Educational Media Reviews Online

Roses Sing on New Snow is the story of a young woman, Maylin, who prepares delicious meals in her father’s restaurant in the New World for the “lonely and cold and bone-tired” diners. Unfortunately, she does not receive the recognition she deserves since her greedy father and lazy brothers pretend as though they are the ones cooking. When an important dignitary arrives from China wanting to sample food prepared in the New World, Maylin creates a wonderful new dish, Roses Sing on New Snow, for this special occasion. Of course, her father and brothers take credit for the dish when it is loved by the dignitary. When the dignitary wants the recipe, her father and brothers fail miserably at trying to cook the special recipe and are forced to ask Maylin for help. Maylin, side-by-side with the dignitary, teaches him how to prepare the dish. When Maylin’s is by far the better tasting of the two, she carefully explains that even though he has the same ingredients it is her gift for cooking that brings greatness to the dish!

This delightfully animated video accompanies the book written by Paul Yee, Roses Sing on New Snow: a delicious tale. It is one of several videos in the NFB of Canada’s Talespinners Collection that have been based on popular and timeless children’s books.

The animation is true to the unique colors used in the book. The video and book provide an historical and multicultural twist to the traditional theme of special talent not receiving acknowledgement when it is deserved. However, praise and admiration always come at the end of the story. The inside cover of the video includes a study guide that teachers or parents can use with children when watching the video.