Five Family Favorites with Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant, Creators of That’s (Not) Mine

Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant | The Children’s Book Review | September 7, 2015

Dory Fantasmagory

Written by Abby Hanlon

At the strong recommendation of our local bookstore, The Curious Reader, we recently read this book with both our daughters, age 10 and almost 6, and we all loved it. The character of Dory and the accompanying illustrations are so hilarious and loveable that we laughed, cringed, and rooted for her, often at the same time. As a former first grade teacher and mother of two, Abby Hanlon really understands young children—their innocence, vulnerability, and especially their disarming frankness and unselfconsciousness. Our whole family gives this book, and its sequel, Dory Fantasmagory and the Real True Friend, a big thumbs up.

Ages 6-8 years | Publisher: Puffin Books | 2015 (Reprint) | ISBN-13: 978-0147510679

Moose and Mouse

Written by Colin West

Our older daughter picked out this easy reader book at a camping store when she was three years old. We must have read it to her hundreds of times. She used to bring it with her everywhere, including camping! She really, truly loved it. The humor, simple text, and fun illustrations make the book very appealing to kids. Our younger daughter was drawn to the book around the same age and it instantly became one of her favorites, too. It was one of the first books both girls read independently. Thanks, Colin West!

Ages 5-8 years | Publisher: Kingfisher | 2004 | ISBN-13: 978-0753457153

Waiting For Mama

Written by Lee Tae-Jun

We love the gorgeous muted illustrations, the spare, repetitive text, and the hopefulness and yearning of the young boy who waits at a trolley stop for his Mama to arrive, one cold, gray winter’s day. Each time a trolley car came and went without his Mama stepping off, we were crushed. Staring at the final spread of the small village under a blanket of snow was devastating—until my older daughter discovered Mama and the boy, teeny-tiny on the page, walking home, hand-in-hand. That we were all completely overjoyed at that moment is a testament to the power of the book. Waiting For Mama is a bilingual book with the text printed in both English and Korean—a huge bonus for our family.

Ages 6-9 years | Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | 2002 | ISBN-13: 978-0689852893

Good Night, Gorilla

Written and Illustrated by Peggy Rathmann

This was one of the first children’s books we bought as expectant parents. At the time, we weren’t well versed in children’s literature but were simply attracted to the title and the illustrations. It turned out to be another book that our family loved reading over and over again, for years. One of our favorite things to do was to find the pink balloon on each page as it drifted farther and farther away in the sky. Details like those are fully appreciated in our house. Good Night, Gorilla is a sweet, funny, charming book.

Ages 1-3 years | Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers | 1996 | ISBN-13:  978-0399230035

Bee-Bim Bop!

Written by Linda Sue Park

My brother and his family gave this book to our older daughter on her first birthday. At the time, it was one of the few picture books featuring an Asian (let alone Korean) family and its culture that isn’t “serious” or overtly “educational.” A young girl excitedly helps her mother prepare her favorite dish for dinner, Bee-bim Bop. It’s wonderful to see the girl and her mother shopping at a Korean grocery store surrounded by the ingredients so familiar to Koreans, and to recognize other items in the girl’s kitchen and on their dining table. They sing-song rhythmic text with the refrain, “Hungry hungry hungry/for some Bee-Bim Bop!” is fun to read out loud and easy for kids to memorize. The author even includes her own recipe for Bee-bim Bop at the end. This is a delightful book that exposes kids to a specific culture in a fun and whimsical way—and makes you hungry!

Ages 6-9 years | Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | 2002 | ISBN-13: 978-0689852893

About the Author and Illustrator

Husband-and-wife team Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of You Are (Not) Small, which won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award and was named a Notable Children’s Book by the American Library Association. They live in New Jersey with their two daughters, Kate and Lily, a guinea pig named Athena, and a hermit crab named Olaf.

Anna, a native New Yorker, grew up believing everything was hers until one day she realized it was her brother’s, too. She received a master’s degree in fine arts from the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where the visual storyteller in her was awakened, forever changing the way she saw art, life, and everything in between. In addition to writing, Anna loves to read, travel, laugh, eat, and nap. Visit her online at www.annakang.com.

Christopher is a cartoonist and illustrator. His work can regularly be seen in the New Yorker. His cartoons are syndicated worldwide and have been featured on the Today Show, Meet the Press, and World News Tonight. Christopher likes to share everything but his personal space on the subway. Visit him online at www.christopherweyant.com.

Twitter: @annakang27