Review: Ping's Perfect Pot

Title: Ping's Perfect Pot
Series: Stand Alone
Author: Helen H. Wu
Illustrator: Zihua Yang
Publish Date: January 7, 2025
Publisher: Beaming Books
Genre: Children's Fiction
Age: 3-7
Started Reading: December 16, 2024
Finished Reading: December 16, 2024
NetGalley?: Yes 

Book Summary from Goodreads:

 KNEAD, MUSH, MASH. Ping molds a pot for Lunar New Year.

When Ping and Grandpa bring a tangerine tree home for Lunar New Year, Ping decides to make the perfect pot to go with it. But making a pot is hard. With Grandpa's encouragement, she tries again and again to get it just right. The first is too clumsy, the second crumbles, and the third is too flimsy. What if she can't make the perfect pot? Will it ruin the new year?

For anyone feeling discouraged over learning something new, Ping's Perfect Pot reminds them not to give up when something isn't immediately easy. Perfection takes practice, patience, and, in the end, the love and effort you put into it. Backmatter provides more context and the deeper meaning of Lunar New Year traditions and symbols found within the story, as well as around the world.

Munchie and My Two Cents:

Goodreads Rating: 4 Stars (We really liked it)

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.

To Sum Up: A lovely book for teaching practice, traditions, and cultural differences, an excellent learning tool with a sweet story to back it up.