Auntie Yang's Great Soybean Picnic (review)

While out for a drive on a family visit, the Yangs and the Los stumble across a field of soybeans, something the adults had never before seen in the United States and the children had never before seen at all. An affable farmer agrees to let them pick some, and later that day the two families sit down to piles of salty boiled soybeans in the pod: "That was our family's first soybean picnic." Over the next forty years, the tradition continues and grows, as newly arrived Chinese immigrant families are invited along and new generations are born; by the end, nearly two hundred people attend Auntie Yang's annual event. The story, based on the Lo family's own history, is lengthy, but it rings with the authenticity of a beloved family tale, and the dialogue is homey and familiar; the story's trajectory from soybean encounter to pleasant picnic pastime to huge event is narratively satisfying, and the underlying message of food as a way of connecting families is subtle yet matter-of-fact. Beth Lo, a ceramic artist, provides the unique art, in which ceramic plates are painted with images from the story and then photographed. The effect is a little static, the layouts are identical throughout, and the eye is drawn to the object as much as to the scenes depicted on it; the colors are cheerful and the details abundant in the scenes, though, and listeners will likely want a closer look when storytime is through. A detailed author's note provides further information about Auntie Yang as well as some facts about soybeans. A brief glossary is also included.