Alas, there were some rather off-putting elements: fish being scaled, eels, and even worse; a roped bird diving for fish, which the fishermen then took. However, I chose to overlook these aspects and gave this book a fair chance, allowing China's rich culture to be shared with me. Each illustration by Gretchen Schields is truly glorious and exquisite! The bright, glossy colors and the intricate, exotic details that frame every portrait are a sight to behold. The clear, emotive expressions on the faces and the moods of each page beautifully showcase Gretchen's remarkable gift for creating elaborate impressions. Her style is both foreign and unique, and this level of grandeur is what all illustrated books should strive to achieve.
A modern Grandma (Nai-nai) tells her granddaughters the story of getting lost at the age of seven while on a boat celebrating the moon festival for the first time. I couldn't quite relate to having a nursemaid sleeping beside me and having the authority to reprimand, much like parents. There were a few such slightly uncomfortable things, and perhaps the text was a bit too short to be truly compelling, which led me to rate it at four stars. A scolded Ying-Ying falls from their cruise vessel. Although her wish to a legendary moon lady does bring her family back to her, this fable felt a bit anticlimactic as it merely resulted in an encounter with a shabby actor. I was really anticipating the enchanting experience of addressing the real lady. Nevertheless, this is still an enjoyable snippet of culture.