It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, and here in Vermont, where I just so happen to be today, it actually feels like spring might be coming one of these days – a tease, maybe, but a nice one 😊

And the sunshine and warmer temperatures, even if they’re temporary, make it a perfect day to share this lovely, brand new book about a spring festival.

Title: Clear And Bright: A Ching Ming Festival Story

Written By: Teresa Robeson

Illustrated By: William Low

Publisher: Astra Young Readers, March 4, 2025

Suitable For Ages: 4-8

Themes/Topics: Chinese heritage, cultural tradition, honoring ancestors

text copyright Teresa Robeson 2025, illustration copyright William Low 2025, Astra Young Readers

Opening:
“Every spring,
I help clean the house
from top
to
bottom –

Mama with a vacuum,
me with a gai-mo-soh,
because . . .”

text copyright Teresa Robeson 2025, illustration copyright William Low 2025, Astra Young Readers

Brief Synopsis: [from the publisher] “In the spring, Lily and her relatives gather for the Ching Ming Festival to honor their beloved ancestors. The day is full of joy and community, but also reverence and remembrance. As Lily zips between playing Chinese checkers with her cousin and helping her grandparents prepare a delicious meal for the family, a second narrative unfolds to reveal the sacrifices her great-great-grandpa had to make to settle in America.”

Links To Resources: the book contains back matter on the Ching Ming Festival and the Chinese Exclusion Act, as well as a glossary; talk about what holidays, festivals, or other meaningful days you celebrate in your home – do you have one that is similar to Ching Ming?; if you had to say what made you happy, what would you say?

text copyright Teresa Robeson 2025, illustration copyright William Low 2025, Astra Young Readers

Why I Like This Book: This book gives readers a glimpse into Chinese cultural tradition with the Ching Ming (Clear and Bright) Festival. For some, it will be an explanation of a celebration within their own culture, and for others, a chance to learn about a tradition they might not be familiar with. Ancestors are revered, remembered, loved, and honored at all times in Chinese culture, but especially on this day, and for a Chinese-American family. For the young main character in this story, it is much looked-forward to. The house is cleaned, relatives they rarely get to see come visit, there is baking and cooking of all kinds, and then the family all loads up and drives out to where the ancestors are buried to sweep and clean their graves and bring the food as an offering, a symbol of the family’s thanks for all the ancestors fought for and suffered that they might have a better life. It is not a sad occasion, but a chance to “savor the joy.” Everyone bows at the headstone and shares what makes them happy. Afterwards the food is shared among the family. The story is movingly told, interesting, honest, but not heavy, with moments of light-heartedness and humor, and the art is vibrant and lovely. A wonderful book for any library as it gives young readers a chance to see beyond their own experience and learn and appreciate an aspect of another culture, or more deeply understand their own.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊

For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.

PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊 I hope you all get a little taste of warmth and sunshine to tide you over the rest of winter! 😊