CeeCee

K-Gr 2—This title keeps readers wondering why a girl is not engaging with the other children in their activities. The others play shuttlecock, hopscotch, and beanbag tag. They swing on swings, spin flying saucer discs, float in bumper boats, sing in the choir, have a picnic, and crowd around while CeeCee sits alone. Everyone is wondering, is she sick? Is she in a bad mood? Why doesn't she join in the fun? Finally, the answer comes when the girl is thanked for being the most wonderful model for a portrait an artist is painting. This book has simple text and colorful illustrations, which emphasize the contrast between the child's stillness and the noise around her. Overall, the artwork details are too small and too crowded, with many people and activities around the girl that make her hard to find. The simplified Chinese characters, with Roman transliteration directly above the Chinese scripts, provide guidance on Chinese pronunciation. The Pinyin pronunciation directs the proper Mandarin tones.