It's Lunar New Year, a time when families come together for a wonderful feast, and a father longs to be with his daughter--but she lives in another country. As he imagines how his daughter is spending the festivities, he recalls fond memories of time spent with her, feeling a sense of loss and dislocation. While he misses her deeply, he also recognizes her need to move away, grow up, and become herself. New Year is a stunning portrait of leaving home, finding independence, and loving those who are many miles away.

With so many families living far apart, readers will relate to the universal message of missing our loved ones and dreaming of being together again.

An excellent resource for teachers, librarians, and parents for starting conversations about:

• The traditions and importance of Lunar New Year
• Understanding the complex feelings that come from family and friends living far away
• How to cope with feelings of loneliness and missing loved ones