WITH YOU IN SPIRIT

A family observes the Chinese holiday of Qing Ming, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day.

The young narrator notes that today the family will be visiting Yeh Yeh’s (Grandfather’s) grave. The child’s memories of Yeh Yeh are floating away, and the little one frets: “I close my eyes and see Yeh Yeh’s face…But I have trouble remembering the sound of his laugh.” And the child remembers painting calligraphy with Yeh Yeh but struggles to recall “how his hand steered mine.” But, as Mama and Baba point out, visiting the gravesites of loved ones helps keep their memories alive. Arriving at the cemetery, the family sweeps leaves and weeds from the grave, puts out Yeh Yeh’s favorite foods, lights incense, and prays. The child tells Yeh Yeh about highlights from the family’s year (“Mama’s art is famous!” “And I’m starring in the school play!”). Wen’s soft, colorful gouache, pencil, and brush pen illustrations include a glowing figure of Yeh Yeh floating from the tombstone to enjoy the family’s offerings and stories. When the family burns joss paper, the protagonist also includes a few drawings of things that Yeh Yeh might enjoy in the afterlife, like a bicycle and a calligraphy brush. With this warm story, Liao highlights the love between a grandparent and grandchild while also clearly explaining a major Chinese holiday that gets little attention in the West.

A sweet introduction to a significant Chinese tradition, glimpsed through the eyes of a loving family.