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Ama's Purse

Illustrated by Xindi Yan
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
| $26.99 CAN
24 per carton
On sale Aug 04, 2026 | 32 Pages | 9780593696774
Age 3-7 years | Preschool - 2
Reading Level: Lexile AD790L | Fountas & Pinnell M

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Grandmother’s purse is filled with the magic of memories and the joy of her Chinese culture in this warm and lively read-aloud, illustrated in dreamy pastels.

A young girl is just where she wants to be, next to her grandma in the back seat of the car as her family heads out on a day trip. She knows there are always delightful surprises inside Ama’s purse. Sure enough, out come all sorts of special items, one after another as the trip continues: a compact that frees a powder-white moon rabbit, tarnished coins that smell of island blooms, buddha beads that chime together like bells and drums. And best of all, a worn book of photos that brings cherished memories circling around them all.

Inspired by the author’s own grandmothers, this heartwarming story bursts with love for home and family.
★"With a masterly blend of descriptive language and ethereal pastel illustrations, ordinary moments become extraordinary; the book reminds readers to treasure the memories made with family. Heartfelt and visually pleasing, this is an essential addition to picture book collections.” —School Library Journal, starred review

★"Realistic, largely full-bleed art gives a reportorial feel to digitally rendered road trip scenes, while soft-edged, rainbow-tinged clouds usher in the feel of the child and grandparent’s gentle interactions. The animated pair’s enthusiastic care for each other offers a winning portrait of both backseat travel and intergenerational closeness.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review


"Deamy pastel illustrations enhance the sense of marvel inspired by the contents of Ama’s purse. The result is a heartwarming, multigenerational celebration of family and memories.” —Booklist
Xindi Yan left behind a small city in China to realize her dream of being a published artist. She traveled thousands of miles to study, live, and work in New York. Having always wanted to illustrate children’s books, Xindi buried herself in countless books and drawings. She is the illustrator of Sylvia Rose and the Cherry Tree by Sandy Shapiro Hurt, the Craftily Ever After series by Martha Maker and The Itty Bitty Witch by Trisha Speed Shaskan. When not drawing, she likes to keep busy with lots of crafts and cooking. Xindi currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and dreams of having a puppy one day. View titles by Xindi Yan
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About

Grandmother’s purse is filled with the magic of memories and the joy of her Chinese culture in this warm and lively read-aloud, illustrated in dreamy pastels.

A young girl is just where she wants to be, next to her grandma in the back seat of the car as her family heads out on a day trip. She knows there are always delightful surprises inside Ama’s purse. Sure enough, out come all sorts of special items, one after another as the trip continues: a compact that frees a powder-white moon rabbit, tarnished coins that smell of island blooms, buddha beads that chime together like bells and drums. And best of all, a worn book of photos that brings cherished memories circling around them all.

Inspired by the author’s own grandmothers, this heartwarming story bursts with love for home and family.

Reviews

★"With a masterly blend of descriptive language and ethereal pastel illustrations, ordinary moments become extraordinary; the book reminds readers to treasure the memories made with family. Heartfelt and visually pleasing, this is an essential addition to picture book collections.” —School Library Journal, starred review

★"Realistic, largely full-bleed art gives a reportorial feel to digitally rendered road trip scenes, while soft-edged, rainbow-tinged clouds usher in the feel of the child and grandparent’s gentle interactions. The animated pair’s enthusiastic care for each other offers a winning portrait of both backseat travel and intergenerational closeness.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review


"Deamy pastel illustrations enhance the sense of marvel inspired by the contents of Ama’s purse. The result is a heartwarming, multigenerational celebration of family and memories.” —Booklist

Author

Xindi Yan left behind a small city in China to realize her dream of being a published artist. She traveled thousands of miles to study, live, and work in New York. Having always wanted to illustrate children’s books, Xindi buried herself in countless books and drawings. She is the illustrator of Sylvia Rose and the Cherry Tree by Sandy Shapiro Hurt, the Craftily Ever After series by Martha Maker and The Itty Bitty Witch by Trisha Speed Shaskan. When not drawing, she likes to keep busy with lots of crafts and cooking. Xindi currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and dreams of having a puppy one day. View titles by Xindi Yan

Photos

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