Watercress (book)

A young girl is in the car with her brother and parents when they come across wild watercress growing on the side of the road. Her parents excitedly pull over and instruct the children to help them gather the watercress. The girl feels embarrassed to be seen by passing cars and disgusted by the mud and snails that are on the plants. The watercress is prepared for dinner that night, but the girl initially refuses to eat it because she is ashamed of their "dinner from a ditch". Her mother brings out a picture from her childhood and, for the first time, talks about the famine that her family suffered. Feeling guilty, the girl takes a bite of the watercress. She discovers that she likes the taste and reflects on the new memory she and her family have created.

Watercress is a Junior Library Guild book.{{Cite web|title=Watercress by Andrea Wang|url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780823446247J&name=Watercress|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Junior Library Guild}} It was met with critical acclaim, including starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews,{{Cite web|date=2020-12-25|title=Watercress|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/andrea-wang/watercress/|access-date=2022-01-30|website=Kirkus Reviews}} Publishers Weekly,{{Cite web|title=Children's Book Review: Watercress by Andrea Wang, illus. by Jason Chin. Holiday House/Porter, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-8234-4624-7|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8234-4624-7|access-date=2022-01-31|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en}} School Library Journal,{{Cite web|last=Cooper|first=Elissa|date=2021-02-01|title=Watercress|url=https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=watercress|access-date=2022-01-31|website=School Library Journal}} and Shelf Awareness.{{Cite web|last=Forbus|first=Jen|date=2021-04-09|title=Watercress|url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=1011|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Shelf Awareness}}

Kirkus Reviews called the book "[u]nderstated, deep, and heart-rending." Writing for School Library Journal, Elissa Cooper called Watercress "[a] powerful story sure to awaken empathy and curiosity." Publishers Weekly said it was "[a]n adept gem of a picture book, encompassing both universal intergenerational embarrassment and a specific diasporic shift in cultural perception."

Watercress was named one of the best children's books of 2021 by BookPage,{{Cite web|date=2021-11-16|title=Best Picture Books of 2021|url=https://www.bookpage.com/features/best-picture-books-of-2021/|access-date=2022-01-31|website=BookPage|language=en-US}} The Boston Globe,{{Cite web|last=Koenig|first=Laura|title=The Best Books of 2021|url=https://apps.bostonglobe.com/arts/graphics/2021/12/best-books-of-2021|access-date=2022-01-31|website=BostonGlobe.com|language=en}} Chicago Public Library,{{Cite web|title=Best Picture Books of 2021|url=https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033/2006117462|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Chicago Public Library|language=en-US}} The Horn Book,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-12-08|title=Fanfare 2021 Annotations|url=https://www.hbook.com/story/fanfare-2021-annotations|access-date=2022-01-31|website=The Horn Book}} Kirkus Reviews, The New York Public Library,{{Cite web|title=Best Books for Kids 2021|url=https://www.nypl.org/books-more/recommendations/best-books/kids|access-date=2022-01-31|website=The New York Public Library|language=en}} The New York Times,{{Cite news|date=2021-12-03|title=The 25 Best Children's Books of 2021|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/03/books/review/25-best-childrens-books.html|access-date=2022-01-31|issn=0362-4331}} Publishers Weekly,{{Cite web|title=Best Books 2021: Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly|url=https://best-books.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2021/picture-books|access-date=2022-01-31|website=PublishersWeekly.com}} School Library Journal,{{Cite web|last1=Saarinen|first1=Tamara|last2=Agudelo|first2=Jessica|last3=Fakih|first3=Kimberly|last4=Paz|first4=Selenia|last5=Qadir-Jafar|first5=Noureen|date=2021-11-21|title=Best Picture Books 2021 {{!}} SLJ Best Books|url=https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=best-picture-books-2021-slj-best-books|access-date=2022-01-31|website=School Library Journal}} Shelf Awareness,{{Cite web|date=2021-11-23|title=Shelf Awareness's Best Children's and Teen Books of 2021|url=https://www.shelf-awareness.com/readers-issue.html?issue=1076|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Shelf Awareness}} The Wall Street Journal,{{Cite news|last=Gurdon|first=Meghan Cox|date=2021-12-10|title=The Best Books of 2021: Children's Books|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-books-of-2021-childrens-books-reviews-picture-books-middle-grade-young-adult-reading-11639155340|access-date=2022-01-31|issn=0099-9660}} and The Washington Post.{{Cite news|title=Best Children's Books of 2021|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/kidspost/2021/11/17/best-childrens-books-2021/|access-date=2022-01-30|newspaper=The Washington Post}} Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature also included it in their list of the year's best multicultural children's books.{{Cite web|title=Best Books 2021|url=https://www.csmcl.org/best-books-2021|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature|language=en}} In 2022, Weston Woods Studios released an animated film based on the book, narrated by Sunny Lu.

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Category:2021 children's books

Category:American picture books

Category:Caldecott Medal–winning works

Category:Newbery Honor–winning works

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