Kao Kalia Yang’s The Most Beautiful Thing illustrated by Khoa Le and published by Carolrhoda Books, is the most beautiful book. The illustrations are art worthy. The story like a beautifully stitched quilt layered with meaning and yet, so fitting for a children’s book.
What makes this one special is how specific and detailed the story is. The way the author writes about the grandmother makes you feel like you know her, as if she is a real person. Listen to the first sentence:
“My grandmother is so old, no one knows how old she is.”
Isn’t that a perfect line? It says so much about who this family is, and tells a story of their relationship to their grandmother.
The story gets better as we feel how much this grandmother is cared for, valued and respected. She is old, yes, but the children gather around her because she is precious to them.
The parts that were intriguing to my 8-year-old was the stories about the grandmother. Her past is magical which we glean through the whimsical illustrations.
This is a heart-filled story about culture, age, and poverty. It teaches children the importance of not only revering your elders, but also the struggle of longing and the value of love over material things. This takes a common theme pulled through the author’s culture. In that way, it reminds me of Andrea Wang’s, Watercress.
The Most Beautiful Thing is adept at telling a story through a little girl’s relationship with her grandmother. The beauty is both in the illustrations and the author’s ability to weave important life lessons and themes, but does so in a way that captures not teaches the reader.
