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Lists and Suggestions for Kids

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http://mppl.org/services/youth-department/good-books/?category=current%20events&list=Chinese%20and%20Lunar%20New%20Year

List: Chinese and Lunar New Year


A photo of Lunar new year

Lunar new year

Introduces Lunar New Year, describing the food, decorations, and activities of the holiday.

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A photo of The animals of Chinese New Year

The animals of Chinese New Year

"In this festive, dual-language board book (English and Simplified Chinese), twelve animals race to see who will represent the Chinese zodiac."--

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A photo of 12 lucky animals : a bilingual baby book

12 lucky animals : a bilingual baby book

Uses the Chinese zodiac to introduce young children to Chinese and English names for twelve animals. Also lists personality traits attributed to persons born under each zodiac sign and includes a circular illustration on the back cover that lists birth years (1989-2024) associated with each animal.

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A photo of Chinese New Year colors

Chinese New Year colors

Introduces the English and Chinese words for colors, using items associated with Chinese New Year celebrations.

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A photo of Sam and the lucky money

Sam and the lucky money

Also available in Hoopla. Sam must decide how to spend the lucky money he's received for Chinese New Year.

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A photo of The Chinese emperor's new clothes

The Chinese emperor's new clothes

Also available in Hoopla. A young emperor, whose advisors have taken advantage of him, enlists the help of honest tailors to reveal their misdeeds in this retelling of the classic fairy tale.

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A photo of The runaway wok : a Chinese New Year tale

The runaway wok : a Chinese New Year tale

On Chinese New Year's Eve, a poor man who works for the richest businessman in Beijing sends his son to market to trade their last few eggs for a bag of rice, but instead he brings home an empty--but magic--wok that changes their fortunes forever. Includes information about Chinese New Year and a recipe for fried rice.

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A photo of The great race : story of the Chinese zodiac

The great race : story of the Chinese zodiac

Celebrate Chinese New Year and learn how every animal earned its place in the Chinese zodiac by taking part in the Great Race! Discover who will come first to win the ultimate prize, and find out why Cat will never forgive his friend Rat in this ancient folk tale that has been passed from generation to generation.

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A photo of Ruby's Chinese New Year

Ruby's Chinese New Year

As Ruby travels to her grandmother's house to bring her a gift for Chinese New Year, she is joined by all of the animals of the zodiac. Includes the legend of the Chinese horoscope and instructions for crafts.

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A photo of PoPo's lucky Chinese New Year

PoPo's lucky Chinese New Year

A Chinese-American girl learns how to properly celebrate Chinese New Year when her grandmother from China visits and shows her what to do and what not to do.

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A photo of Bringing in the New Year

Bringing in the New Year

A Chinese American family prepares for and celebrates the Lunar New Year. End notes discuss the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year.

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A photo of Ten mice for Tet!

Ten mice for Tet!

Also available in Hoopla. A village of mice prepares for Tet, or Vietnamese New Year, as different numbers of mice give gifts, cook food, and celebrate in other traditional ways. Includes an afterword with facts about the holiday.

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A photo of Red is a dragon : a book of colors

Red is a dragon : a book of colors

Also available in Overdrive and Hoopla. A Chinese American girl provides rhyming descriptions of the great variety of colors she sees around her, from the red of a dragon, firecrackers, and lychees to the brown of her teddy bear.

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A photo of The Nian monster

The Nian monster

"The legendary Nian monster has returned at Chinese New Year. Nian is intent on devouring Shanghai, starting with young Xingling! But Xingling is clever and thinks quickly to outwit him with Chinese New Year traditions"--

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A photo of This next New Year

This next New Year

A family prepares to celebrate the Lunar New Year and looks forward to the good luck they hope it will bring.

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A photo of Goldy Luck and the three pandas

Goldy Luck and the three pandas

Also available in Overdrive and Hoppla. One Chinese New Year, her mother sends Goldy Luck to the pandas next door with a plate of turnip cakes, but the pandas are out and disaster follows. Includes a recipe for turnip cakes and an explanation of Chinese New Year.

