This was an adorable story with lovely illustrations! My children loved the story and they learned a lot as we read. It also opened up a great conversation with my 6yo and 4yo about other cultures traditions and celebrations!

This story was a wonderful depiction of Lunar New Year and the many traditions of families that celebrate! I felt like I was right there with Ping, facing hardship to find a way to fulfill traditions and I love that she never gave up!

Pings Perfect Pot by Helen H Wu, Illustrated by Zihua Yang
Age: 4-8

When Ping and her grandfather bring home a tangerine tree for Lunar New Year, Ping decides that she will make a pot for the plant. She gathers her clay and gets to work, but declares her first pot as “too clumsy”. As her grandfather cleans up around her, he gently encourages her on. Buoyed, Ping begins again, her actions artfully supported by onomatopoeias she tries various mediums to create the perfect pot — she uses paper mache, colourful yarn, glitter, etc… but nothing seems to work. Yang’s illustrations are lively, filling up the pages with sparkly and bright hue illustrations, creating vivid scenes — grandfather decorating the house with lanterns and couplets, as he encourages Ping from the background.

Wu shines here. The dialogues between Ping and her grandfather, where he gently urges her to continue with her project, taking a practical approach to complete a challenge. Ping finally takes a deep breath and sketches her vision of a perfect pot before making it and proudly declares it so on completion. Her grandfather praises her, but she still finds something missing only to understand when her grandfather responds, “The pots are all perfect, because of the love and effort you put into them,” forcing Ping to see the beauty in the flaws.

In the end, all of Ping’s not so perfect pots find their place in the celebratory display, each a place for the plant in the house.

Wu has very adroitly introduced the topics of encouragement, perseverance, and learning from one’s mistakes in a story neatly connected to the Lunar New Year or the Chinese New Year. It is by no means a first, but it is one with an introduction to another culture and its traditions on one of the most important days of celebration.

As the story progresses, Hu mentions tidbits of information about certain holiday traditions that represent luck, prosperity, and fortune. We learn that the correct placement of the tangerine plant in the living room is essential to attract good luck, and when Ping starts work on her perfect pot, we read about the colours, materials, and shapes that bring joy, prosperity, and good luck. A glossary at the end of the story provides more information about culture and traditions and customs of celebration of the Lunar New Year.

A perfect holiday story of celebration, encouragement, and life.

This is such a bright, beautiful story. Ping wants to make the perfect pot for the Lunar New Year and she tries many different ways before she is satisfied.
Ping is close to her grandfather and this is also a warm story about family and tradition. There is additional information on the Lunar New Year that was interesting and informative.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

This beautiful children's book tells the story of Ping, a young girl, who desperately wants to make a special pot for the tangerine tree she and her grandfather bought for their lunar new year celebration. Ping tries many different materials for her pot, but none seem to turn out just right. Her grandfather reminds her that the perfect pot takes time, trial and error, practice, love and effort. In the end, she realizes that all of her pots are special and have an important use for their lunar new year celebration, even if they are not-so-perfect.

I love that Ping ends up drawing, planning and taking her time on the very last pot. As an art teacher, I often have to remind students that taking their time and planning things out is important. I also like the messaging from the grandfather about not giving up, and how all of the pots are perfect because of the love and effort she put in. There is no need to be over critical of your art, as long as you try your best and put your love and creativity into it!

The illustrations are well done, and the content of the story, especially with the added information specific to Lunar New Year celebrations and traditions is fantastic. I love that the story is more than just a "what is lunar new year" book, it focuses on one aspect of the celebration and teaches readers about other things as well, such as the art aspects and not giving up. That makes it a book you could read anytime of year, not just around Lunar New Year, and is an own voices book with Chinese representation.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review an advance copy of this book. I look forward to purchasing a copy for my classroom library now that it has been published!

Book Review: Ping's Perfect Pot" by Helen H. Wu and Zihua Yang

Rating: 5 Stars

When I first laid eyes on "Ping's Perfect Pot" by Helen H. Wu and Zihua Yang, I was immediately drawn in by the delightful cover art. The vibrant and inviting illustration set the tone for what turned out to be a truly heartwarming story.

The book follows young Ping as she embarks on a mission to craft the perfect pot for the Lunar New Year, a task she approaches with eager determination and a touch of anxiety. As Ping and her Grandpa bring home a tangerine tree to celebrate the occasion, Ping's excitement is palpable. However, the journey to creating her ideal pot is fraught with challenges. Her first attempt is clumsy, her second crumbles, and her third turns out too flimsy. The story beautifully captures Ping's frustration and determination, highlighting the universal theme that mastery doesn't come easy—it requires patience, practice, and persistence.

