My Friend Mei Jing

Publishing Details

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Physical Properties

Description

Ever since Mei Jing came to Monifas school theyve been best friends. Theyre both artistic and like to create wild designs together. They love to play at each others houses; at Monifas, they make a tent out of her mothers African blanket, and at Mei Jings, they play with her new puppy and dream of having a veterinary clinic when they grow up. On one visit to Mei Jings, Monifa notices that Mei Jings grandma spends a lot of time there. She speaks Chinese and calls her granddaughter Mui Mui. Mei Jings father even shows Monifa how to use chopsticks and Monifa tries food shes never eaten before. Luckily they dont serve chickens feet! At Chinese New Year the girls learn the Dragon Dance, and when Mei Jings parents give Monifa a red envelope, shes surprised to discover it has real money in it! The second in the My Friend series, My Friend Mei Jing is a poignant story that demonstrates how friendship is the strongest bond among kids living in a diverse community.

Reviews

In this large, colorful book, a Nigerian-American second-grader tells the story of her best friend from school, who is Chinese-American. The girls share a love of arts and crafts, dressing up, and a desire to become veterinarians. Monifa describes aspects of Mei Jing's culture: eating with chopsticks, the giving of red envelopes, Chinese coins, and the Dragon Dance, which both children perform for Chinese New Year. The story's authentic voice comes from simple declarative sentences: "Mei Jing and I even have the same favorite color--it's purple." The brightly colored collages combine photographs of the girls' heads and hands with their cartoon bodies and depict them as they work with clay in arts and crafts at school or walk through an outdoor market with Mei Jing's grandma, "Paw Paw."--Teresa Pfdeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet"School Library Journal" (09/01/2009)
The story's authentic voice comes from simple declarative sentences: "MeiJing and I even have the same favorite color--it's purple."--Teresa Pfdeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA"School Library Journal" (09/01/2009)

Author Bio

Anna McQuinn is a part-time writer whose literacy workshops often involve children and families for whom English is not their first language. Her picture books include "Lola at the Library" and "Wanda's Washing Machine." She lives in England.

Ben Frey is a Canadian illustrator who lives in Vancouver.

Photographer Irvin Cheung is a graphic designer. He lives in Vancouver.