Piper Chen Sings by Phillipa Soo (review)

Reviewed by: Piper Chen Sings by Phillipa Soo Adam McConville Soo, Phillipa Piper Chen Sings; written by Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran; illus. by Qin Leng. Random House Studio, 2024 40p Trade ed. ISBN 9780593564691 19. 99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593564714 10. 99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-8 yrs Piper Chen is always singing, to herself and to the world around her. She serenades the sun and moon, holds hairbrush concerts for her stuffed animals, and hums to herself while munching on her Năi Nai's homemade dumplings. But after she agrees End Page 293 to perform a solo at her school's spring concert, a sudden feeling of butterflies in her stomach makes her fall uncharacteristically silent. Even Năi Nai playing their favorite song on the piano can't coax Piper into a tune. It's here that co-authors Soo and Doran add gentle nuance to the perennial picture book topic of overcoming anxiety. Năi Nai reveals that the "húdié"—butterfly in Chinese—have fluttered around her many times, too, and they always portend something exciting. They were with her before her first piano recital, during her immigration from China to America, and especially when she became a U. S. citizen. She's learned to welcome the húdié fondly and encourages her granddaughter to do the same; when Piper eventually takes the stage, she greets the butterflies ("Hello, húdié") before taking a breath and unfurling her song. Leng's charming watercolor-and-ink illustrations convey the full range of Piper's emotions, from exuberant bounces and twirls to her sudden slouching worry. Brightly colored, oil pastel butterflies appear once Piper shares her fears, growing in size and number on subsequent spreads until they fill the air during her performance. While the sometimes staid text can't quite match Piper's expressiveness, it's still sweet and affirming: both Piper's teacher and Năi Nai validate Piper's emotions and confirm she wants to sing, rather than pressure her. This gives a reassuring nudge to nervous listeners that their talents and identities can be shared, if they choose, and celebrated. Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois