About the Author:

Zhang Qiusheng is a renowned children’s literature writer and poet, a member of the China Writers Association. He has written and edited papers, magazines and books for youngsters for 40 years and published more than 70 fairytales, poetries and prose collections. His works have won many awards.

About the Illustrator:

In more than 30 years Zhu Chengliang dedicated his career to children’s books and picture books illustration. He has earned many international awards. The picture book Reunion won the Top 10 Excellent Picture Books by New York Times in 2011 and was selected by the New Work Public Library as one of 100 Children’s Books in 2011. Shining Rabbit Lantern won the Best Illustration Award of the Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations organized by the Asian Cultural Center of UNESCO (ACCU).

Introduction:

This is a story about traditional Chinese customs in Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year. According to the customs, Yan’er’s family cooks Laba congee on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. Yan’er helped Grandma to prepare for the cooking materials and helped Mom to add firewood to the stove. When the congee was ready, the family first worshipped the ancestors and deities then sent congee to the eldest people in the village. They left a bowl for Dad, who was working and couldn’t be with the famoily; and Uncle, who was in a university. The family called for a reunion at the Chinese New Year. Later, Yan’er smeared half a bowl of congee to the persimmon tree in the yard, which, according to the local legend, would help the tree to grow better and produce more fruit.