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Nana, Nenek & Nina
Nina loves visiting her two faraway grandmas—one in Malaysia and one in England. Spot the differences between their homes in this beautiful picture book.
Nina lives in San Francisco with her parents, and she loves visiting her two grandmas across the world. Follow Nina as she travels to England to visit Nana and to Malaysia to visit Nenek. Nina needs different kinds of clothes and plays different kinds of games in each place. Nana and Nenek cook different kinds of food. And Nina’s day looks different in each grandma’s house. But so much about each visit is the same: Nina brings her whole self with her across the world, from England to Malaysia, and both of her grandmas love her to San Francisco and back.
Nina lives in San Francisco with her parents, and she loves visiting her two grandmas across the world. Follow Nina as she travels to England to visit Nana and to Malaysia to visit Nenek. Nina needs different kinds of clothes and plays different kinds of games in each place. Nana and Nenek cook different kinds of food. And Nina’s day looks different in each grandma’s house. But so much about each visit is the same: Nina brings her whole self with her across the world, from England to Malaysia, and both of her grandmas love her to San Francisco and back.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published August 9, 2022
174 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
December 29, 2022
It's so heartwarming. Cerita Nina mengingatkan hari-hari di masa lampau waktu kunjungan ke rumah nenek. Jadi kangen sama Nenek 🥺
September 24, 2022
A cool book about Nina's two grandmothers: Nana, who lives in England, and Nenek, who lives in Malaysia. They do, see, and taste different things when Nina goes to visit each of them, but this book emphasizes how with each of those differences there is also something shared.
Themes: Grandparents, We're All the Same/We're All Different, Travel
Age range: Toddler-First grade
Themes: Grandparents, We're All the Same/We're All Different, Travel
Age range: Toddler-First grade
February 23, 2023
Sweet picture book about Nina, who has a British grandmother, Nana and a Malaysian grandmother, Nanek. Nina loves visiting them. The book shows the similarities and differences of visiting these two places and illustrates how both grandmothers love spending time with Nina. This is a 2024 ALA Asian/Pacific American Award honor book.
July 31, 2022
What it's like for Nina as she travels to England to visit her Nana and to Malaysia to visit her Nenek.
September 28, 2023
2022, Asian Pacific American Award, Fiction
This book was a very cute and inclusive story about a little girl who has two grandmothers from opposite sides of the world. The story follows her on a trip where she visits each grandma, and talks about the experiences and differences between her visits. This would be a good story to not only discuss differences in cultures, but to talk about how everyone has different families and cultures.
I really like how Nina compared all of her experiences from her Nana's to her Nenek's place. I think this is a really good way to compare cultures in the eyes of a child, while also being a good way to explain to children why and how families can be different. I also love the illustrations, and how the details show the differences between the two grandmothers as well.
This book was a very cute and inclusive story about a little girl who has two grandmothers from opposite sides of the world. The story follows her on a trip where she visits each grandma, and talks about the experiences and differences between her visits. This would be a good story to not only discuss differences in cultures, but to talk about how everyone has different families and cultures.
I really like how Nina compared all of her experiences from her Nana's to her Nenek's place. I think this is a really good way to compare cultures in the eyes of a child, while also being a good way to explain to children why and how families can be different. I also love the illustrations, and how the details show the differences between the two grandmothers as well.
July 30, 2022
Love the relationship between young Nina and her grandmothers that both live in different countries and represent pieces of her cultural identity.
August 3, 2022
Beautifully rendered in a soft palette, this story shares the differences and similarities between visits with two grandmothers, two cultures, and the heartwarming - and lucky -relationship that Nina shares with both Nana and Nenek. Packed with details for children to delight in noticing!
November 3, 2022
Nina lives in San Francisco, but her father's mother lives in England, and her mother's mother lives in Malaysia. Sometimes, the family goes to visit the grandmothers, and Nina points out the differences in their lives in opposing two page spreads. At Nana's house, she needs warm jumpers and wellies, but at Nenek's she only needs a light dress and selipar (flip flops). Nana drives to the high street to pop into the shops for ketchup, while Nenek takes her motor bike to the open market for tea in a plastic bag! No matter what life is like in the different countries, one thing remains clear: Nina's grandmothers love her and are glad when she is able to visit and spend time with them.
