Grandfather Counts (Reading Rainbow Books) [Hardcover]

Andrea Cheng (Author), Guan Ang Cheng (Author), Ange Zhang (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Reading Rainbow Books

Gong Gong (Grandfather) is coming from China to live with Helen's family. Helen is excited, but anxious. How will she and her siblings, who only know English, communicate with Gong Gong, who speaks only Chinese?

At first Gong Gong keeps to himself, reading the Chinese newspapers he brought with him. Then one day, as Helen sits outside watching for the train that runs behind her house, Gong Gong joins her. He starts counting the train cars in Chinese, and then teaches Helen the words. Helen reciprocates by teaching Gong Gong to count in English. Soon Helen and Gong Gong are teaching each other more words, and a special bond between them begins to develop and grow.

A moving intergenerational story, Grandfather Counts highlights the universality of the love shared between grandparent and grandchild, a love that helps them cross the boundaries of language and culture.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Ages 4-8. Helen is bothered by having to give up her room to Gong Gong, her Chinese grandfather, when he comes to live with the family. She's puzzled by his sitting and reading his Chinese newspapers. As she can no longer watch the trains from her bedroom window, she sits on the concrete wall in the backyard to count the cars and wave to the engineer. It's there one evening that Gong Gong joins her and teaches her to count the cars in Chinese. They sit together long after the engineer waves good-bye, counting in both Chinese and English. So begin their language lessons and a special relationship. Conveying nuggets of Chinese culture as well as bits of the language, Cheng's story hints honestly at the difficulties of resettling an aged, non-English-speaking relative, and in velvety colors, Zhang's acrylics paint the growing relationship with simple integrity. A brief glossary with pronunciation guides presents words in both Chinese and English. Ellen Mandel
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

ANDREA CHENG is the Director of the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. A native of Texas, Cheng now lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and their three children. This is her first book for children.

ANGE ZHANG has illustrated several children's books, including The Fishing Summer and Winter Rescue. A former designer at the Beijing Opera Company in China, he now lives in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books; 1st edition (October 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584300108
• ISBN-13: 978-1584300106
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartwarming grandparent-grandchild story, October 19, 2000

By 

Linda (Madisonville, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grandfather Counts (Reading Rainbow Books) (Hardcover)

The delicate relationship between the child and her grandfather is beautifully developed by the author, and the message that our differences -- age, language, etc. -- matter less than what we share is conveyed with subtlety. The glossary of Chinese words gives added insight into a different culture. The illustrations are good, though not as outstanding as the text. A real charmer!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book!, January 9, 2005

By 

CPK (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grandfather Counts (Reading Rainbow Book) (Reading Rainbow Books) (Paperback)

My grandfather had recently passed away and my younger cousin was very close to him. I never thought I would find such an excellent children's book on the important and loving relationships between Asian American grandparents and their grandchildren. Additionally, the storyline is simply and beautifully written, and the animation is of high quality.

I consider this a rare and priceless treasure that I hope will get passed on in generations to come.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grandfather Counts book review, August 17, 2000

By 

Matthew Kartal (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grandfather Counts (Reading Rainbow Books) (Hardcover)

I thought Grandfather Counts was a really good book. When I read it I liked how the child and grandfather taught each other. I espeacially liked it because of my intertest in different languages. I would recomend this book for any one who has an interest in different cultures and languages.