worry about all of the troubled childhoods of graphic novel artists. Did not one but Jennifer and Matt Holm have the occasional happy time growing up? I'd much rather read a fun memoir like Sunny Makes a Splash, but the vast majority of graphic novel memoirs are sad.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to explore the sometimes difficult issues of families who have to exist in more than one country at a time, like Yang's Parachute Kids or McLeod's Intercontinental Drifter.
Weaknesses: I am beginning to worry about all of the troubled childhoods of graphic novel artists. Did not one but Jennifer and Matt Holm have the occasional happy time growing up? I'd much rather read a fun memoir like Sunny Makes a Splash, but the vast majority of graphic novel memoirs are sad.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to explore the sometimes difficult issues of families who have to exist in more than one country at a time, like Yang's Parachute Kids or McLeod's Intercontinental Drifter.
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