It’s just a thing. Picture books are my favorite. No matter the age, no matter if I have little people near, I just love them. I’ve read them to students in a classroom, to kids in my lap, and to gathered adults. A good story is quite a gift.
With Lunar New Year coming, it is time to bring down our big tub of “China books”. These books are kept separate from all the others that reside on shelves and in baskets. These are set apart. Treasured. The kids could get to them if they want, but absence making the heart grow fonder is a truth.
With children from China, teaching Chinese culture in as many small ways as possible is close to my heart. Twice a year we fully celebrate two of China’s main holidays, Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.
That said, some years we have the margin and mojo to decorate, do crafts and make our own dumplings. Other years, I pull out the book bucket and we order Chinese take-out. The beauty of having Chinese picture books kept aside makes just pulling them out a mini holiday celebration.
Some of the books that we keep in our treasure box…
Ms. Frizzle’s Adventures: Imperial China
Ms. Frizzle is invited to a Chinese New Year dinner and the result is a magical field trip through China. I LOVE this book. It is rich in illustrations, information, fun, and covers aspects of Chinese culture from holidays and food to history and landscape.
That said, it is out of print and is pricey, so buying a used copy, or finding one at the library, would be a good option.
Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year Lift-the-Flap Book by Joan Holub
This sweet picture book is a quick and simplified overview of how a family in China might prepare for Chinese New Year.
The Dancing Dragon by Marcia Vaughan
This is a foldable, fun and simple look at a city street during a Chinese New Year dragon parade.
Lanterns and Firecrackers: A Chinese New Year Story by Jonny Zucker
It’s another super sweet and simple peek at a family’s holiday. This story is very primary, but still one I’ll be pulling back out this year.
My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz
Another super primary, but a beloved book of ours with an overview and bright visuals.
Our beloved box of “China books” is filled with lots of treasured stories, not all related to the Lunar New Year, but they all come out, and I love seeing my kids pour over them.
The Empty Pot by Demi
This is one of my favorite pictures of all time and was well-loved as a teacher, long before Claire, Eli, and Evelyn came along. This Chinese folk tale has the most beautiful illustrations and makes a powerful point about honesty. I give the story of Ping five stars.
The Greatest Power by Demi
The Empty Pot is our favorite, but Demi has a few more we like. The Greatest Power continues the story with Ping, now emperor, who issues a new moral challenge to the children of his kingdom.
Mei-Mei’s Lucky Birthday Noodles by Shan-Shan Chen
This is the story of adoption and a Chinese birthday tradition. Every time we read it, it makes me want to follow the same tradition with our kids.
Mooncakes by Loretta Seto
The soft and lovely illustrations in this book make it one of my favorites. This is a lyrical story of a young girl who sits beneath the moon with her family celebrating Chinese Moon Festival. As they eat mooncakes, her parents retell the Chinese legend of the Jade Rabbit.
Thanking the Moon by Grace Lin
Grace Lin has long been my go to author for books about Chinese culture. This book is a great, simple introduction to celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.
Lin Yi’s Lantern: A Moon Festival Tale by Brenda Williams & Benjamin Lacombe
Not going to lie, this book got my rare five stars, just for the cover art. Lin Yi’s mother has sent him to the local market to buy food for the Moon Festival, but what he really wants is a red rabbit lantern.
There you have it, a peek into our China books bucket. So what are we missing? Share your recommendations.
And so many more are on our wish list…
The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale
Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas
Emma’s American Chinese New Year
(featuring a young girl adopted from China who is learning to celebrate)
Happy Lunar New Year to you and your family!
The Race for the Chinese Zodiac is beautifully illustrated and tells the story of the animal race. I’m going to read it to my son’s Kindergarten class tomorrow and hand out red envelops with chocolate coins, too. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this. I love when people engage through comments. Hope your time in the K class went well. I’ll look for this book.