The water colored ink drawings are delightful, and I could spend hours poring over the pages, looking for Nina's small stuffed dinosaur hiding in the background, or gor Nana's little dog. The colors change for subtly for each environment-- a bit more green and gray for England, and a bit more yellow and red for Malaysia. It's clever how the sentences will go across the page divide when describing the two homes, and serves to show the reader that while the grandmothers are far apart, they still have many similarities.
Nina's experiences are based on the author's own growing up in similar circumstances, so there are lots of details that I wouldn't have thought of. Some Malaysian and British words and phrases are used, but the meanings are usually clear taken in context.
I'm a huge fan of books that show strong emotional connections between grandchildren and grandparents, and since many children live far away from theirs, it's good to show that connections can still remain. Sometimes grandparents are close, as in Holler's Finding Moose and Iwai's Gigi and Ojiji, but books like Courtney's Poppy's House and de Regil's Something about Grandma detail the travel that is involved in visits and the differences that children find in their grandparents' environments. Now I want some tea in a plastic bag with a straw!
The water colored ink drawings are delightful, and I could spend hours poring over the pages, looking for Nina's small stuffed dinosaur hiding in the background, or gor Nana's little dog. The colors change for subtly for each environment-- a bit more green and gray for England, and a bit more yellow and red for Malaysia. It's clever how the sentences will go across the page divide when describing the two homes, and serves to show the reader that while the grandmothers are far apart, they still have many similarities.
Nina's experiences are based on the author's own growing up in similar circumstances, so there are lots of details that I wouldn't have thought of. Some Malaysian and British words and phrases are used, but the meanings are usually clear taken in context.
I'm a huge fan of books that show strong emotional connections between grandchildren and grandparents, and since many children live far away from theirs, it's good to show that connections can still remain. Sometimes grandparents are close, as in Holler's Finding Moose and Iwai's Gigi and Ojiji, but books like Courtney's Poppy's House and de Regil's Something about Grandma detail the travel that is involved in visits and the differences that children find in their grandparents' environments. Now I want some tea in a plastic bag with a straw!
October 29, 2023
“Nana Nenek & Nina ” is a perfect book for children who are in 1st to 2nd grade. It's a fiction book that shows topics like culture, travel, and family. These are some things kids in those grades will enjoy and help them stay interested in the material.
It is especially inspiring to young girls. This is a beautiful story of a young girl who lives in San Francisco. She traveled to both of her grandmas. Nana lives in England, and Nenek lives in Malaysia. Each place she does different things, it's both different for her. She loves all the different things she does with her grandma's cooking, playing games, and dressing differently. The book is also great due to its representation of young girls and culture.
I would choose this book for my classroom library since representation matters and to always carry your culture in your heart. It is an impactful story of how important it is to appreciate everything you have. This book also gives many different messages, but the ones I truly love are how important family is. It also shows to be proud of how different you are.
It is especially inspiring to young girls. This is a beautiful story of a young girl who lives in San Francisco. She traveled to both of her grandmas. Nana lives in England, and Nenek lives in Malaysia. Each place she does different things, it's both different for her. She loves all the different things she does with her grandma's cooking, playing games, and dressing differently. The book is also great due to its representation of young girls and culture.
I would choose this book for my classroom library since representation matters and to always carry your culture in your heart. It is an impactful story of how important it is to appreciate everything you have. This book also gives many different messages, but the ones I truly love are how important family is. It also shows to be proud of how different you are.
July 11, 2022
Nina has two grandmothers who live in two very different places: England and Malaysia. Nina herself lives in the USA. Ferneyhough highlights both the differences and the similarities of Nina's visits with her grandmothers with text crossing each double-page spread, but the pictures on each side representing the different contexts. The biggest similarity is the joy both grandmothers and their granddaughter find in time spent together. This will make a great book to share both with groups of children and one on one, since the text reads well and there all so many details to notice in the pictures. All families form their own individual cultures, so even kids whose grandparents come from the same ethnic background will relate to the fact that each grandparent does things differently. This is a book I can't wait to share with picture book readers.
Review based on an eARC received through Edelweiss.
Review based on an eARC received through Edelweiss.
December 7, 2022
Nina flies around the world to see each of her grandmothers. Nina lives in San Francisco right in the middle of where her Nana and Nenek live. She delights in visiting each of them and despite the different ways they do things she finds lots of similarities too. This cross-cultural story shows, on opposite pages, how it looks when Nina does the same type of things while visiting one grandma in England, and the other in Malaysia. Readers will adore the relationship between Nina and her grandmothers who each represent pieces of her cultural identity. With a soft and subdued color palette and fun illustrations each page is rich with detail that makes the reader feel like they are immersed in Nina’s travels. Anyone can enjoy and appreciate this tender multigenerational story that is incredibly sweet in the best possible way.
