the style, the liberal dose of magical realism, build an instant curiosity and appreciation for the trials and tribulations of a hutong community. A topic that young readers not steeped in the culture can find difficult to connect with.
However, the author and illustrator is Chinese, and writing about real and contemporary Chinese experiences within a crumbling, close-knit hutong (alleyway) community.
Like something plucked straight out of Studio Ghibli - the beautifully detailed art, sympathetic, wise, child-like characters, whimsy, and a sense of wonder among the mundane are all there.
