Online Media Kit for Granfather's Ghosts
- Book Information
- What Makes This Book Special
- About the Author/Illustrator
- Press Release
- FAQs
- Book Reviews
- Promotion and School/Library Visits
- Free Lesson Plan!
Book Information
Title: Grandfather's Ghosts: A Chinese Tale
Author: Bucher, Heatherly
Illustrator: Yang, Zi Hua
Format: Hardback cloth cover with insets, 8" x 8", smythesewn reinforced binding, 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9790920-6-0
Publication Information: MoonRattles, 2007, First Edition
Barcoded Price: $16.00
Distribution: Baker & Taylor or direct from MoonRattles
What Makes This Book Special
Author Heatherly Bucher brings to life a slowly-fading Chinese holiday in this modern folktale by giving readers an opportunity to share the day of Hungry Ghost Festival with two little Chinese children and their grandfather. Evoking traditional Chinese presentations of people and place with more modern art techniques, illustrator Zi Hua draws readers of all ages into a lively Chinese town of old. The book is beautifully produced on art matte paper and bound in hardcover cloth cover with white foil stamping.
About the Author and Illustrator
Author
Heatherly grew up in a military family and therefore feels a bit like a gypsy, always moving and looking forward to the next place, never quite able to settle down. Her mother's family hails from Texas while her father's family mostly immigrated from Europe to the United States at some point in the early 1900s. She married her high school best friend who happened to be half German, half American (Heatherly suspects the German side is dominant) and they have subsequently continued the nomadic life of military families while her husband serves in the US Air Force.
A 3-month stint in Hong Kong and southern China directly out of high school in the 80s gave Heatherly a passion and interest in the country, its people and culture. Heatherly and her husband are blessed with two daughters from China, expanding their cultural and heritage family influences to an interesting mix of Texan, German, Chinese and military! Heatherly currently devotes the majority of her working time to MoonRattles with a desire to promote children and families to build bridges of understanding, encouraging compassion and confidence and increasing dialogue across the diversity of communities. As a 15-year software techie veteran, her current project is considering how technology can be used to connect children from different cultures.
Illustrator
During Zi Hua's childhood, both of her parents had to work everyday. Every morning they would give Zi Hua crayons and paper. Using these materials, she began to scribble and draw and found her interest in art growing. It has remained with her ever since. She loves to paint and it makes her life full of joy. Zi Hua resides in Suzhou, China and this is the first time she has illustrated a children's book.
Press Release
Please read the press release here.
FAQs
- Why did Heatherly write this book?
"When our company MoonRattles was working on the Seventh Lunar Month kit, I found that no one had written a children's book about Hungry Ghost Festival. The more I learned about this once very popular and wides-spread festival, the more I wanted to share the story with my children and other families in a way that conveyed the beauty of the lanterns, the poetry and drama of the re-tellings and the warmth of family."
- Who is the intended audience?
"I wrote this story for children, of course! Children love holidays, celebrations and parties. To them, the treats are always nice, but I believe that children love these times also because holidays usually mean family time, changes in schedules where we do something different, slow down, spend more time together."
- How does this book benefit readers?
"Children will learn about a holiday they may not know much about, but even more importantly, they will learn that holidays around the world are not that different from each other. Most of our traditional holidays celebrate family, devotion, love and relationships. Children will see this in the book. They will also get a glimpse into a part of China that is fast fading in today's more modern and industrialized society."
- What is Heatherly doing now?
"In addition to my own children and MoonRattles, I am working on a new chapter book series for young readers (particularly girls). This is a new challenge for me and I am excited to see where the characters take me. I am hoping they will be an authentic voice of our young children today growing up in a much smaller world where communities overlap and technology brings everything into your own house. I'll let you know what happens!"
Book Reviews
Coming soon!
Promotion and School/Library Visits
Coming soon!
Free Lesson Plan
Coming soon!