February 18, 2023
Nina's grandmothers live on opposite sides of the world, one in England, the other in Malaysia, while Nina lives between them in San Francisco. When she goes to visit them, her days are different because of where they live, but they care for her in a similar way, taking her to the beach, having her help around the garden, and putting her to bed.
Oh! I loved Nana, Nenek & Nina so much. The illustrations are great - I loved the detail that reflects the country she is visiting. The layout of the text with a 2-page spread of the visit to each grandmother and how each activity was the same and different. The clothes she wore, the foods she ate, even her bedroom. I can't wait to start recommending Nana, Nenek & Nina. Nina is mixed race, Nana is English and Nenek is Malaysian
Cross-posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
Oh! I loved Nana, Nenek & Nina so much. The illustrations are great - I loved the detail that reflects the country she is visiting. The layout of the text with a 2-page spread of the visit to each grandmother and how each activity was the same and different. The clothes she wore, the foods she ate, even her bedroom. I can't wait to start recommending Nana, Nenek & Nina. Nina is mixed race, Nana is English and Nenek is Malaysian
Cross-posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
May 22, 2023
Liza Ferneyhough has created just a gorgeous book for all children, but especially for those who straddle two cultures, as well as for the adults who read to them. Nana navigates with grace and curiosity the culture gap between her two grandmothers one who lives in England and the other in Malaysia, highlighting how similar they are despite their unique differences. Perfect for teachers of immigrant children to help them feel at home in a new land, while also engaging and helpful for all children. As a former elementary teacher, I can envision wonderful discussions after reading this book and making Venn diagrams to capture similarities and differences of the two grandmothers, followed by students looking at their own heritages in a new light. Just the beautiful book we need in these divisive times.
August 22, 2022
Nina lives in San Francisco right in the middle of England and Malaysia where her Nana and Nenek live respectively. She delights in visiting each of them and despite the different ways they do things she finds lots of similarities too. We really love how Ferneyhough drew parallels between the clothing, food, language and other aspects of each culture highlighting differences and similarities. With a muted color palette and fun illustrations each page is rich with detail that makes the reader feel like they are immersed in Nina’s travels.
Beautiful illustrations, sweet story and awesome opportunities for cultural awareness and discussions around family relationships make this one the total package.
To get a peek inside check out my Instagram @readingwithredandthemagpie
September 19, 2022
A delightful story about visiting grandmothers. One (Nana) lives across one sea, and the other (Nenek) lives in the other direction across a different body of water. Each grandmother loves Nina and they do special things when she visits. At first I was captivated by the illustration style, but also a little confused by the mushy boundaries between grandma locations. As the story went on (and during future readings) I think I would like the way that the trip to Nana's blends in with the trip to Nenek's. You really have to look to notice the differences, most frequently marked by the gutter, but even with that stark boundary, the style flows across both pages in each spread.
Incredibly sweet in the best way.
Incredibly sweet in the best way.
February 7, 2023
In the 1800s families lived in the same communities. Today, a child might have grandparents scattered across the country. Or even on the opposite sides of the world. Here is a great book where Nina has grandmothers living across the opposite oceans. She packs to go see them, which takes great concentration - one lives where it is cold and the other lives in a hot climate. She visits each grandmother on adjacent pages of the book. The pictures, story, and labels relate to the same idea on two page spread, such as what to wear for the day or what to eat for dinner. Readers can compare cultures, foods, climates, and activities. Liza Ferneyhough grew up with multiple passports and so this is somewhat her own personal story, perhaps!
February 14, 2023
2023 ALA Asian and Pacific American picture book honor book
What an extraordinary, endearing wonderful picture book about different cultures. Nina lives in San Francisco with her parents, but she loves visiting both of her grandmothers, Nana in England and Nenek in Malaysia. This absolutely delightful picture book shows the two cultures side-by-side as Nina goes through her daily activities with each of them in such different cultures, languages and environments, but entirely loving and similar in their own ways. What a creative and joyous way to explore different cultures!!
This may be my absolute favorite book out of the many, many 2023 ALA award winning books for children and young adults that I have read since they were announced in January.
