Ming's Christmas Wishes

Inspired by family stories, Gong looks at Christmas through the eyes of Ming, the oldest child of immigrants in 1930s Northern California. Unwelcome in her school's Christmas choir, presumably because she's Chinese, Ming requests a Christmas tree at home, only to face Mama's disapproval because it's "not Chinese." Feeling unmoored, Ming ponders her place in the world. But a trip with her compassionate father into the snowy mountains—and a conversation with her grandfather's old friends—soon transforms Ming's perspective, as she learns about the significance of pine trees in her family's culture and encounters a generations-old altar left by Chinese miners, a powerful marker of immigrants' resilience in America. Gong's dialogue-heavy prose is lyrical and deeply sympathetic (about the mountain: "Here, he said, we are not foreigners. Here we are men, a small part of nature's greatness"). Intricate, warmly washed interiors and expansive landscapes by Tateishi enchant, conveying viewpoints from a variety of angles that effectively highlight Ming's varying emotions. A historical holiday story that poignantly explores identity and belonging from a less-seen perspective. Ages 5-6. (Sept.)

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"More than anything, Ming wants to feel like she belongs, and a Christmas tree would be grand, too. Growing up in the 1930s, she faces discrimination at school for being Chinese, and displeasure at home for being too American. The book's beautiful illustrations feature snowy Northern California landscapes and warm indoor scenes, in which Ming's wise father shows her how to honor her heritage while embracing new customs. It's a heartwarming holiday story based on real events."— Foreword Reviews, starred review