Celebrate Chinese New Year
Many of us have wondered how is the Chinese New Year's Day is determined? According to sources, the Chinese New Year is the second New Moon after the winter solstice. February 7, 2008 is the first day of the new year. I also learned that there are three ways to name a Chinese year:
By an animal (like a mascot).
2008 is the Year of the Rat. There are 12 animal names; so by this system, year names are re-cycled every 12 years.By its Formal Name
For 2008, the name of the year is Wu Zi. By this system, the name is repeated and re-cycled every 60 years.By the Date
It is Year 4705 by the Chinese calendar.
For a history go to http://www.chinapage.com/newyear.html and http://www.new-year.co.uk/chinese/history.htm to learn more.
The following books also offer information about Chinese New Year's and heartwarming stories associated with the holiday.
Reviews
Ancient China
Arthur Cotterell
Photographed by Alan Hills and Geoff Brightling
America's fascination with China knows no bounds it seems, nor should it, for it is an utterly fascinating place with an utterly fascinating history. This book is geared towards those in grades three to seven, but those on the early end of reading might find the text in this book a bit advanced. Nevertheless, that should not stop either early readers nor those well beyond grade seven from picking up this volume. Covering the basics from 221 B.C. to A.D. 1912, through excellent photography and succinct descriptions, this title whets one's appetite for a more in-depth study of ancient China. For it was here that so much of what we take for granted began--tools, weapons, paper, printing, porcelain, embroidery--the list goes on. This is not a book you read, but one you absorb, for there is so much here to take in. Laid out well, the book takes you through China's beginnings, through her many dynasties, her inventions, her culture, her social structure, and her wars. A time line, glossary, index and guide on where to learn more are included. This book is but a starting point for a study of China, but an excellent one it is. This is part of the "Eyewitness" series. 2005 (orig. 1994), DK Publishing, $15.99 and $19.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Kris Sauer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0756613825
ISBN: 0756613914
Beyond The Great Mountains: A Visual Poem about China
Ed Young
We must turn this stunning book on its side to read it, but when we do, and open it, all fifteen lines of the text of Young's poem are visible on the bottom edges of the pages that grow longer as each displays a line. The words describe the aspects of Middle Empire China--rivers, cliffs, crops, and seasons. As each page is lifted, the visual poem for that line is revealed. And for each, one or more small ancient Chinese characters are shown in red, with components translated, and the form incorporated into the larger illustration. As the pages are lifted, a fresh, somewhat larger image formed from cut, torn, and painted paper appears. It is of nature, but abstract, impressionistic, emotion-provoking. Part of our experience is the effort to see the visual relationship between the lines of text, the Chinese characters, and the images Young has produced. These are so compelling, their naturalistic references so ephemeral, that we are chiefly enthralled by the visuals. With the carefully-designed jacket, cover, and textured paper, this book is a work of art to enjoy again and again, complete with a list and translation of the ancient characters and their modern equivalents. 2005, Chronicle Books, $17.95. Ages 6 up. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2005; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Best Children's Books, 2005; Publishers Weekly; United States
Children's Book Sense Picks, Winter 2005-2006; Independent Booksellers Association; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog 2006 Supplement to the Ninth Edition, 2006; H.W Wilson Company; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, September 19, 2005; Cahners; United States
Teachers' Choices, 2006; International Reading Association; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Bill Martin, Jr. Picture Book Award Nominee 2006-2007 United States
White Ravens Award Winner 2006 United States International
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Book of the Season Fall 2005, 2005; Nominee; Children's; New York
ISBN: 0811843432
Celebrate Chinese New Year
Elaine A. Kule
This title is part of a series called "Celebrate Holidays." It is a comprehensive overview of the Chinese New Year holiday. Descriptions of the history, customs, symbols, and importance of the fifteen day holiday are detailed and paired with colored drawings and photographs. The last chapter describes how people around the world from San Francisco to Singapore currently celebrate the holiday period. San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade is the largest in the country and is seen by millions on television. Interesting extras include directions for constructing a paper lantern, chapter notes, a glossary, and additional print and Internet sources for more facts and figures.. While this book contains a wealth of information, in most situations, the hefty price tag would regulate it to a secondary purchase. 2006, Enslow Puublishers, $31.93. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Sylvia Firth (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 0-7660-2577-2
ISBN: 978-0-7660-2577-6
Chinese New Year: Festival of New Beginnings
Terri Sievert
