Padma Venkatraman,
Nicole Wong (Illustrated by)
Aug 25, 2026
Hardcover Picture Book
Juvenile Fiction / Asian American & Pacific Islander/ Family / Multigenerational / Social Themes / New Experience
Ages 3 to 7, Grades P to 2
Making friends with faraway relatives you’ve never met can be a little daunting at first, but this family finds a unique way to connect.
It’s a joyous occasion when you get to visit family in another country after a long time apart. But sometimes it takes a while to connect. That’s what happens to the little girl in this book—when she first sees her faraway family, they feel like strangers. To make matters worse, the power goes out at bedtime, and that means no more night-light. Then a flashlight beam appears—it’s her grandmother, who invites her into a lively game of shadow play. And soon the two of them are having a grand adventure, and the girl’s faraway family starts feeling more like friends.
Award-winning author Padma Venkatraman’s picture book debut shows the joy of connecting through imaginative play, and Nicole Wong’s evocative illustrations bring the story to brilliant life.
It’s a joyous occasion when you get to visit family in another country after a long time apart. But sometimes it takes a while to connect. That’s what happens to the little girl in this book—when she first sees her faraway family, they feel like strangers. To make matters worse, the power goes out at bedtime, and that means no more night-light. Then a flashlight beam appears—it’s her grandmother, who invites her into a lively game of shadow play. And soon the two of them are having a grand adventure, and the girl’s faraway family starts feeling more like friends.
Award-winning author Padma Venkatraman’s picture book debut shows the joy of connecting through imaginative play, and Nicole Wong’s evocative illustrations bring the story to brilliant life.
