A child worries that the home she now shares with her grandma can’t compare to the wondrous stories of Ah Ma’s childhood in China.
Back in Ah Ma’s village, they didn’t have snow. The river behind her home flowed from the sky and through the mountains. You’d never tasted anything so clear and so cold.
Back in Ah Ma’s village, they didn’t have geese. They had birds washed in rainbows. And if you fed them tofu from your hand, they would talk!
Back in Ah Ma’s village sparrows would lay eggs in the cracks of mud homes. Once Ah Ma tried to take an egg and was bitten by a teeny tiny dragon!
Now Ah Ma lives in North America, a place that must seem dull by comparison. But her granddaughter is reassured that geese or no geese, snow or no snow, home is always a magical place when it’s shared with the people you love.
Gillian Sze’s tender story bridges countries, cultures and generations, serving as a mirror to the children of immigrants as well as a window into childhood in rural China. Illustrator Leah Hong illuminates the characters' conversation, alternating between a vibrant autumnal palette and nostalgic washes of gray, blue and green inspired by traditional Chinese paintings.
Key Text Features
illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
A child worries that the home she now shares with her grandma can’t compare to the wondrous stories of Ah Ma’s childhood in China.
Back in Ah Ma’s village, they didn’t have snow. The river behind her home flowed from the sky and through the mountains. You’d never tasted anything so clear and so cold.
Back in Ah Ma’s village, they didn’t have geese. They had birds washed in rainbows. And if you fed them tofu from your hand, they would talk!
Back in Ah Ma’s village sparrows would lay eggs in the cracks of mud homes. Once Ah Ma tried to take an egg and was bitten by a teeny tiny dragon!
Now Ah Ma lives in North America, a place that must seem dull by comparison. But her granddaughter is reassured that geese or no geese, snow or no snow, home is always a magical place when it’s shared with the people you love.
Gillian Sze’s tender story bridges countries, cultures and generations, serving as a mirror to the children of immigrants as well as a window into childhood in rural China. Illustrator Leah Hong illuminates the characters' conversation, alternating between a vibrant autumnal palette and nostalgic washes of gray, blue and green inspired by traditional Chinese paintings.
Key Text Features
illustrations
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Oct 6, 2026 |
| Specifications | 40 pages | 8.5 in x 10.5 in |
| Written By |
GILLIAN SZE is the author of poetry collections, creative nonfiction and picture books. Her recent books include The Little Green Envelope (illustrated by Claudine Crangle), You Are My Favorite Color (illustrated by Nina Mata), and The Night Is Deep and Wide (illustrated by Sue Todd). Her work has received starred reviews from Quill & Quire, Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. Originally from Winnipeg, she now resides in Montreal, Quebec, where she teaches creative writing and literature. |
| Illustrated by |
LEAH HONG fell back in love with picture books after having children of her own. An art school graduate with a visual arts degree in painting, Leah has worked both as an illustrator and graphic designer. Her lifelong love of making art and storytelling led her to create her picture book debut, Happy Dreams, Little Bunny, which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. She lives with her family in Vancouver, British Columbia. |
| Written By |
|
GILLIAN SZE is the author of poetry collections, creative nonfiction and picture books. Her recent books include The Little Green Envelope (illustrated by Claudine Crangle), You Are My Favorite Color (illustrated by Nina Mata), and The Night Is Deep and Wide (illustrated by Sue Todd). Her work has received starred reviews from Quill & Quire, Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. Originally from Winnipeg, she now resides in Montreal, Quebec, where she teaches creative writing and literature. |
| Illustrated by |
|
LEAH HONG fell back in love with picture books after having children of her own. An art school graduate with a visual arts degree in painting, Leah has worked both as an illustrator and graphic designer. Her lifelong love of making art and storytelling led her to create her picture book debut, Happy Dreams, Little Bunny, which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews. She lives with her family in Vancouver, British Columbia. |
| Audience | ages 3 to 6 / grades P to 1 |
| Key Text Features | illustrations |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7 |