Thank You, Meiling: Courtesy

K-Gr 3-In this didactic tale, a young duck learns about courtesy as she accompanies young Song Hai on shopping errands for his family's Chinese Moon Festival celebration. As the boy buys fruits that are round like the moon, a paper lantern, mooncakes, rose flower incense, a Moon Palace poster, and special tea, Meiling learns about saying Please and Thank you, helping the elderly, sharing, and taking turns. Maeno's large watercolors are a lovely, gentle accompaniment to a text that would be far more appealing as a simple story of a family's celebration, without the superfluous etiquette lessons. The endpapers are decorated with additional paintings and brief paragraphs with information on the Moon Festival and Chinese culture. A useful purchase for libraries in communities where there is great demand for materials on Chinese holidays.-Ginny Gustin, Santa Monica Public Library, CA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|