A heedless young duck with poor manners, Meiling learns to be more thoughtful when she follows her human boy, Song Hai, to the market. It is the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, and he must buy everything his family needs - mooncakes, lanterns, and many other items - for their celebration. Observing his politeness to others - the way he helps the elderly Mrs. Li, the way he shares his snack with his friend - Meiling learns the right way to behave, even as she learns about the festival that is about to occur...

I thought I recognized the illustrative style, when I stumbled across Thank You, Meiling during my search for Mid-Autumn Moon Festival books, and sure enough, the artist involved is none other than Itoko Maeno, whose work on such picture-books as Papa Piccolo and Minou I found so very lovely. The artwork here is likewise beautiful, and very appealing. The story from Linda Talley, who appears to have worked on a number of books with Maeno, is engaging, offering both a lesson in good manners and a bit of information about the traditions associated with the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Recommended to picture-book readers seeking either stories about the festival or titles teaching etiquette. ( )