CHRISTMAS PICTURE BOOK : Ming's Christmas Wishes by Susan L. Gong
ABOUT THE BOOK
Ming wishes for three things at Christmas. First, to sing in the school Christmas choir. Second, to have a Christmas tree like the one in the department store window. And third, to feel she belongs somewhere.
As a daughter of immigrants in 1930s California, Ming is often treated differently than other children at school. She's pointedly not invited to sing in the Christmas choir. At home, when Ming lobbies her parents for a Christmas tree, her mother scolds her for trying to be American. Ming doesn't seem to fit in anywhere: she's not quite American enough at school, not quite Chinese enough at home.
REVIEW
Being the child of immigrant parents frustrates young Ming in 1930s California. She wants to be part of the school Christmas choir but is rejected, she believes, because she is Chinese. When she asks to get a Christmas tree at home, her mother jumps all over her for not being Chinese enough. Ming tells her father that she doesn't know where she fits. Her father takes her on a trip where he provides a way for her to have a tree while still honoring her Chinese roots. Tateishi's lovely illustrations nicely compliment Wong's story. Maps on the front and rear end pages help set the scene. A important own voices story that shares a different perspective on the Christmas holiday.
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