Caldecott Medal Winner
Newbery Honor Book
APALA Award Winner
Gathering watercress by the side of the road brings a girl closer to her family's Chinese Heritage.
New England Book Award Winner
A New York Times Best Children’s Book of the Year
A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor BookDriving through Ohio in an old Pontiac, a young girl's parents stop suddenly when they spot watercress growing wild in a ditch by the side of the road. Grabbing an old paper bag and some rusty scissors, the whole family wades into the muck to collect as much of the muddy, snail covered watercress as they can.
At first, she's embarrassed. Why can't her family get food from the grocery store? But when her mother shares a story of her family's time in China, the girl learns to appreciate the fresh food they foraged. Together, they make a new memory of watercress.
Andrea Wang tells a moving autobiographical story of a child of immigrants discovering and connecting with her heritage, illustrated by award winning author and artist Jason Chin, working in an entirely new style, inspired by Chinese painting techniques. An author's note in the back shares Andrea's childhood experience with her parents.
Winner of the Cybils AwardAn SCBWI Crystal Kite Award WinnerA Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the YearA Boston Globe Best Children's Book of the YearA Washington Post Best Children's Book of the YearA New York Public Library Best Book of the YearA Chicago Public Library Best Book of the YearAn ALSC Notable Children's BookNamed a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly, BookPage, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Lunch, Shelf Awareness, and more!A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade BookAn NPR 'Book We Love!' A Horn Book Fanfare TitleA Mighty Girl Best Book of the Year A Floyd's Pick Honor BookA CSMCL Best Multicultural Children's Book of the YearA Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!A CCBC Choice
Andrea Wang is the award-winning author of
The Nian Monster and
Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando. She was inspired to write
Watercress by her experience growing up in rural Ohio as a child of Chinese immigrants. Andrea holds an M.S. in Environmental Science and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing for Young People. She lives in Colorado with her family.
Jason Chin is a celebrated author and illustrator of children's books. His book
Grand Canyon was awarded a Caldecott Honor, a Sibert Honor, and the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award. He is the author and illustrator of
Your Place in the Universe, which Kirkus called "A stimulating outing to the furthest reaches of our knowledge", as well as other acclaimed nonfiction titles--
Coral Reefs,
Redwoods,
Gravity, and
Island: A Story of the Galapagos-- which have received numerous starred reviews and other accolades. He is also the illustrator of Stephanie Parsley Ledyard's debut title
Pie Is for Sharing and Miranda Paul's
Water is Water and
Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born, the latter, a Boston Horn Globe Honor Book. He lives in Vermont with his wife and children.
"Wang's multilayered, poetic text allows anger, guilt and grief to coexist with love and hope. Chin's captivating watercolor art, executed with a mix of Chinese and Western techniques, combines meticulous, gut-wrenching realism with dreamlike panoramas."
—The New York Times"Children often don’t understand why their parents act as they do; parents often forget to explain.
Watercress reminds us of the importance of filling in those gaps."
—The Wall Street Journal"An understated, visually stunning exploration of memory and family history."
—The Boston Globe ★ "An adept gem of a picture book"
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
★ "Understated, deep, and heart-rending—bring tissues."
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review ★ "Simple text and beautiful illustrations pack a strong emotional punch . . . A powerful story sure to awaken empathy and curiosity"
—School Library Journal, Starred Review★ "this quietly affecting book encourages honesty, communication, and sharing of family history."—
The Horn Book, Starred Review ★ "
Watercress is a delicate and deeply felt exploration of memory, trauma and family."
—BookPage, Starred Review ★ "It’s a deft exploration of the information and emotion gap between parents, especially immigrant parents, and children, and it may give space for kids to learn more about their own family history and customs . . ."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Starred Review ★ "Through powerful poetry and exquisite illustrations, the daughter of immigrants relates an emotional childhood memory that opened the door to her Chinese roots."—
Shelf Awareness, Starred Review "The story reveals the chasms that can separate first-generation immigrant parents from their Americanized children and how confronting past traumas from another country and time can bring a family closer together. Chin’s illustrations masterfully bring to life the vast cornfields and colors of rural America."
—Booklist
