My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder

A 2019 Batchelder Honor Book

Yu'er and her grandpa live in a small neighborhood in Beijing—and it's full of big personalities. There's a story around every corner, and each day has a hint of magic.

In one tale, Yu'er wants to swim in the Special Olympics, a sports competition for people with disabilities. But she and her grandpa don't have a pool! Their trick to help Yu'er practice wows the whole neighborhood. In another story, a friend takes Yu'er to a wild place full of musical insects. Later, Yu'er hears a special story about her grandparents. And in the final story, Yu'er and her grandpa show a cranky painter the sweet side of life.

Commended for Mildred L. Batchelder Award (Children's) 2019

“"Yu'er spends much of her time hanging out with her grandfather in their hutong, the narrow street formed by the walls of private residences. When Grampa isn't dozing, he's a bottomless well of droll activities and family stories, and when he is dozing, there are always kids around, supplying the material for four short stories told in graphic-novel format. In the first, Yu'er, who relies on her crutch and Grampa's bicycle for mobility, hopes to enter the Special Olympics swim and diving competition, but with no pool to practice in, Grampa rigs a harness in a tree for her to develop her skills. In the second, a new kid in the neighborhood saves her from bullies and introduces her to a bug concert in a charming hideaway. Next comes Grampa's story of how a stamp collection and his former job as mailman led him to woo Gramma. Finally, a grouchy painter of Grampa's acquaintance recognizes Yu'er's talent for painting. Each story incorporates an element of dream or magic that elevates it from the quotidian to the extraordinary. Yu'er's practice harness gives her flight; the friendly kid with the musical bugs is Grampa in his youth; Yu'er sends her first letter to Gramma, who receives it as a young woman; and as the painter works with his easel beside Yu'er's, he brings joy back to his own spirit and that of his wife. Each frame of sequential art is a small gem of delicate line and watercolor painting, with Yu'er's striped bathing cap centering her in the action, the occasional plumber-style exposed butt providing comic relief, and the exterior and interior scenes transporting readers of this imported title into a cozy, comfortable new setting."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books”

"Jun's exquisite graphics . . . offer nonstop merriment and whimsical delight."—starred, Booklist

Nie Jun began drawing at an early age by copying lianhuanhua (Chinese sequential art). He later discovered the cartooning legends of Europe, Japan, and elsewhere. He lives in Beijing and teaches drawing to university students.

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