Bluhm illustrates with three distinctive styles: the onmiscent narrator in black ink drawings, often with blue shading; the young sister with her early childish scribbles and primitive drawings; and the brother's detailed pencil sketches. The boy's illustrations document his development as an artist. Expressive artwork becomes progressively more intricate as the years go by.

Not surprisingly, it is when the two grow older and one moves away that they come to fully recognize their shared affection for one another.
Readers with memories of family relationships will be drawn to this heartwarming story. Give a copy to the siblings in your life. Young and old, they will relate.

Current box office receipts prove that there is significant interest in romantic comedies featuring an all Asian cast. Crazy Rich Asians has been drawing record-breaking crowds. Interestingly, the movie is based on Kevin Kwan's book with the same title. Jenny Han's YA classic To All the Boys I've Loved Before has been adapted for the screen and is available on Netflix. 

But let's not stop with these fantastic films developed from contemporary fiction. There could be more. Look at these three romantic YA novels written by Asian American authors. Each, in my humble opinion, would translate well to the screen. Can you picture some of your favorite actors assuming roles in these stories? I can. If I were a movie producer looking for a follow-up hit movie, I would consider these 2018 YA books.

​Pub date: May 8 2018       Publisher: ​Farrar, Straus and Giroux    ISBN: 978-0374304089

​Pub date: May 22, 2018       Publisher: ​Simon Pulse    ISBN: 978-1481495400

Romantic comedy films featuring Asian Americans are winners at the box office and in the hearts of viewers. 

The panels explode into full-page spreads as the duo simultaneously create, each in his own style. It is a magical moment, as the two vastly different cultures and styles of art become something than transcends the abilities of each. Tales of wonder fill the paper. Together they create something that is electrifying.

Side note: One of the marvelous things about this book is the realization that like the story it relates, it is a testament to the importance of collaboration.  The combined efforts of both Lê and Santat produce its powerful impact.

Drawn Together allegory is threefold. The two vastly different styles of art create a new masterpiece. A boy and his grandfather bridge cultures and generations to create a bond of love. An author and an illustrator use their individual talents to create a magnificent picture book.

Sean Qualls employs a predominantly sepia-toned pallet. It heightens the warmth of family connection. There is a sense of the humanity and humility of this man and of his family, grounded in their country and its people.

Hope Larson conjures up more stories featuring phenomenal adventures for young girls.

Long ago, I studied to become a youth services librarian. The class "Literature for Young Adults" was an eye-opener. It started with S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders and continued as I read YA classics such as Jacqueline Woodson's Miracle's Boys, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, and Gary Paulsen's Hatchet. I came to the startling conclusion that many of the protagonists in these stories were orphans. Writers chose to kill off the parents to focus on the teen's coming-of-age struggle. This is not a new device. Consider orphans Anne of Green Gables and Tom Sawyer. If the parents were not dead, they often were removed in other ways. Current YA lit offerings such as Sara Zarr's Gem and Dixie and Dee Ellis' You May Already Be a Winner center on mothers who are either emotionally absent or unaware of the realities that their children face.

Literature, and especially literature for teens is constantly evolving.  

Recently I have noticed several books which run counter to the "absent parent" trope. These novels are about a different sort of dilemma.  In these recently published books, teens aren't trying to negotiate a world without parents. Instead they live in a world of overly concerned, constantly interfering, zealously protective parents. Meet four young people who discover ways to assert themselves and move out into the world while recognizing and respecting their parents. This can be a difficult tightrope to walk.

​Pub date: May 30, 2017       Publisher: ​Simon Pulse    ISBN: 978-1481478687

​Pub date: February 13, 2018       Publisher: ​Barefoot Books   ISBN: 978-1250159854

Background: Danny Cheng lives with his parents in Cupertino, California. It’s senior year and his group of Asian American friends are in the throes of post high school planning. Danny is thrilled. He been accepted to RISD and dreams of pursuing his passion for art. Then he discovers a box, hidden in a closet at home, which contains a sheaf of documents relating to a mysterious individual. The narrative explores Danny’s search to uncover the identity of this person and to learn why his parents are so secretive about the box and its contents.

