Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A picture book set in China shows that loneliness can be overcome.Liling, a young Chinese girl, and her parents have moved from the country to a busy city. Her mother and father work in a sewing factory and a can-making factory respectively. Without friends or school, Liling is lonely. The artwork's grayscale palette reflects that bleak reality. Even the marketplace, with its "tables of rainbow fabrics," is painted in muted blues and grays. The only bright spots in the illustrations are Liling's red coat and, eventually, the bright yellow coat of Qiqi, a smiling girl whom Liling must devise ingenious methods to befriend since they live in different buildings. The motif of a Chinese dragon, a metaphor for courage, weaves in and out of the artwork and text. The hand-drawn pictures and handwritten notes that the two girls send each other are sparks of joy in Liling's otherwise dull life. The Chinese hukou system that traps Liling and her family in poverty is explained in a brief glossary and in the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book, but it is not the focus of the story. An author's note and a five-item resource list at the back provide details for parents and teachers seeking more information. Inspired by her visit to Shanghai to adopt a child, Evans' pencil and watercolor paintings of Chinese characters and scenes avoid insensitive stereotypes and respect Chinese culture. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A hopeful, universal story about the power of friendship to dramatically improve the quality of everyday life. (Picture book. 3-7)

Horn Book (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Life becomes challenging for Liling after her family moves from the rural mountains to a crowded city in China. Without new hukou (residency) papers, she can't go to school, so she spends her days at her parents' workplaces and accompanies them on errands to the market. One day at the park, she's teased for her old red coat and dirty shoes. When Liling meets Qiqi, a girl just like her, they become friends and find comfort and strength in each other. At the end of the story, they walk together, hand in hand, into the park. Evans's pencil and watercolor illustrations use a muted color palette of blues and grays. The cool tone conveys Liling's feelings of disengagement in the city; the girls' bright-hued coats -- red for Liling and yellow for Qiqi -- are uplifting pops of color. Evans also makes use of varied perspectives to enhance the narrative and mood of the story. In a double-page spread where Liling first sees Qiqi from her balcony, viewers look down at the scene from above, observing the special connection between the characters. Both sad and hopeful, this tale shows the value of finding strength in true friendship. It is important to note that the story reflects only part of the reality of life in modern China, and readers should see the author's note to get a better idea of the big picture. A helpful glossary precedes the text.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A picture book set in China shows that loneliness can be overcome.Liling, a young Chinese girl, and her parents have moved from the country to a busy city. Her mother and father work in a sewing factory and a can-making factory respectively. Without friends or school, Liling is lonely. The artwork's grayscale palette reflects that bleak reality. Even the marketplace, with its "tables of rainbow fabrics," is painted in muted blues and grays. The only bright spots in the illustrations are Liling's red coat and, eventually, the bright yellow coat of Qiqi, a smiling girl whom Liling must devise ingenious methods to befriend since they live in different buildings. The motif of a Chinese dragon, a metaphor for courage, weaves in and out of the artwork and text. The hand-drawn pictures and handwritten notes that the two girls send each other are sparks of joy in Liling's otherwise dull life. The Chinese hukou system that traps Liling and her family in poverty is explained in a brief glossary and in the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book, but it is not the focus of the story. An author's note and a five-item resource list at the back provide details for parents and teachers seeking more information. Inspired by her visit to Shanghai to adopt a child, Evans' pencil and watercolor paintings of Chinese characters and scenes avoid insensitive stereotypes and respect Chinese culture. (This book was reviewed digitally.)A hopeful, universal story about the power of friendship to dramatically improve the quality of everyday life. (Picture book. 3-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

When Lìlíng and her family move from the mountains of China, hùko˘u—a registration system that determines legal access to resources—means that she’s unable to attend school in their new city home. Portrayed in a dark red coat, Lìlíng spends her days with her Maˉma and Bàba at their factory jobs, wishing for a friend. When she briefly spots a girl in a “sunshine yellow” coat, Lìlíng becomes determined to find and befriend her, eventually discovering that she’s a neighbor. Watercolor images and spare text by Evans portray crowded streets and tall skyscrapers in watery grays and blues, while bright-colored notes exchanged between the friends via their residences’ balconies provide a fitting contrast that hints at their blossoming friendship. A motif of dragons and tigers—metaphors for courage and strength—add to the narrative’s emotional depth. Back matter includes an author’s note. Ages 4–8. (May)

School Library Journal (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2022)

K-Gr 3 In a simple story about change that uses a spare telling to create emotional heft, Liling is a little girl that has recently moved from the countryside of China to the bustling city where bicycles, apartments, factories, markets, and scores of people are everywhere. This scene is vastly different from what Liling is accustomed to. Amid oppressively crowded cityscapes and factory scenes, she is lonely and unable to attend school due to the family's hukou; the household registration system that specifies where a family, unless it has money to change it, can receive government services, purchase food, and attend school. Liling often goes to the sewing factory with her mother, where she has to be very quiet, and to the can factory with her father where she has to be still. Neither workplace is ideal for a young child, and Liling feels lost in the shuffle until she spots another girl about her age. On the lookout for the girl everywhere she goes, Liling is pleasantly surprised to see that same girl on a balcony in the apartment building next to hers! A new friendship blossoms aided by a can and some string. Bleak blue watercolor illustrations are awash in melancholy grays; Liling is painted in bright red and her new friend Qiqi in brilliant yellow. Back matter includes a glossary and author's note about China's hukou system VERDICT A beautiful purchase about friendship even in difficult circumstances. Tracy Cronce