The Village of a Hundred Smiles and Other Stories

Teya Rosenberg is an assistant professor of English specializing in
children’s literature at Southwest Texas State University.

Four linked stories present the utopian Village of a Hundred Smiles,
upon which the outside world has little effect. Each story touches in
some way on Grandfather, the oldest occupant of the village.

In “The Trip,” Grandfather is invited to join his teacher in the
city, but his granddaughter, Little Orchid, tricks him into abandoning
the long journey. In “The Bicycle,” winter rains wash a tree under
the village’s bridge. The tree is a relief to the village, which is
running low on firewood, but the bicycle chained to it is a mystery.
When the village people finally learn what the bicycle is for, they are
delighted by it, especially Grandfather. “The Largest Kite,” the
third story, focuses on Grandfather and Little Orchid as they build a
large kite, which then drags Grandfather into the air. In the final,
eponymous tale, the entire village is the focus: when a rich merchant
persuades different families to cook him large meals that he does not
eat, the village celebrates Grandfather’s 72nd birthday with a huge
communal feast.

The words and pictures of this book indicate Chinese settings and
characters. The stories are well written and charming, and the
illustrations are lovely. Jorisch’s delicate watercolors suggest
Chinese art and provide counterpoints to the words. My one reservation
is that the book should be thought of as evoking the Chinese rather than
as being Chinese. Recommended.