​This is a book of secrets, of secrets wrapped inside secrets. Important plots points are revealed as Danny learns more about the box of papers. Most of these discoveries took me by surprise. But the story also reveals secrets of the heart. I was able to identify some of those secrets early on. Gilbert offers enough clues to help readers understand what is buried deep inside the hearts of her main characters. I found myself rooting for them, hoping that these young people would recognize and respond to their innermost longings.

Most of the narrative is Danny’s first-person account. Woven throughout his story are brief chapters written by another individual who describes a series of personal life events. Eventually the two stories come together, leading to an emotion-filled conclusion.

You’ll get no spoilers from me. I will say that as I reached the final pages, I found it hard to read as my vision became blurred due to a copious quantity of tears. Read it for the mystery. Read it for the portraits of young Asian Americans. Read it to view the complications brought on by a family in crisis and the extent of a family’s love. Read it for the vivid portrayal of coming-of-age. But most of all, read it so that you and I can talk about it!

​Pub date: April 10 2018       Publisher: ​Disney-Hyperion    ISBN: 978-1484726020

Lola fulfills the assignment, creating a pastiche of images incorporating joyous memories with painful ones. The finished product is evidence her of understanding of the past, appreciation for the present, and hope for the future of her homeland.The evil that once threatened this island will not destroy the life and love and hope of its people. ​

Without mentioning a specific individual, Díaz uses the imagery of a monster to explain the cruelties of life under a ruthless dictator. He handles this difficult topic with a sensitivity and understanding appropriate for young readers.

Espinosa's vibrant illustrations capture the wonder and vitality of the island. Pages brimming with details of island life invite exploration. The full-page spread depicting the monster attacking the island is frightful. However, the overall tone of the images throughout the book, especially facial expressions and body language, depicts a family that offers reassurance and security in times of distress.

Islandborn is the English edition and  Lola, the Spanish edition of this picture book from 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz.

The beauty of this book is the acknowledgement of this universal truth: often children do not remember events from early childhood. They rely on family and others within their circle to help them construct a sense of identity, history, and heritage.

After reading Islandborn, youngsters can be encouraged to search for information about their own family history and heritage. Research may take the form of interviews, family stories, music, recipes, artifacts, and more. Many years ago, I attended a workshop presented by Alma Flor Ada. She suggested that schools can help children discover and appreciate their identity and heritage. I was inspired by her presentation and decided to implement a few of her suggestions with a group of eight-year-old youngsters. Here's what we did:
Each student interviewed a family member, organized the results of individual research into a biography, and published the personal narrative as a book. Text was enhanced with copies of family photographs and student-created illustrations. We also (a suggestion from Dr. Ada) solicited recipes from families and compiled a cookbook of family recipes. A copy of the cookbook was prepared for the family of each student.
Then came the celebration! Families were invited to school to read the amazing family stories and to sample the delicious dishes from a variety of cultures. This became an annual event, shared with extended families.

It begins with the cover.  A young child, sporting a pair of spiffy yellow rain boots and a bright yellow umbrella is perched on the shoulders of a man, both gazing ahead to the golden glow of a sunrise. ​

There are picture books which seem to be the result of a thoughtful collaboration and shared vision between the author and the illustrator. Love written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Loren Long is one such book.  The mastery of imagery created by text and art is seamless.  They blend together to create a whole cloth that elicits deep emotions.  The power of the book is the way that these two masters of their craft unite.  It is pure gold.

The pages go dark. Literally go dark: black paper with the white italicized text. But it's not just the visual change that is immediately apparent. The narration moves from Lucia’s engaging first person voice to a strangely detached almost other-worldly third person view when she is goes to sleep.

These dark pages are interspersed throughout Lucia's story of her contentious connection with Velvet, her developing friendship with two classmates, and her strained relationship with neighbor Will. She is also dealing with the fallout from her parent's broken marriage: mom moves away to Sweden with a new partner, older sister remains aloof, and dad seems to be paralyzed by this divorce. Now she's thirteen and trying to figure it all out.

Lucia tries to puzzle out what is happening when she appears to be asleep and yet another part of her begins to act out her subconscious desires.  What causes these episodes?  These strange interludes are forcing her to see another side of herself. Does she like who she becomes during her sleep-induced experiences? Who is in control here and what does she really want?  
Magic, shadows, dreams, and desires all come together in this spell-binding middle grade novel.