Night Market Rescue by Charlotte Cheng (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Night Market Rescue by Charlotte Cheng Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Cheng, Charlotte Night Market Rescue; illus. by Amber Ren. Rocky Pond/Penguin, 2023 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593531723 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593531730 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs The cool night air sweeps out the hot stickiness of the day in Taipei and brings with it sweet and spicy scents, ones that beckon GoGo, a content but currently hungry street dog, to the bustling night market. Weaving around zooming motor bikes and busy vendors and their customers, GoGo finds a veritable feast: sausage bites, ginger tea, baby bok choy, and scallion stems. He puts his revelry on pause, though, when he sees a little girl, clearly lost, and he beckons her to the market; they wander the area until the little one spots her family, running to their open arms—but now, GoGo is left alone, slinking back into the streets. Viewers will likely see where this is going, but they'll be nonetheless delighted when the child and her family call to GoGo and welcome him into their family. GoGo's an undeniably cute pooch, but the star here is the Night Market, gleaming with red lanterns, sparkling with luminescent colors, and peopled with a delightful assortment of characters that viewers can track through the pages. Shifts in perspectives and varied compositions bring the audience right into the hustle and bustle of the street, as we join GoGo underneath the stalls to grab a treat or zoom out to see him tussle with a possessive cat. Dog lovers will appreciate the warm tail—er, tale—of GoGo finding a forever family, while foodies will relish the assortment of visual treats on offer. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois