I have been reading several intense books lately. Therefore I decided that I needed to cleanse the palette. And what better way to do that but with food and books. Then I found Grandma’s Roof Garden. As I munched my Hemingwing (a chicken sandwich with goat cheese, some funky herbal mayo, and onion jam) I read this book by Tang Wei and translated by Kelly Zhang. 
Though it is currently available, I read it via an online reader copy. I might find a few physical copies for gifts, but I know that every library should have a copy. It not only talks about gardening, and how to be environmentally friendly, it also talks about family, friends, and about keeping active. It also shows you a Chinese community when we talk about the children of the Grandmother. (One rides a bicycle, one has a suitcase rolling down the street to catch a taxi/plane. One has a non-traditional male job. And how they physically look.)
The illustrations are 50/50 for me. On one hand, I like the colors and details. They are not overly bold or bright, or overly busy and detailed, but have a nice combination. Yet, also I am not a huge fan of them. They are a by person case of “like or not.” Yet, I couldn’t imagine them being more “realistic.” They are not cartoonish, but have elements that make them silly (such as crying vegetables for one). In this case you can judge the book by its cover, with these images and feelings being throughout the book. There is also a nice afterwards by the author.