Written by Kelly Zhang, Illustrated by Evie Zhu
I like the Chinese folklore interwoven in the story of a little girl who wants to visit her grandma during the Lantern Festival. She goes on a journey filled with things from Chinese mythology, including the Dragon King, the Jade Emperor, festivals, and lotus lanterns. It is assumed that the grandma is dead, although it doesn’t directly say that. So, I like the idea that the little girl wants so badly to visit her, and that the grandma is still there for her. I was a little underwhelmed by the illustrations, which were done in digital canvas. The text is a little wordy and might lose the attention of preschool ages. I’d say it is for ages 5-8.
Reviewed by Becky Burr, Librarian, Academy Park Elementary
Review shared in January 2024
Rating: ★★★½✩ (3.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades K-3
Take Me to Laolao
Written by Kelly Zhang, Illustrated by Evie Zhu
Quill Tree Books
32 pages
Release Date: January 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780063217652
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