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A photo of Mulan's lunar new year

Mulan's lunar new year

Also available in Hoopla. "It's the Lunar New Year, which just happens to be Mulan's favorite festival! There is a lot to do to prepare for this important celebration, and for the first time, Mulan is old enough to help out. But everthing Mulan does seems to turn out wrong"--Jacket flap.

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A photo of A New Year's reunion

A New Year's reunion

Little Maomao's father works in faraway places and comes home just once a year, for Chinese New Year. At first Maomao barely recognizes him, but before long the family is happily making sticky rice balls, listening to firecrackers, and watching the dragon dance in the streets below. Papa gets a haircut, makes repairs to the house, and hides a lucky coin for Maomao to find. Which she does! But all too soon it is time for Papa to go away again.

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A photo of The little pigs and the sweet rice cakes = Xiǎo zhū hé niángāo : a story told in English and Chinese

The little pigs and the sweet rice cakes = Xiǎo zhū hé niángāo : a story told in English and Chinese

"Told in a bilingual Chinese and English edition, this is the story of three little pigs whose appetites initially get the better of them. In a shared dream, they met an old man who tells them to deliver sweet rice cakes to him a week before New Year's Eve. The next morning, they see some sweet rice cakes on their kitchen table. The three little pigs completely forget the old man and eat every bit of them. When their mother comes home, she is very angry to discover all the cakes gone. Seeing their mother unhappy, the three little pigs help her make more delicious sweet rice cakes. When there is only a week left before Chinese New Year's Eve, their mother lays the sweet rice cakes in front of the portrait of the Kitchen God and prays for the peace for the family. On seeing the portrait, the three little pigs realize that the old man in their dreams is actually the Kitchen God!"--

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A photo of Home for Chinese New Year : a story told in English and Chinese

Home for Chinese New Year : a story told in English and Chinese

The Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions. This Chinese children's story tells a delightful trip with lots of cultural details along the way! Jia Jun's Dad worked out of town all year around. Now it's time for him to come home. He took a train, bus, three-wheeled motorcycle, ferry-boat and even walked for many miles. He finally made it home and had a reunion dinner with his family on New Year's Eve. On his trip, as Jia Jun's Dad was rushing to get home, he lost his apple, water, gloves and scarf, but he took very good care of his gift for his son. During the holiday season, Jia Jun was extremely happy as he was with his Dad all the time. They set off firecrackers, put up couplets and even made snowmen. In a few days, Dad was ready to head back to work, but it was certain that Dad would be home again next year to celebrate the Chinese New Year with his family.

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A photo of Mindy Kim and the lunar new year parade

Mindy Kim and the lunar new year parade

Also available in Overdrive and Hoopla. Mindy is excited to go to the Lunar New Year parade in her new town with her father and her friend Sally.

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A photo of House without walls : May 10, 1979 to June 7, 1980

House without walls : May 10, 1979 to June 7, 1980

Eleven-year-old Lam, her brothers, and other ethnic Chinese flee Vietnam in 1979, embarking on a long and perilous journey toward a refugee camp, where Lam finds new hope and happiness. Includes historical notes, glossary, and pronunciation guide.

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A photo of The star maker

The star maker

With the help of his popular Uncle Chester, a young Chinese American boy tries hard to fulfill a promise to have firecrackers for everyone on the Chinese New Year in 1954. Includes an afterword with information about the Chinese customs portrayed in the story.

