Review Detail

Welcoming winter with Weiwei's Winter Solstice, a Dōngzhì story about food, family, and celebrating heritage. Little Weiwei loves everything about Dōngzhì - the birds and the flowers, for example - but since her family has recently moved to another country (and climate), this year's solstice seems unfamiliar with cold and snow. But, though the world is different, inside the house the tasty food and traditions remain the same, and she begins to look forward to all of the new memories ahead.

This book is so cute and wintery, with little things to learn about the solstice festival, or the tasty tāng yuán (recipe included), or the family's immigrant experience. Although Weiwei's family celebrated the Chinese festival, a note at the back also explains the significance of Dōnghzhì to other asian cultures, and how some of the traditions vary. I'm super curious to ask my family if they have any traditions to share, because I don't recall ever hearing about it before, maybe because the end of the year is so packed with holidays.

Pick this up for a story of family, adapting to change, and a hopeful holiday, whether it's a part of a different culture or your own.