Caldecott Medal Winner
Watercress
by Jason Chin
Summary
A Chinese American girl reluctantly gathers wild watercress from a ditch beside an Ohio road, embarrassed by the secondhand groceries until her mother shares a painful memory of famine in China. The story moves from shame to understanding as the family meal becomes a connection to heritage, loss, and love. Jason Chin renders the rural landscape in soft watercolor washes that hold both the wide Midwestern fields and the quiet emotion of the family, giving the spare text by Andrea Wang a deeply felt setting.
”
Historical Context & Significance
Watercress won the 2022 Caldecott Medal and also received a Newbery Honor, a rare double recognition for one picture book.