Roses Sing on New Snow: A Delicious Tale

by Paul Yee, Harvey Chan (Illustrator)

• Winner of the Ruth Schwartz Children’s Book Award
Maylin cooks delicious meals every day in her father’s restaurant, but it’s her lazy brothers who take all the credit. One day a contest is held to honor the visiting Governor of South China and Maylin’s brothers don’t hesitate to pass off her cooking as their own. But when neither the brothers nor the Governor himself can replicate Maylin’s wonderful dish, they all learn that there’s more to the art of good cooking than just using the right ingredients.

Genres: Picture Books, School, Childrens, China, Food

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Paul Yee never planned to be an author but got published in 1983 and followed up with over twenty books in his area of obsession: Chinese immigrants to North America. He wrote mostly for young readers, from picture books to Young Adult fiction, as well as histories for everyone. His university degrees in history, plus working as an archivist, plunged him into researching the past. His work has been translated into French and Chinese, and used in animated films as well as stage plays. Born in small-town prairie Canada, he grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, but Toronto tempted him away from that west coast paradise in 1988.

Reviews

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roses Sing on New Snow by Paul Yee, Illustrator Harvey Chan- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- the book narrates the story of Maylin, a Chinese girl who cooks delicious meals every day in her father’s restaurant, but her father gives the credit of the taste of dishes to her lazy brothers. Her brothers are fat and lazy and are unable to cook. One day a contest is held to honor the visiting Governor of South China. Maylin cooks a new dish named Roses Sing on New Snow. Governor tastes the dishes and appreciate the quality and taste. Maylin’s brothers don’t hesitate to pass off her cooking as their own. The Governor informs that he wishes to present these dishes before the King. Governor asks her brothers to cook before him. Her brothers are unable to cook and they are unable to replicate the taste in the dishes. On his show of anger, Maylin’s father informs that the dishes have been cooked by his daughter Maylin. Governor cooks these dishes with Maylin. Still the taste in the dishes cooked by Maylin is different. They all learn that there is more to the art of good cooking than just using the right ingredients. Coloured illustrations help the reader to relate to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maylin cooks in her father's restaurant. She enjoys learning about making food, but nobody knows that she is the one that cooks. Her father gives credit to her two brothers who put in no work. Until the governor of South China host a contest for the best dish from all the restaurant. A few lesson are learned from the family and the governor.

This book highlights a different culture and beautifully brings significance to learning that no matter what you do nothing can be identical.

I would use this book to help show students the important lesson the book brings about being recognized for your own work.

[Ms Michelle Van Balkom · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful picture book! Great images of early Chinatown.

[Monica]

One of my fave picture books as a kid haha. Still meaningful to this day!!

[Despina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for English Reading Circle.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maylin cooks for her family's Chinese restaurant in Chinatown in the New World. No one knows that she is the cook since her father shuts her in the kitchen and gives her brothers credit for her cooking. When she wins a cooking contest for the governor of South China, her brothers learn to cook the dish so they can cook it in from of the governor. But when they cook the dish, it does not taste the same. This part of the story reminded me of Cinderella fitting into her glass slipper, so I shelved this book as a fractured fairy tale. But the ending also has a special message about individuality. The governor cooks beside Maylin using the same ingredients but is unable to produce the same taste because he is a different person.

This book has a special Chinese cultural feel the way the story is told and with the illustrations. I really enjoyed it.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Reading Rainbow book.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book I read about Chinese in Canada.

[adriiii · Rating 2 out of 5]

read it in class.. it was okay.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book about being the unappreciated kid in the family

[Colleen]

Cultural Ties - unit 5
Leveled Books - Advanced