Navigating Night

A girl guides her dad on his route delivering Chinese take-out food in this touching picture book, written by an APALA-award winner, that celebrates the unique bond between immigrant parents and their children.

Every night, a girl must help her dad, whose English is not as good as hers, make deliveries for their small family restaurant. Sitting next to him in the car, she studies a map and gives him directions in Cantonese. She helps him get to the places he needs to go.

She hates doing this, though. Hates carrying grease-stained boxes of Mongolian beef and moo goo gai pan to customers' doors. Hates being different from the kids behind these doors. Why can't her family be normal like everyone else’s?

But when her dad tells her about how he immigrated, all alone as a teenager, to the United States, she comes to better understand him, and appreciate how he has made her American life possible.★ "An impressively realistic, heartfelt exploration of family dynamics and illuminating understanding." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "A touching familial picture book....The creators highlight a distinct bond and sacrifices made across generations." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Leung’s child-centered text honors the unique bond between immigrant parents and their children. Kang’s dynamic mixed-media illustrations mirror the story’s emotionally resonant arc....An homage to love and resilience." —The Horn Book, starred review

★ "Together, the realistic writing and expressive artwork create an insightful and moving portrayal of family, sacrifice, and connection within the immigrant experience." —Booklist, starred reviewJULIE LEUNG is an award-winning author of numerous children’s books. Her picture book, The Truth About Dragons, was a 2024 Caldecott Honor Book and winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. She is also the author of Paper Son, Mr. Pei's Perfect Shapes, and The Fearless Flights of Hazel Ying Lee, all of which received multiple starred reviews. By day, she works in book publishing.

ANGIE KANG is the 2025 Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator of OUR LAKE. The recipient of fellowships and support from MacDowell, Tin House, VONA/Voices, the Sundress Academy of Arts, and other organizations, she was shortlisted for the Cartoonist Studio Prize. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Narrative, The Believer, The Rumpus, Ecotone, and elsewhere.