What I found particularly charming was how Ping's journey is not only about crafting a pot but also about learning a valuable life lesson in perseverance. With Grandpa's gentle encouragement and support, she learns that imperfections are part of the process and that love and effort are what truly count.

The illustrations by Zihua Yang complement the narrative perfectly, bringing Ping's world to life with warmth and vibrancy. Each page is a visual delight that captivates young readers while enhancing their understanding of the story's cultural context.

Additionally, the book includes insightful backmatter, which offers further context about the Lunar New Year traditions and symbols. This thoughtful addition makes "Ping's Perfect Pot" not just a story but an educational experience that broadens children's understanding of this important cultural celebration.

In essence, "Ping's Perfect Pot" is a wonderful OwnVoices picture book that would make a perfect addition to any child's library. It's a charming tale about resilience and cultural appreciation that resonates with readers of all ages. This book is a testament to the idea that perfection is not about flawlessness but about the journey and effort we put into our endeavors. Five stars all the way!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️

Beautifully illustrated and I love the representation + Lunar New Year vibes, but I didn't fully connect with the story.

Getting ready for New Year means doing special things like working to create the perfect pot!
The illustrations by Zihua Yang are brilliantly colorful, and FUN!
Well suited for reading WITH someone any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected e-Galley on Adobe Digital Editions from Augsburg Fortress Publishers | Beaming Books via NetGalley.
#Illustrated #NetGalley @goodreads @bookbub @librarythingofficial @barnesandnoble @waterstones ***** Review @booksamillion @kobo @bookshop_org @bookshop_org_uk @childrensbookcouncil @CBCBook Augsburg Fortress Publishers | Beaming Books helenhwu
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Such a creative childrens story about lunar new year traditions. I love the idea of also using pots that “aren’t perfect” for other plants to show kids understand perseverance but also to avoid perfectionism as well. Beautifully illustrated book!

In a Nutshell: A wonderful OwnVoices picture book about a young girl’s attempt at making the perfect pot for the lunar year. Great story, great life lessons, great illustrations, great representation, great information. Recommended!

Plot Preview:
Ping and her grandpa have brought home a little tangerine tree for the Lunar New Year. The tree is lovely but the pot it is planted in is plain. So Ping decides to make the perfect pot to go with the special tree. This task turns out to be tougher than she assumed as all her attempts fail in some way or the other. What if she cannot make the perfect pot in time for the celebrations? Will the new year be ruined?

I like how the setting isn’t specified in the book. So the story can fit in any Asian location celebrating this special occasion as well as in an Asian-dominant locality in another country such as the various Chinatowns in the USA.
Ping’s relationship with her grandpa is amazing. I love how Grandpa always encourages her to keep trying, and later, even makes her realise the value of the discarded earlier attempts. Their bond comes out strongly. A grandpa-granddaughter combo is among the very best in picture books.
There is a detailed note at the end, not just about the meaning of Lunar New Year but also about how it is celebrated and some customs pertaining to it. The author’s note about the influence behind the story is also quite touching. However, both of these notes are quite detailed, so most children will need adult guidance to read them.
Picture books about persisting and using failures as lessons towards success are fairly common. But in this day and age of instant gratification and shortcuts to success, such lessons have become all the more important. Children need to understand the value of the good old traits of patience and perseverance in working towards a goal. Moreover, they also need to understand the futility of always aiming for perfection.
Two factors make this book stand out among other picture books with a similar theme: 1. The Lunar New Year angle, which offers plenty of information about this East/SouthEast Asian festival; and 2. The depiction of how “failures” also have their own merit and aren’t entirely worthless.
The vocabulary level is apt for the target age group of 4-8 years. But the number of lines is quite sparse for the older readers of this segment; most of the pages have only 1-2 lines of text. There are many onomatopoeic sounds and action words in the content, which would make this a wonderful option for read-alouds as well.
The illustrations are cute. Every person/item, whether major or minor to the storyline, is sketched with intricacy. I love how nicely red and gold have been woven into the colour scheme of almost every page.
Definitely recommended to those looking for an interesting OwnVoices work with a nice story and important morals. The info about the special ‘new year’ is a bonus. This would also make a great option in classrooms looking for authentic books about other cultures.
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Beaming Books and Augsburg Fortress Publishers for providing the DRC of “Ping's Perfect Pot” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Ping's Perfect Pot features bold, eye-catching illustrations that make it stand out. This heartwarming intergenerational tale about trial and error introduces readers of all ages to the traditions of the Lunar New Year in a fun and accessible way. The story offers great potential for library programming or classroom activities, inviting young readers to craft their own perfect pots alongside Ping. An added highlight is the author's note at the end, where Wu shares personal family connections, lending the story an extra layer of authenticity and depth.

