The Rainbow Rocket takes James on a marvelous and magical dream journey to visit his beloved grandmother, whose beautiful paintings and loving guidance have inspired his own creativity.  Their bond of love remains strong despite her struggle with Alzheimer’s and subsequent death. Celebrating the Chinese holiday of Ching Ming, James finds a meaningful way to honour his grandmother’s rich legacy of art.

“Author Fiona Lam and artist Kristi Bridgeman bring inspired contributions to this sensitive, highly recommended book for all ages. Simple yet profound, The Rainbow Rocket touches such charged topics as death, loss and dementia with gentleness, honesty and endless heart. A remarkable achievement; a high-priority book for all who love life and value the journey.”     ~Dr. Balfour M. Mount OC, OQ, MD, FRCS(C) Emeritus Professor of Medicine, McGill University.

“A touching and beautiful story of love, loss and the imagination, told with sensitivity and grace.” ~Dennis Foon

“The themes of love, memory, loss and renewal are sensitively rendered in this poignant story and will resonate with readers of all ages.” ~Judy Fong Bates

• CBC Radio Interview about The Rainbow Rocket with Margaret Gallagher on North by Northwest,  June 23/13 (15:45 mark)
• Vancouver Co-op Radio Interview about The Rainbow Rocket and Loretta Seto’s Mooncakes, June 11/13 at 9pm
• CBC Radio Interview about The Rainbow Rocket with Michelle Eliot, On the Coast, May 14/13 4:50 pm

REVIEWS

“The Rainbow Rocket is an illustrated children’s book by Fiona Tinwei Lam with gorgeous illustrations by Kristi Bridgeman. The story is a touching tale of a young boy and his grandmother who has Alzheimer’s disease. His grandmother is a painter and shares her love of art and her knowledge of Chinese culture with her grandson.” ~The Vancouver Sun (June 1/13, D6)

“The Rainbow Rocket is a touching, understated story, and deserves a place on the school and public library’s shelf for its sensitive portrayal of one young boy’s experience with a grandparent’s death which has a message for any child who reads it.  “Highly Recommended.“– CM Magazine (Nov 1/13)

“Throughout the entire narrative, Fiona Tinwei Lam creates a world that is easy to relate to. Her choices of words are simple and straightforward, giving us a clear and honest picture of James’ experiences….[The] Rainbow Rocket is a beautifully illustrated and touchingly narrated story about a child who has to lose someone very dear to him. It addresses the sensitive issues of loss, grief and illness with delicate honesty, deftly avoiding melodrama, or over-simplication. It’s a wonderful read for both children and adults.”  – Ricepaper Magazine (Winter 2013 18:3)