What an extraordinary, endearing wonderful picture book about different cultures. Nina lives in San Francisco with her parents, but she loves visiting both of her grandmothers, Nana in England and Nenek in Malaysia. This absolutely delightful picture book shows the two cultures side-by-side as Nina goes through her daily activities with each of them in such different cultures, languages and environments, but entirely loving and similar in their own ways. What a creative and joyous way to explore different cultures!!
This may be my absolute favorite book out of the many, many 2023 ALA award winning books for children and young adults that I have read since they were announced in January.
June 28, 2023
Nina visits her grandmothers in two different countries. The pages are full of words and items from both languages and cultures and countries; the countries are identified on the front flap as England and Malaysia. I like the intertwining of the two visits, emphasizing what is similar and what is different. Reading across the 2-page spread was more challenging than it should have been--sometimes I got lost! I find myself wishing for more information in the back matter--this time about the two countries/cultures. Perhaps authors don't want to present information so directly, but I think it's a great teaching and learning opportunity, once the readers are interested in what they have been exposed to in the book.
December 11, 2023
Nina has two grandmothers, Nana and Nenek. Nina lives in California. Nana lives in England and Nenek lives in Malaysia. Nana loves them both and she loves to visit them. Her visits to Nana and Nenek are both similar and different. They wear different clothing, eat different foods, but they love each other and the things they do just the same.
I loved how this book is laid out to perfectly juxtapose Nina's Nana and Nenek, their homes, their cultures, and their ways of life. I believe TCKs will really be able to appreciate this book. This will be a perfect fit here at our international school. My favorite page in this book is the bathroom one with the different ways to bathe and the lizards on the wall at Nenek's-so accurately portrayed!
I loved how this book is laid out to perfectly juxtapose Nina's Nana and Nenek, their homes, their cultures, and their ways of life. I believe TCKs will really be able to appreciate this book. This will be a perfect fit here at our international school. My favorite page in this book is the bathroom one with the different ways to bathe and the lizards on the wall at Nenek's-so accurately portrayed!
February 14, 2023
Nina is a little girl from San Francisco who visits her Nana in England and Nenek in Malaysia. This book strikes a lovely comparison/contrast balance between goings on with Nina and Nana in England and Nina and Nenek in Malaysia. Side by side illustrations invite us into each of the grandmother's worlds -- from early morning puttering around the yard and home, to meals and special outings, to bedtime. This is a cozy, welcoming book and would be a great accompaniment in conversations with little ones about culture and families.
Themes: family (grandmothers), travel, culture
Ages: K-3rd grade
Pub year: 2022
Themes: family (grandmothers), travel, culture
Ages: K-3rd grade
Pub year: 2022
June 8, 2023
Nina travels to England to visit her Nana and to Malaysia to visit her Nenek. Side by side illustrations show similar experiences in different locales, drawing on the particular and specific.
For example, in the garden:
Nana asks Nina for some help around the garden./Nenek needs some help around the halaman too.
They make sure everyone has a good breakfast.
"Just a little" Nina tells the fish. "A wee bit." agrees Nana./Bok bok" Nina gathers the chickens. "Ketuck-ketuk," they cluck.
Illustrations painted on tea-stained paper using watercolors, many tiny brushes, and a crow quill dip pen; edited digitally.
Loved it!!!
For example, in the garden:
Nana asks Nina for some help around the garden./Nenek needs some help around the halaman too.
They make sure everyone has a good breakfast.
"Just a little" Nina tells the fish. "A wee bit." agrees Nana./Bok bok" Nina gathers the chickens. "Ketuck-ketuk," they cluck.
Illustrations painted on tea-stained paper using watercolors, many tiny brushes, and a crow quill dip pen; edited digitally.
Loved it!!!
November 27, 2023
Nana, Nenek & Nina, 2022
Asian Pacific American Award
Genre:
This book is about Nana, Nenek & Nina. Nina had two different grandmas living on different sides of the world. Nina talked about the different weather wardrobes she has to wear. The different foods she eats with her grandma's. I would use this book in a classroom to do a comparison anchor chart. This book is a wonderful book to compare and contrast the setting that both of the grandmas are in. The language that is being used. Overall, the illustrations in this book are lively in both settings and a way to learn about different places.
