Hi everyone, my name is Ling. I was born and raised in a small farming village in mainland China.
Growing up I didn't have any toys or electronics, life was about going to school and working on our farm, which it's quiet and peaceful in a way.
Until one day, my Uncle who works in the city gifted me a radio for my birthday, I was probably five or six years old at the time.I was immediately fell in love with the radio, it was my first window to the outside world other than my small village.
Every night after finishing all the school work and housework, I would lay in bed holding my precious radio. Listen to everything that is clear sounded, news, stories. My favorite part is the music, which always came at the end, but I would always wait for it, no matter how drowsy I was.
Music was like magic, it soothed my tiredness from going to school and working on the farm all day, it calmed my soul, it painted a colorful picture of the world that I dream to see when I grow up. It also taught me many beautiful songs, I began to sing and hum all day long, on my way to school, herding animals on our farm, cooking, cleaning... When I was happy, singing made everything even brighter; when I was sad, singing gave me comfort and peace. Even though I have never been good at singing, but I love every minute of it when I sing.
Little did I know then, that radio, music, and singing have changed my life drastically. It encouraged me to be brave and adventurous, it inspired me to step out of my little village and explore the bigger world.
Fast forwarded 30 years later, I graduated college with multiple degrees, traveled around the globe, now I have settled in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. A beautiful, peaceful lakeside town, very similar to the village I grew up in. I also have two little ones, as I have been adjusting and exploring this new chapter of my life as a mama, I found myself singing again, the same songs I learned from the radio when I was a child.
Singing and dancing with my children has become the favorite activity for our family. It also sparked their interest in learning Chinese. I can't help but feel proud inside when Miao Miao would point things everywhere she goes and ask me "Mama, What's this in Chinese?"
Singing, dancing, learning Chinese with my children have brought us so much quality time together, along with all the joy and happiness, It's like a special kind of love that bonded us closer and closer. It's also this kind of love that inspired me to create this book, "Sing Along with Miao Miao".
It has our favorite songs from China and America, it sings in mandarin Chinese, with both English and Chinese lyrics. Don't worry if you don't have any Chinese background, you can still sing along with the book. Every Chinese character comes with Pinyin(the alphabetic pronunciation), you and your little ones can sing along together very easily following Pinyin.
I wish this book will become a portal to a different world for my children and children everywhere just like that radio did for me. I wish it will inspire both parents and children to learn a new language and new songs, to sing and dance together, to form that bond of love and closeness.
Ling