Thank you to Netgalley and Beaming Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ping's Perfect Pot is a picture book about a little girl preparing for Lunar New Year. She wants to make the perfect pot for a new tangerine tree. It is about creativity. It is about learning patience, perseverance and the importance of practice. In the end, it shows all the joy and love that can result from creating as well as embracing the imperfections of the art created.
I think this is a great message for children, you don't need to be perfect nor to be the best artist to engage in an artistic hobby. Something that you made with love is absolutely wonderful.

I love the illustrations as well, the style, there were lots of flowers, lots of little details. And I appreciate the explanations of what Lunar New Year is and what are its main traditions. This note can be read by parents to their children and they can discuss or learn about it together.
For ages 4-8.

I used Ping's Perfect Pot for a read-aloud and lesson on onomatopoeia with a group of kindergarteners, and it was a hit! The story is a quick and engaging read that kept their attention from start to finish. The use of sound words provided a fun way to introduce and explore onomatopoeia. I did find the sentence breaks that carried over to the next page a bit challenging for reading aloud. This may have been due to using the Kindle app. Thank you to NetGalley and Augsburg Fortress Publishers for an advanced copy of this text in exchange for my honest review.
#Netgalley #PingsPerfectPot

This is the story of Ping as she celebrates Lunar New Year with her family. It is a cute lesson in persistence paying off and that nothing needs to be perfect to be wonderful.

Ping's Perfect Pot is a perfect choice for celebrating Lunar New Year or for children to learn about the traditions associated with this celebration. The author tells the story of young Ping and her grandfather as she learns bout perseverance and that unique is better than perfect. The illustrations are bright, beautiful and add to the story.

Thank you Net Galley, Helen Wu. and Augsburg Fortress Publishing for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions expressed are my own.

Ping's Perfect Pot is expected to be released on Jan. 7, 2025 just in time for the Lunar New Year!

Ping's Perfect Pot is the story of a child and her grandfather, preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year. They buy a tangerine tree at the market and child, Ping decides that it needs the perfect pot to go with it. Ping tries different forms and materials to make the pot. Each one comes up short but her grandfather encourages her to keep trying until she is successful. Along the way, readers are introduced to aspects of the celebration. Some of these, such as colors used, are incorporated into the pots themselves. This is a sweet story that could spark conversation about families and traditions.

Ping's Perfect Pot is a picture book about perseverance. Ping gets a new tangerine tree with her grandpa and decides it needs a new pot. She goes about crafting pots out of different materials, each one having a problem, before finally finding a solution. She then repurposes her "failed" pots for other plants that benefit from the perceived faults. This is a fun read with some helpful information in the end about different Lunar New Year traditions. Thanks to Beaming Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When a girl and her grandfather buy one of those little ornamental tangerine trees for the house, she decides she has to make a pot for it. But they all come out wrong, whatever the significance she puts into them. Is this going to ruin their Chinese New Year festivities?

Well, no, as these easy pages prove to her and the reader that she is putting heart into each pot, and they still end up with a use and merit as a result. It's a brief little story, with sometimes just a sentence or three per spread, but the way it splits the focus of the book into both a nice look at perseverance and determination, and a quick lesson into the Lunar New Year, is a minor glory. The joy I got from the onomatopoeia of her labours was less, but that's a further layer of the work that went into this, and both our crafty heroine, her grandfather and the volume itself are to be honoured. A strong four stars.

This was a very sweet book! It might be a little too long and slow for some younger (or easily distracted) readers. I do think this would be perfect for an elementary classroom. It explains some Lunar New Year traditions and beliefs in a very simple way. This book also showcases art and creativity which is never a bad thing!

This book is great for showing practice makes perfect, but also that there is greatness in imperfection. The traditions and meanings behind Ping's attempts to make the perfect pot were told in a way that was understandable to my daughter (5). We are not from the culture this book shows, but my sister-in-law is and my daughter very much enjoys learning about how her Aunt grew up and what holidays she celebrates. The information section at the back of the book explaining Lunar New Year and the traditions around it was a fantastic inclusion to teach those who don't know and to introduce them to children. The drawings of the people were a bit flat and seemed a tad copy/paste, but that was just something I noticed, it didn't bother my daughter at all. I read this digital book through NetGalley.