Sometime between January 21st and February 19th, the festival of Chinese New Year is widely celebrated in Chinese-American communities throughout the United States. Young children will find all the basic facts about this fifteen-day holiday aptly depicted in this volume, which is part of the "Holidays and Culture" series. The brightly colored photos clearly enhance the text as it describes the Chinese monster, Nian, home altars, the importance of good luck in the new year, and preparations for the two week festivities. One highlight is fireworks on New Year's Eve. Clear directions for making a Chinese dragon from a paper bag are provided. Additional sources, both print and online, for further information are listed at the end of the book. Libraries in need of materials about Chinese culture will find this a worthwhile purchase. 2006, Capstone Press, $15.93 and $21.26. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Sylvia Firth (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7368-5386-6
ISBN: 0-7368-5386-3
D Is For Dancing Dragon: A China Alphabet
Carol Crane
Illustrated by Zong Wang
With its alphabet-book format and lavish illustrations, this informational book about China is aimed at readers of various ages: for younger viewers, Crane has provided short rhyming verses (unfortunately rather lame), while for older readers there is more information on colored strips next to each picture. Expansive oil paintings introduce illustrator Wang to American picture book readers and provide an unimpeachable source of detail about Chinese manners, customs, traditions, and landscapes. Many are wide panoramic two-page spreads; others (including a few drawings) are smaller, but all can be imagined on eye-catching posters. Reds predominate on the pages for L (lantern), N (a parade for the New Year), X (xié or thank you), and D for dragon dance. Sweeping views of the Great Wall, a Beijing street, and bright yellow rice paddies are impressive, but more intimate scenes show calligraphy materials, lush Chinese vegetables, and a woman playing the two-stringed ehru. Readers of any age can have fun calculating birth-year signs with Z, a set of Chinese zodiac animals that look like woodcuts in reds, purples, and golds. This large format book would make an immediately striking introduction to a project on China, allowing students to find an area of special interest for further research--or it can simply be enjoyed for its colorful scenes and fascinating details, as in S for Silk Road or C for chopsticks. 2006, Sleeping Bear, $17.95. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Barbara L. Talcroft (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 1-58536-273-5
D Is For Dragon Dance
Ying Chang Compestine
Illustrated by Yongsheng Xuan
From A to Z, this entire book is about celebrating the Chinese New Year. Extraordinarily colorful illustrations depict families preparing to celebrate the New Year with traditional decorations, activities, and foods. Each alphabet letter, shown in uppercase, stands for a particular aspect of the fifteen-day-long celebration. "C is for Calligraphy/ Let's write the characters for 'good luck.' Don't get the ink on your new clothes." This is a perfect example of how the author ties the different traditions together: one should put on new clothes for the New Year so that evil spirits will not recognize you in the New Year. This explanation comes with "H is for Haircut," where we also learn that a new haircut symbolizes a "fresh start" in the New Year. The emphasis is on how traditions are passed down through the generations and how families find unity ("U is for Unity") in celebrating together using the ancient customs. Many facts are tucked into the very simple sentences, making this book extremely suitable for the pre-K and primary grades. The back matter includes details for adults to share with young readers: a Chinese Zodiac calendar, an artist's note, and a recipe for dumplings, eaten during the New Year celebrations to bring good luck. The use of beautiful calligraphy in the background gives this title an authentic flavor that will enhance its value in approaching multicultural studies with younger listeners. 2006, Holiday House, $16.95. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Sheilah Egan (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Books About Holidays, 2006; Association for Library Service to Childrern; United States
ISBN: 0-8234-1887-1
The Jade Dragon
Carolyn Marsden and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh
This young middle-grade novel grew out of an interesting collaboration between Marsden, a writer with an eye for a story, and Virginia Shin-Mui Luh, who had tales to tell from her own experience as a child of immigrants. This fictionalized story is drawn directly from those experiences. When Ginny, living in suburban northern Virginia, sees a new Chinese girl in her class, she longs to be her friend. But Stephanie doesn't eat Chinese food, she dislikes her own black hair, and her parents are white! Between wanting to please MaMá and wanting a best friend, Ginny must negotiate a complicated maze of identity and friendship. A Chinese New Year meal plunges her into disgrace, but there's worse to come. A mistake she's hoping to make up for before MaMá finds out is revealed, and Ginny must risk her friendship to make amends. The Jade Dragon captures the nuances of immigrants from China to the U.S. in the eighties, with the flavor of the decade unobtrusively folded in through references to such cultural details as the Smurfs on TV and Princess Leia dolls. The family with the Chinese-born adopted daughter is portrayed quite naturally and without fanfare. A glossary is included of Cantonese words, along with Chinese characters for each. 2006, Candlewick, $15.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3012-6
