By
Denison Avenue, created by Daniel Innes (illustrations) and Christina Wong (text), merges ink art and storytelling to follow the journey of Wong Cho Sum, an elderly woman living in Toronto’s transforming Chinatown–Kensington Market. After the sudden death of her husband, she starts collecting bottles and cans to occupy her time and stave off loneliness and grief. As Cho Sum takes long walks around the city, she encounters new friendships, faces racism and classism, and learns to navigate life as a widow in a neighborhood being reshaped, leaving older residents like her behind.
This moving reflection on loss, aging, gentrification, and the challenges faced by Chinese Canadian seniors in large cities, Denison Avenue combines powerful visuals, narrative, and the endangered Toisan dialect to create an unforgettable reading experience.
Sources: Amazon, YouTube
https://www.cbc.ca/books/denison-avenue-by-daniel-innes-christina-wong-1.6741011
