The Flamingo

Starred review from July 18, 2022
Immaculately drawn and paced, this largely wordless intergenerational portrait tells a double story about sturdy bonds across time and space. Panels in shades of charcoal gray and desaturated red capture the reunion of a young grandchild flying alone to visit their enthusiastically waving Lao Lao, who cues as Chinese. Asked about a pink feather found in a flamingo-shaped cup, Lao Lao spins a tale—told in kaleidoscopic full-color art—about a kid who finds an egg at the beach, takes it home, and finds themself the caretaker of a baby flamingo. Guojing (Stormy) represents the growing flamingo’s changing body with marvelous care, and vibrant sequences in which the bird, the child, and a terrier grow closer provide moments of sheer delight, as in images of the young flamingo sitting stuffed in a pocket and perched on the child’s head. Soon, though, it’s time for both children to say goodbye—to the flamingo and to Lao Lao, too—transitions attended by soaring moments, and followed by a lovely art-centered coda. The parallels between human love and migrating birds are unmistakable in this elegant parable of faithful return. Ages 5–8.

Starred review from November 1, 2022

Gr 4-6-This beautiful graphic novel in translation tells the story of Jo, a young girl who runs away from her family only to stumble upon a magical storybook world deep in the woods. Jo does not like her new stepmother and stepsisters and feels she would be better off on her own in the woods surrounding the site of her family's new home. As Jo begins her woodland adventure, she follows two small creatures to their fairy-tale village, bustling with activity. Once in the village, Jo meets a catlike girl named Nouk. Nouk explains to Jo that Emperor Tomcat has imprisoned much of their village, including Nouk's mother, and the village is preparing to rescue them. When the rescue goes awry, Jo sets out with the help of Maurice the fox, Pom Pom the dog, and the Wondrous Wonders to save her new friends. Richly colored illustrations, paired with just enough text to provide readers with context while allowing their imagination to fill in the rest, create a vibrant reading experience. All human characters are white. VERDICT This is a must-buy for any library, packed with humor and heart. Young readers will delight in joining Jo on her adventures through the forest and meeting the entertaining cast of fantasy creatures. Full-color illustrations with light line work create a subtle, dreamlike aesthetic.-Maryjean Riou

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 1, 2022
In this moving, mostly wordless graphic novel, a young girl of Chinese descent visits her grandmother on her own; the bond between the two deepens through their shared joy in storytelling and in observing nature. Central to the story is a flamingo, a wild rescue bird that Lao Lao (the grandmother) had saved and raised years ago when she was little. Guojing's expressive digital, watercolor, and colored-pencil illustrations have a timeless, cinematic quality, switching back and forth between the grandmother's bright, tropical childhood awash in shades of yellow, pink, and blue and the gray-hued present. This contrast becomes even greater when the granddaughter flies home (via a flamingo-pink airplane) to her family's lonely apartment in an imposing skyscraper-filled metropolis. A fantastical appearance by the titular character toward the end brings this gentle tale of family love -- spanning time, distance, and generations -- to a satisfying, heartwarming close. With its unfussy art and few words, the story leaves room for viewers' interpretation; what's never in question is the love between Lao Lao and her granddaughter. Michelle Lee

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

Starred review from September 1, 2022
A child's visit to their grandmother creates lasting stories. At Lao Lao's coastal home, flamingo motifs are everywhere. The child asks Lao Lao about a feather in a flamingo-shaped cup, and as the scene shifts, we see a girl walking along a beach and discovering an egg, out of which a flamingo chick eventually hatches. In between kite flying, bao steaming, and their own coastal walk, Lao Lao shares her story with her grandchild. Friendship between the flamingo and the girl grows, but the time comes for goodbyes. The flamingo flies away, and the girl hopes for the bird's return. Just as Lao Lao's story concludes, a flock of flamingos serendipitously fills the sky. Grandmother and grandchild must part, too. Back at home, feather in hand, the child begins to write their own story, and their imagination takes flight. Guojing's tender tale uses the migration of birds to explore how family bonds endure despite separation and the passage of time. The spare text in this mostly wordless tale is well placed. Rendered in Photoshop, watercolor, and colored pencil, the illustrations depict expressive faces and dynamic perspectives, beautifully capturing the joy of a hug, the wonder of visiting new places, the sadness of saying goodbye, and the hope of reuniting. The use of color is inspired; muted illustrations with pops of reddish pink depict the present, while both Lao Lao's and the child's stories are portrayed in vibrant hues. Use of the term Lao Lao cues the characters as Chinese, though locations aren't specified. This tale soars. (Graphic fiction. 5-9)

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July 1, 2022
In this moving, mostly wordless graphic novel, a young girl of Chinese descent visits her grandmother on her own; the bond between the two deepens through their shared joy in storytelling and in observing nature. Central to the story is a flamingo, a wild rescue bird that Lao Lao (the grandmother) had saved and raised years ago when she was little. Guojing's expressive digital, watercolor, and colored-pencil illustrations have a timeless, cinematic quality, switching back and forth between the grandmother's bright, tropical childhood awash in shades of yellow, pink, and blue and the gray-hued present. This contrast becomes even greater when the granddaughter flies home (via a flamingo-pink airplane) to her family's lonely apartment in an imposing skyscraper-filled metropolis. A fantastical appearance by the titular character toward the end brings this gentle tale of family love -- spanning time, distance, and generations -- to a satisfying, heartwarming close. With its unfussy art and few words, the story leaves room for viewers' interpretation; what's never in question is the love between Lao Lao and her granddaughter.

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