I Am Golden

Starred review from December 6, 2021
In this richly metaphoric celebration of Chinese American identity, Chen (Roxy the Last Unisaurus Rex) offers a love letter from two parents to their child Mei: “You carry a golden flame... and it’s always with you.” Emigrating from China to New York City—signified by Lady Liberty—Mei’s parents adjust with Mei’s help, as displayed in a particularly striking spread: “In this upside-down world, clever child, you have become our teacher and translator,” the text reads, as the neon billboards of Times Square reflect a clear, star-studded night sky above the family’s home in China. Subsequent pages acknowledge that Mei may face othering (“People tell you that you’re different and you can’t be one of them”), before lyrical, sensorial spreads affirm power in difference: “You are the lotus flower unfurling—triumphant and bright—in the darkest water.... Your voice is the call of the magpie, joyful and unapologetic.” Luminous, gently textured digital art by Diao (Sarah and the Big Wave) includes thoughtful, recognizably Chinese cues that add further dimension, including a jade necklace and a good fortune–signifying upside-down Fú character. A loving, affecting tribute to how children of immigrants can serve as bridges and torchbearers for their communities. Back matter includes author’s and illustrator’s notes. Ages 4–6.

Starred review from April 29, 2022

PreS-Gr 2- In lockstep with Eyes That Kiss at the Corner by Joanna Ho comes Chen's glorious tribute to a small beloved girl, who is everything to her parents, and who becomes everything to readers, too. Her eyes "point to the sun" while her hair is "inky black and smooth as a peaceful night sky. We see skin brushed with gold." This is an immigrant's child born here, who acts as translator for her parents, still struggling with English as their second language. They know they will not be with her when she is called out for being different, and their advanced heartbreak does not prevent it. But they do the best they can. "You are never alone," and there is "power in being different." This makes the leap from the story of one darling Asian girl and her large backpack to a universal story of acculturation and love; the writing is grounded in wonderful notions, but it is Diao's illustrations that make abstract ideas accessible. "I am golden" becomes an anthem, a mantra, and harkening to the ancestors, and the languid watercolor-like illustrations are comfortable in straddling school scenes and those of dragons and phoenixes. In these pages, cultural triumphs live next to snug family dinners, and all of it matters as the parents set their child aloft. Every child should be launched by such words of love and confidence. Includes notes from both author and illustrator. VERDICT Salve on the wounds of racism, this is a transporting invitation to be different, go forward, and meet your destiny.-Kimberly Olson Fakih

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2021
Preschool-Kindergarten *Starred Review* From the outset, this gorgeous picture book exudes joy and celebration of identity. Through dazzling illustrations, Diao brings to exuberant life best-selling Chinese American author Chen's message of finding love and power in one's differences. The artwork is filled with rich tones and golden hues and is a perfect match for Chen's lyrical writing. The narrator addresses a young girl, named Mei, through a second-person perspective, intimately drawing the reader in through Mei's eyes and thoughts. By asking Mei, "What do you see when you look in the mirror?" the author is also asking the reader. The author's positive answers affirm self-love, celebrating both Mei and the reader. References are made to the experience of immigration throughout, including journeying to the unknown, where you (Mei) became a "teacher and translator" and where you "sometimes feel alone" and are told "you're different and can't be one of them." The narrator continues to explore identity and helps Mei and the reader realize that differences are not only to be celebrated but are, in fact, a superpower. Back matter includes author's and illustrator's notes and features family photos as well as personal experiences of being othered. This powerful and uplifting story captures Asian American joy and is a definite must-read.

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Starred review from March 1, 2022
An immigrant couple's empowering love letter to their child. Baby Mei rests in her parents' embrace, flanked by Chinese architecture on one side and the New York skyline on the other. She will be a bridge across the "oceans and worlds and cultures" that separate her parents from their homeland, China. Mei--a Chinese word which means beautiful--shares a name with her family's new home: Měi Gu� (America). Her parents acknowledge the hypocrisy of xenophobia: "It's a strange world we live in--people will call you different with one breath and then say that we all look the same with the next angry breath." Mei will have the responsibility of being "teacher and translator" to her parents. They might not be able to completely shield her from racism, othering, and the pressures of assimilation, but they can reassure and empower her--and they do. Mei and young readers are encouraged to rely on the "golden flame" of strength, power, and hope they carry within them. The second-person narration adds intimacy to the lyrical text. Diao's lovely digital artwork works in tandem with Chen's rich textual imagery to celebrate Chinese culture, family history, and language. The illustrations incorporate touchstones of Chinese mythology and art--a majestic dragon, a phoenix, and lotus flowers--as well as family photographs. One double-page spread depicts a lineup of notable Chinese Americans. In the backmatter, Chen and Diao relay their own family stories of immigration. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A shining affirmation of Chinese American identity. (Picture book. 4-6)

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January 1, 2022
In this affirming story, an immigrant parent speaks to a Chinese American child. The parent assures young Mei that while "people �may] tell you that you're different and you can't be one of them," those differences are her own secret power: she carries a "golden flame inside." Mei is the visual center of many of the bright, glowing digital illustrations. She emerges from a lotus flower, rides the back of a traditional Chinese dragon, and, surrounded by family, takes a video call from grandparents far away. At book's end, both author and illustrator share their own experiences as Chinese Americans feeling "in between worlds."

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)