Shu Lin's Grandpa

Shu Lin, a Chinese immigrant girl, finds it hard to gain acceptance in her new school, until her grandpa saves the day.

Shu Lin is starting at a new school. She stands alone in the playground and at lunchtime she eats by herself from little boxes of brightly coloured food. "What's up with her?" says Barney. But when Shu Lin’s grandpa comes to school and shows the class his amazing Chinese paintings, everything changes…. With a stunning double-gatefold spread revealing a beautiful Chinese picture, this uplifting story shows the transformative power of art and imagination in developing cultural understanding and empathy.

About the Author

Until recently a primary school teacher, Matt Goodfellow is now a full-time poet who visits schools across the country to give high-energy performances and workshops. His first poetry collection for Otter-Barry Books, Chicken on the Roof, received wide acclaim. Caterpillar Cake, for early years and KS1, illustrated by Krina Patel Sage, was published in 2020. Matt lives in Stockport, Manchester, UK.

About the Illustrator

Yu Rong has degrees in Chinese Painting and Contemporary Art from Nanjing Normal University and in Communication and Design from the Royal College of Art, London. Deeply versed in traditional Chinese art, she has won numerous international awards including the BIB Golden Apple and the Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award. Yu Rong's previous books include Snowflake in my Pocket (with Rachel Bright) and Tracks of a Panda (with Nick Dawson). She lives just outside Cambridge, England.