ISBN: 0-7636-3012-8
Liu and The Bird: A Journey in Chinese Calligraphy
Catherine Louis
Calligraphy by Feng Xiao Min
Translated by Sibylle Kazeroid
Young Liu dreams about her grandfather then decides to go to the other side of the mountain to visit him. First she is guided by a star, then by the directions of a child. By the river, through the forest, she follows the path a stick indicates. A woman gives her rice; a man tells her to follow a bird. She is led through snow over the top of the mountain, finally arriving at her grandfather's house where he tells her his love has called her. He asks her to tell him about her journey using pictures, not spoken words. Liu draws for him the mystical story as simply as she has told it to us. In the text, certain key words are in bold type. For each of these, we are given three small images: a simplified picture, a symbolic representation, and the word in Chinese calligraphy. Large, vigorous black linocuts depict Liu's journey, pictures constructed with dyed torn-and-cut papers. The visual tale overshadows the few lines of text per page; this is a book that demands many readings. There are several activities suggested on the final pages that are designed to enhance the concept of "the evolution of Chinese script." The various versions of the word images dance across the endpapers. Compare this to Ed Young's Beyond the Great Mountains (Chronicle, 2005). 2006 (orig. 2003), North-South Books, $16.95. Ages 5 to 10. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 9780735820500
ISBN: 0735820503
Max Celebrates Chinese New Year
Adria F. Klein
Illustrated by Mernie Gallageher-Cole
Uncluttered, clear, simple illustrations accompany the text in this "red level" early reader (part of the "Read-It! Readers" series). Lily, a young Chinese girl, invites her neighbor, Max, to share her family's celebration of the first day of the Chinese New Year. Lily explains (in short sentences with controlled vocabulary) that their celebration will be similar to Max's Jan. 1st celebration of New Year's Day; but, that Chinese New Year's takes place in Jan or Feb and lasts for fifteen days. Max is delighted to pitch in to help prepare for the party. Seeing them work together to clean the house (the proper start for the celebration), put a red cloth on the table ("Red is for good luck."), decorate with flowers ("Flowers are for happiness."), put out a bowl of oranges ("Oranges, too, are for good luck.") and share a meal together reveals many facts about how the holiday is celebrated. We also learn that new clothes are worn and that "They eat sweet rice. They eat cookies and sweet candy, too." The excitement of watching the dragon parade from the family's balcony makes Max want to " . . . celebrate the Chinese New Year with Lily every year." "Max and Lily are good friends." The story flows well, has repeated sentence patterns and familiar words with enough picture clues to make this title a pleasure for early readers to enjoy while learning about another culture. Lily's mom is Chinese while her Dad is portrayed with bright red hair and ruddy cheeks on very fair skin. Max, an African American child, feels very comfortable with Lily and her parents.
The happy smiles on their faces reinforce the obvious friendship that they all cherish.
BIBLIO: 2007, Picture Window Books, Ages 4 to 7, $19.93.
REVIEWER: Sheilah Egan
FORMAT: Early Reader
ISBN: 1-4048-3147-9
ISBN: 978-1-4048-3147-6
Tiger Moth and the Dragon Kite Contest
Aaron Reynolds
Illustrated Eric Lervold
None could say that fourth grade is boring after reading this book. Fourth-grade ninjas are going to be studying The Chinese New Year. As an activity, the principal is going to a kite-flying contest to see which team can keep their kite in the air the longest. The teams must make their own dragon kites, but what was meant to be another fun school project becomes a kite fighter's battle. In the introduction, Tiger Moth states, "The story you are about to hear was my most dangerous encounter with the forces of evil and greed. Next to school lunchtime, that is." As you can guess, the author inserts good humor into the story. Who cannot identify with school lunchtime? The illustrations are super and add much to the text. This book is great for home schooling and for classrooms of younger students, as the author includes sections in the back of the book offering writing prompts, discussion questions, and a very interesting glossary. I honestly did not know that the word "mfft afff bptqqq" means a noise you make when your mouth is full of grapes. Also included are two pages of history about the first Chinese kites and the growth of their popularity, as well as step-by-step directions about how to use the Fact Hound web site. This web site is particularly good because it is set up to allow the user to select the grade level of information they want. Children will love this book and will want to share it with their friends. 2007, Stone Arch Books, $19.93. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Kathie M. Josephs (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-59889-056-3
ISBN: 1-59889-056-5
To view Chinese New Year book reviews from previous years, click on the following links:
2006 feature
2005 feature
2002 feature
Added 01/01/08
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