Description: Aspiring artist Yulu tries to paint the perfect self portrait, but when the canvas rejects her attempts, she refuses to give up.
Brief description: Cao Wenxuan is the first ever Chinese recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for his book Bronze and Sunflower. As the author of dozens of books for children, he is considered one of China's most revered writers. He is also a professor of Chinese literature and children's literature at Peking University. His work has been translated all over the world.
Review Quotes: In this finely wrought picture book portrait of the artistic process, a canvas of "yu-lu-ma--rain-dew linen" seems destined for young Yulu's brushes, so her father, a frustrated artist who's nurtured her talent, buys it for her first self-portrait. [...] Printed on linen-textured paper, this story of making, part folktale, part love letter to hanging in there, honors the work and wonder at the heart of creation.--Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW "11/3/2025"