"You are my messenger. Look everything. Remember," Grandma Nai Nai tells eleven—year—old Xiao Mei as the girl heads off to Shanghai, China, to visit their extended family. Xiao Mei is both excited and apprehensive. She will meet many new relatives, but will they accept her, a girl from America who is only half Chinese?
Xiao Mei is eagerly embraced by her aunties, uncles, and cousins and quickly immersed in the sights, smells, and hubbub of daily living in Shanghai. At first battling homesickness, Xiao Mei soon ventures out on her own, discovering the excitement of a different way of life and a new appreciation of her Chinese heritage. When it is finally time to leave, Xiao Mei must gather up her memories and bring "a little bit of China" back home.
Ed Young's exquisite drawings touchingly highlight Andrea Cheng's lyrical story of adventure, self—discovery, and the strong bonds that tie families together.
ANDREA CHENG is the author of several critically—acclaimed books for young readers, Shanghai Messenger was inspired by a trip to China to see her husband's family as well as by her memories of a solo childhood visit to relatives in Hungary. Cheng and her family live in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
ED YOUNG is one of the most versatile and highly honored illustrators of children's books today. He has won numerous awards for his illustrations, including the Caldecott Medal in 1990 and Caldecott Honors in 1993 and 1989. A native of Shanghai, China, Young now lives in
Hastings—on—Hudson, New York, with his family.
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