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A photo of The fake-chicken kung fu fighting blues

The fake-chicken kung fu fighting blues

"Twelve-year-old video buff Anthony is devastated when his family leaves Toronto's Chinatown for Berksburg, a remote community in northern Ontario. There are no other Asian families around--and everyone in town loves hockey, which Anthony just doesn't get. The move is even harder on his grandmother, Po Po, who doesn't speak English and puts a fake chicken over the front door for luck. Desperate to fit in, Anthony takes to the ice for the first time--and turns out to be a disaster. But he does manage to make some friends after standing up to Buck, the school bully, with an accidental flying boot to the face. After that, Buck asks Anthony to teach him the "kung fu" he used! What Anthony can definitely do is find people with interesting stories, including a 103-year-old indigenous storyteller, a collector of food items that look like famous hockey players, and a man who insists that he was once abducted by a UFO. Video camera in hand, Anthony starts putting together a documentary about his new town. As he discovers the joys of small-town life, his new friends get an introduction to his Chinese culture, and even Po Po begins to feel at home. And when Anthony's movie makes the top ten list for a film competition, the entire town rallies behind him. The Fake-Chicken Kung Fu Fighting Blues shows both sides of a culture clash in your average Canadian town."--

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A photo of The year of the dog : a novel

The year of the dog : a novel

Also available in Overdrive. It's the Chinese year of the dog! When Pacy's mom tells her that this is a good year for friends, family, and "finding herself," Pacy begins searching right away. As the year goes on, she struggles to find her talent, deals with disappointment, makes a new best friend, and discovers just why the year of the dog is a lucky one for her after all.

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A photo of Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year

"An overview of Lunar New Year, from the origin of the celebration to how it is practiced today." -- Publisher's summary.

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A photo of Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

"Relevant images match informative text in this introduction to Chinese New Year. Intended for students in kindergarten through third grade"--

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A photo of Celebrating the Chinese New Year

Celebrating the Chinese New Year

Also available in Hoopla. "Many cultures had their own way of counting the year before the western calendar became accepted around the world. The Chinese New Year, one of the biggest holidays in modern China, is based on an ancient lunar calendar. Readers explore the long history of this celebration as well as find out about the animals associated with particular years, the food, and ways people still celebrate it today. Amazing full-color photographs show off the fun of the Chinese New Year in history and today to correlate with the text for beginning readers"--

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A photo of Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is an important Chinese festival that is celebrated by Chinese people worldwide. Readers will learn that people celebrate this holiday by giving gifts, praying for good fortune, decorating with red and lanterns, and enjoying time with family and friends.

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A photo of Celebrate Chinese New Year

Celebrate Chinese New Year

Children have never had so many reasons to learn how Chinese people everywhere ring in the new and ring out the old. As China takes its new place on the global stage, understanding Chinese culture and values becomes ever more essential to our next generation. For two joyous weeks red is all around. The color represents luck and happiness. Children receive money wrapped in red paper, and friends and loved ones exchange poems written on red paper. The Chinese New Year is also an opportunity to remember ancestors, and to wish peace and happiness to friends and family. The holiday ends with the Festival of Lanterns, as many large communities stage the famous Dragon Dance. Fireworks, parades, lanterns, presents, and feasts: these are some of the joys experienced by all who observe Chinese New Year. Celebrate Chinese New Year is the latest, timely addition to National Geographic's popular Holidays Around the World series.

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A photo of ¡Es el Año Nuevo Chino!

¡Es el Año Nuevo Chino!

Con texto organizado cuidadosamente en niveles y fotografias frescas y vibrantes captamos la atención de los jóvenes lectores para que aprendan sobre las tradiciones y celebraciones del Año Nuevo Chino. Además de contar con un glosario de imágenes, ayudamos a desarrollar habilidades de lectura informativa con preguntas de pensamiento crítico apropiadas para esta edad.

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A photo of Yeh-Shen : a Cinderella story from China

Yeh-Shen : a Cinderella story from China

This version of the Cinderella story, in which a young girl overcomes the wickedness of her stepsister and stepmother to become the bride of a prince, is based on ancient Chinese manuscripts written 1000 years before the earliest European version.

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A photo of Every month is a new year : celebrations around the world

Every month is a new year : celebrations around the world

"A collection of original poems about New Year celebrations throughout the year and around the world. Includes an introduction about worldwide New Year celebrations plus a map, information about calendars, New Year greetings in many languages, additional factual information about the celebrations, and author's sources"--

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