My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder

by Nie Jun

Overview

A 2019 Batchelder Honor Book

Yu'er and her grandpa live in a small neighborhood in Beijing—and it's full of big personalities. There's a story around every corner, and each day has a hint of magic.

In one tale, Yu'er wants to swim in the Special Olympics, a sports competition for people with disabilities. But she and her grandpa don't have a pool! Their trick to help Yu'er practice wows the whole neighborhood. In another story, a friend takes Yu'er to a wild place full of musical insects. Later, Yu'er hears a special story about her grandparents. And in the final story, Yu'er and her grandpa show a cranky painter the sweet side of life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781541526426
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/01/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	452,949
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

About the Author

Nie Jun began drawing at an early age by copying lianhuanhua (Chinese sequential art). He later discovered the cartooning legends of Europe, Japan, and elsewhere. He lives in Beijing and teaches drawing to university students.

Editorial Reviews

[A] delectable graphic story collection…The stories move gracefully between reality and fantasy, a bit like Miyazaki movies, but sweeter.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

12/03/2018
This big-hearted debut is set in a traditional Beijing neighborhood of one-story dwellings whose tiled roofs and arched bridges offer an atmospheric backdrop for four tales. The author doesn’t explain why Yu’er walks with a crutch, or where her parents have gone. But the unshakable love that she and Grandpa share form the solid ground of these stories, which, in the manner of a Miyazaki film, slip from reality into a dreamy otherworld and back. In the first, Grandpa comes up with a novel way for Yu’er to “swim” in their courtyard. In the second, a boy defends Yu’er from bullies and introduces her to the glories of insect song. The third memorializes Yu’er’s late Gramma with a lovely twist that ventures into science fiction, and the fourth follows Grandpa and Yu’er as they melt the heart of a grumpy artist nicknamed Pumpkin. “Is this a dream?” Pumpkin asks. “Yep!” Grandpa replies. “And we all need dreams, don’t we?” Delicate pen-and-ink drawings glow with sunny colors in this graphic novel, and the sequential storytelling shines. Gauvin’s translation, from the French edition, is a translation in turn from the Chinese. Ages 7–11. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Jun's exquisite graphics . . . offer nonstop merriment and whimsical delight."—starred, Booklist

From the Publisher

08/01/2018
Gr 2–4—Four slice-of-life stories about a young girl and her grandfather in a hutong neighborhood of Beijing make up this quiet graphic novel. In the first, Yu'er, who has limited use of one of her legs, dreams of swimming in the Special Olympics, but none of the pools will let her in to train, so her grandfather devises a way to swim without water. The middle two tales are steeped in magical realism. In one, Yu'er meets a boy who protects her from bullies and takes her to a one-of-a-kind concert. In the other, hearing about her grandparents' courtship leads Yu'er to write a magical letter. In the final entry, Yu'er studies painting with a grumpy neighbor who laments his inability to act on his dreams when he was younger. Delicate full-color watercolors add to the gentle, dreamy atmosphere of the neighborhood as Yu'er, her friends, and readers discover the simple magic and wonder in everyday life. The translation occasionally hits an odd note but does not distract from the warm tone. VERDICT Recommended for most graphic novel collections.—Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA

School Library Journal

2018-06-25
A young Chinese girl and her grandpa navigate life's challenges and joys in a small neighborhood of Beijing.In this graphic-short story collection, the author introduces readers to Yu'er, a girl with an unspecified physical disability that limits her mobility, and her loving grandfather. The first story opens with her dream of becoming a champion swimmer and a belief strong enough to carry her above her naysayers. From there, readers meet a boy who helps her fight off bullies, encounter the fantastical properties of an old mailbox, and finish by witnessing Yu'er's reconciliation with a grumpy neighbor. Whimsical and sweet, this will remind readers of animated movies such as My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service. With no fancy fight scenes or action shots, this is a slow and quiet delivery presented in a bright and warm palette of watercolors. Scenes depicted are plangent and sweet evocations of childhood, as in the "Bug Paradise" retreat Yu'er's new friend shares with her and the story her retired-letter-carrier grandpa tells her via his stamp collection. The few cultural and translation footnotes help readers who may be confused by or unfamiliar with certain Chinese terminology or history.Featuring family and friendships, this title is recommended for curious young readers looking for some magic in the everyday. (sketchbook, author's note) (Graphic fiction. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews