Discover with Jade: Gung Gung’s Garden (Bilingual Book in Cantonese with Jyutping and English); Pomelo Hat Press, 2024

Readers’ Favorite 5 Star Review:

Reviewed by Doreen Chombu for Readers’ Favorite

Gung Gung’s Garden is a heartwarming children’s picture book written by Sheun Lee with illustrations by Tammy Do. The story follows Jade, a little girl who loves helping her grandfather, Gung Gung, in his garden. The two are best friends, and as spring arrives, Jade cannot wait to plant seeds and water the soil. An excited Jade squeals and runs to the garden when Gung Gung calls her. His garden has tomatoes, Chinese water spinach, eggplants, and many more yummy vegetables. They sing together as they work and encourage the plants to grow with motivational words. Gung Gung teaches Jade about the nutritional value of the plants, and at the end of the season, the pair share their harvest with friends.

Gung Gung’s Garden is an entertaining book that combines gardening, nutritional, and social lessons. Sheun Lee teaches children where vegetables and fruits come from by giving them guidelines on gardening. She explains each plant’s nutritional content and what it does in our bodies. The story also highlights the loving relationship between a grandfather and a granddaughter. The memories Jade and Gung Gung make and the principles he is instilling in her are priceless treasures she will never forget. The book has beautiful illustrations that perfectly correspond with the story and give readers visuals of what the plants look like. The colors are bright and eye-catching, which will attract young readers and keep them interested in the story. I loved this book and highly recommend it to parents and guardians who wish to teach their children about gardening and the nutritious benefits of vegetables and fruits.