With You In Spirit

A Qing Ming Story

Hardcover

Grades Preschool – 2
Ages 3–7

A little girl and her family come together to honor her late grandfather on Qing Ming or Tomb-Sweeping Day in this heartwarming story about celebrating ancestors.

Join a young girl and her family as they prepare for Qing Ming: cooking favorite dishes and gathering everything they need to visit Yeh Yeh’s grave. The girl is worried because her memories of Yeh Yeh are fading and wonders if he is forgetting her too.
    As the family sweeps and clears debris from Yeh Yeh’s grave, burn incense and joss paper, the little girl has an offering of her own. She shares about her adventures and accomplishments from the past year, burning a drawing of a bicycle, so that Yeh Yeh can ride like they used to at the park. With every story and offering, she feels closer to her grandfather. When the family gathers for a picnic at the grave, indulging in Yeh Yeh’s favorite foods—it is a tender moment of togetherness.
    A heartwarming story about honoring and celebrating those who are gone.

"A sweet introduction to a significant Chinese tradition, glimpsed through the eyes of a loving family." —Kirkus Reviews

"Liao and Wen’s picture book offers a touching introduction to a Chinese holiday that celebrates and pays respect to loved ones in the afterlife....showing young readers that loved ones who passed on have never left them." —The Bulletin

"This child-centered story describes the family tradition of Qing Ming in an easy-to-follow way that is appropriate for young readers." —School Library Journal

ISBN 9780593806975 (Hardcover)
Published on Feb 24, 2026
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages 40
Dimensions 9-7/16 x 10-1/2
Age Range 3-7 years
Grade Preschool - 2
Reading Level Lexile: 620L | Fountas/Pinnell: M

ISBN 9780593806999 (Ebook)
Published on Feb 24, 2026
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Pages 40
Age Range 3-7 years
Grade Preschool - 2
Reading Level Lexile: 620L | Fountas/Pinnell: M

Jenny Liao

Jenny Liao is a Chinese American author of stories that inspire children to find pride in every part of their identity. Her work has also been featured in the New Yorker and Bon Appétit. Jenny is the author of Everyone Loves Lunchtime But Zia.

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With You In Spirit

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