By Maureen Tai, 11 September 2021

As I turn the pages of Nie Jun’s whimsical graphic novel, My Beijing (ages 7+), it feels as if I’m slipping under the covers of a warm and comfy bed. The gorgeous, pastel-coloured illustrations have a nostalgic, old-world feel about them, and the charming, delightful characters are like childhood friends who’ve come to visit. Yu’er is a gentle and bright-eyed disabled girl who lives in a Beijing courtyard house with her lovable and kindly grandfather. Their close, easy relationship with each other, as well as with their friends and neighbours, is clear to see from the four heart-warming, slice-of-life stories, each of which has an unexpected, magical twist that will make you smile. Small but significant details of Chinese life embellish the pages: the decorative figures lined up at the tips of tiled roofs, the wu lou (gourds) hanging from green vines, the swinging bamboo birdcages, the tiffin carrier on the bedside table, the gauzy mosquito net that encircles Yu’er’s and her grandfather’s beds. Cartoonist Nie Jun has created an irresistible world that you’ll want to return to, time and again.

NOTE: Thank you for reading my reviews! I’ll never take this website down, but in the interests of streamlining, from 1 January 2025, I’ll be posting new reviews on my writer website, www.maureentai.com, where I post lots of other bookish extras. See you there!

By Maureen Tai, 30 August 2021

The opening page of Turtle in Paradise, the graphic novel (ages 8 +) sets the scene. It’s June 1935. Eleven-year-old Turtle and her cat Smokey, arrive in Key West to live with relatives whom she’s never met. Her mother’s employer can’t stand having children around, and being a live-in housekeeper, Turtle’s mother has no choice but to send Turtle away. Despite her young age, Turtle is a tough cookie. She quickly discovers that her Aunt Minnie, her ragtag gang of boy cousins and their friends, and the rest of her extended family are no shrinking violets either. There’s Beans and Pork Chop, who head up an unorthodox babysitting service called “The Diaper Gang.” There’s Kermit, with the weak heart, and Buddy, who’s always pantless. There’s Nana Philly, who’s mean to kids, and Slow Poke, who always lives up to his name. Middle-graders will love the bright, candy coloured graphics, snappy dialogue, memorable characters and engaging storyline. Based on a Newbery Honor chapter book of the same title and by the same author – which we also read and would highly recommend – this pictorial ode to a time that no longer exists, and to a way of life that is timeless, will make you laugh and warm your heart. Promise.

NOTE: Thank you for reading my reviews! I’ll never take this website down, but in the interests of streamlining, from 1 January 2025, I’ll be posting new reviews on my writer website, www.maureentai.com, where I post lots of other bookish extras. See you there!

By Maureen Tai, 4 July 2021

Looking for an engaging, middle grade graphic novel about two unlikely friends, mother-daughter relationships and solving neighbourhood mysteries? Shirley & Jamila save their summer (ages 8+) is just the ticket, with likeable, multi-dimensional characters, smart, snappy dialogue, bursts of good-natured humour and an absorbing plot. Torontonians will also appreciate the visual references to the city peppered among the pages: the CN Tower’s silhouette in the skyline, the “U of T” emblazoned on the older brother’s t-shirt, the “We [heart] the CBC” sign stuck into a grassy lawn, and the thoughtful detailing of houses and streets in the Annex, a Toronto neighbourhood that I myself frequented as a university student. Be ready for some fun sleuthing!