Book Descriptions
for Angel in Beijing by Belle Yang
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
A young girl cycles to various Beijing landmarks as she searches for her lost cat in this colorfully illustrated story. The white cat appeared in the girl’s tree on New Year’s Eve, and the two became inseparable. In Beihai Park, they shared candied haw fruit. In Tiananmen Square they enjoyed the kites at the Dragon Boat Festival. But when Kitty chased the huge dragon kite’s tail, she was lifted into the air and disappeared. Devastated, the girl cycles the city, checking all of Kitty’s favorite places: The rowboats at Beihai Park, the Temple of Heaven, artists’ workshops and antique shops on Liulichang Street. Returning to her neighborhood, the girl hears Kitty’s “Niaow-niaow!” and finds her white cat stretched across the feet of an elderly woman, who has decided to name her Angel. The girl offers to visit the woman and Angel often; without claiming ownership she selflessly accepts that Kitty has moved on to provide comfort and companionship for another. (Ages 3–7)
CCBC Choices 2019. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2019. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
In a lost-and-found tale that soars far beyond just a happy ending, Taiwanese fine artist Belle Yang pays affectionate homage to the city of Beijing.
In busy Beijing, New Year’s Eve firecrackers scare a stray white cat into the courtyard of a young girl. The two become fast friends, riding the girl’s bike through the city and seeing all kinds of people and things. Trrrring-trrrring! the girl chimes with her bicycle bell. Niaow-niaow! answers Kitty. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the girl and the cat watch the kites soaring above crowded, chaotic Tiananmen Square. Kitty is enthralled by the enormous, colorful dragon kite, and she leaps to catch it as it sails up into the sky — taking Kitty with it and carrying her out of sight! The girl searches the city, visiting all their favorite spots and ringing her bell along the way, but Kitty is nowhere to be found. Will the two ever be reunited? Or could another unexpected friendship be in store — for both of them?
In busy Beijing, New Year’s Eve firecrackers scare a stray white cat into the courtyard of a young girl. The two become fast friends, riding the girl’s bike through the city and seeing all kinds of people and things. Trrrring-trrrring! the girl chimes with her bicycle bell. Niaow-niaow! answers Kitty. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the girl and the cat watch the kites soaring above crowded, chaotic Tiananmen Square. Kitty is enthralled by the enormous, colorful dragon kite, and she leaps to catch it as it sails up into the sky — taking Kitty with it and carrying her out of sight! The girl searches the city, visiting all their favorite spots and ringing her bell along the way, but Kitty is nowhere to be found. Will the two ever be reunited? Or could another unexpected friendship be in store — for both of them?
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.