Asian Pacific American Award
Genre:
This book is about Nana, Nenek & Nina. Nina had two different grandmas living on different sides of the world. Nina talked about the different weather wardrobes she has to wear. The different foods she eats with her grandma's. I would use this book in a classroom to do a comparison anchor chart. This book is a wonderful book to compare and contrast the setting that both of the grandmas are in. The language that is being used. Overall, the illustrations in this book are lively in both settings and a way to learn about different places.
November 28, 2023
Nina shares similarities and differences when she visits her Nana in England or her Nenek in Malaysia, both are a sea away from her home in North America.
This was so cleverly designed and written so that Nina is shown doing similar but different things at both of her grandmother's houses. The page spreads show Nina's visit with Nana in England on the left page and her visit with Nenek in Malaysia on the right page. Some text overlaps the pages as it applies to both. The illustration style is charming, and this is a wonderful celebration for kids who have grandparents in multiple countries different from where they currently live.
This was so cleverly designed and written so that Nina is shown doing similar but different things at both of her grandmother's houses. The page spreads show Nina's visit with Nana in England on the left page and her visit with Nenek in Malaysia on the right page. Some text overlaps the pages as it applies to both. The illustration style is charming, and this is a wonderful celebration for kids who have grandparents in multiple countries different from where they currently live.
February 26, 2024
I love this picture book because it has beautiful illustrations portraying British and Malaysian culture. This is a lovely story about a girl named Nina who misses her grandmothers who live on the opposite side of the world. Nina is half British and half Malaysian, and when she travels to visit them, she experiences their different lifestyles, foods, and weather. Despite their differences, both grandmothers share a deep love for Nina and take good care of her. This book would be a great addition to my future classroom. It teaches kids about different cultures, and multicultural kids can relate to it.
October 9, 2022
Loved this picture book! Little Nina has a gramma in England & 1 in Malaysia. The story shares, side-by-side, the similarities & differences between visiting the 2 grammas.
I absolutely loved the illustrations & font used to show how Nina spent her time with Nana & Nenek.
I think this is a beautiful story & can imagine how fun it would be to read it with a child, encouraging them to point out the similarities & differences in Nina's visits & having a conversation about how people live around the world.
I absolutely loved the illustrations & font used to show how Nina spent her time with Nana & Nenek.
I think this is a beautiful story & can imagine how fun it would be to read it with a child, encouraging them to point out the similarities & differences in Nina's visits & having a conversation about how people live around the world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2023
Nina visits her grandmothers, one in Malaysia, one in England. There are many similarities and the book celebrates the special bond between grandchild and grandparent. The illustrations are wonderful- watercolor on tea-stained paper. One thing bugged me about the book design and that was the way a sentence would span the spread. I know it was done for effect- to show the similarities between the cultures, but children are taught to read one page at a time- top to bottom, left to right!
A gorgeous book.
A gorgeous book.
October 21, 2023
I love how this book shows how a child can adapt in their family when there are two very different cultures on both sides. Many children live in a multicultural family, some probably think it seems like two very different lives. It is also important to show kids that its important to be thankful and find joy in both sides. I think this would be a cute book to read to someone who has a family like that and show how important It is to love both sides. Also I love how the book was set up the whole time, how one side was Nanas side, and one side is for Nenek.
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February 26, 2025This book is about a girl named Nina who comes from a multicultural family. This book goes over the differences between her two grandmas Nanek and Nana and the differences between the two places she goes to visit them. This includes the weather and clothing, activities, foods, and other types of cultural differences.
This book is really good at showing the differences between cultures but that even with the difference you can love people from both and that the divide doesnt make the love between them any different.
This book is really good at showing the differences between cultures but that even with the difference you can love people from both and that the divide doesnt make the love between them any different.
September 18, 2022
Nina visits her grandmothers and their home countries of England and Malaysia. Readers only know this if they read the cover blurb. The illustrations and inclusion of the cultural differences are strong, but it does seem like a flaw that their countries are not defined in the story - only that Nana's is toward the sunrise and N e n e k's toward the Sun set. Ultimately a good but not vital addition to any collection.
September 28, 2022
I was lucky to grow up in the same small town as both my grandmothers. My sons were lucky that it was only a 5 hour drive to visit their grandparents in the same small town. My grandchildren are not so lucky. One set have grandparents in Korea.
I loved the parallels between the two grandmothers who might live on opposite sides of the world from each other, but fit into the child's life in the same ways.
I loved the parallels between the two grandmothers who might live on opposite sides of the world from each other, but fit into the child's life in the same ways.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews