Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the new year based on the lunisolar calendar and is the most important celebration for many Southeast and East Asian countries. This fantastic book explores the legends and traditions behind this festival with recipes and crafts to enjoy alongside the facts. For teachers, this is an invaluable resource as it offers a clear explanation of the customs and traditions linked to the Lunar New Year in different countries, ensuring the information they share with classes is both accurate and respectful. In 2023, Chinese New Year, Tết Nguyên đán (Vietnam) and Seollal (Korea) all fall on the 22nd January and although similar in some ways, each festival is different.

The book explains what is meant by the lunisolar calendar and the Chinese Zodiac before exploring the story of the ‘Great Race’ and how this differs from place to place. Other legends are also explored. For example, the legend of the Peach Tree explains why those who celebrate Tết often have an ornamental tree or branch on display in their homes. A glossary at the end of the book explains any possibly unfamiliar terms.

The arts and crafts section is packed with fun activities which are achievable and use readily available materials. The author has even considered this in the recipes section, advising that some ingredients can be substituted for those more commonly available whilst others can only be found in Asian food stores. The final section of the book offers decorated pages for the reader to use as a record of how they celebrated the Lunar New Year.

An excellent book for all to enjoy!

All About Lunar New Year

Kevin Tsang, illustrated by Linh Nguyen

Scholastic ISBN: 978-0702315237

‘I Love Chinese New Year’ introduces the reader to Mai-Anne and her family as they prepare for Chinese New Year. She can’t wait to see her family and share the Reunion Dinner with them. Her Nai Nai tells her the story of the Great Race and when her Uncle Eric arrives, they can perform the family Dragon Dance and eat sweet tangerine pieces for good luck.

This is a delightfully warm, family-focused story. It offers a joyful introduction to the traditions of Chinese New Year for those who do not celebrate it whilst perfectly capturing the excitement and contentment of the special occasion for those who do. The illustrations are lively and colourful with plenty to notice and discuss. The story also reflects how special grandparent/ grandchild relationships can be. The book ends with facts about Chinese New Year and the Dragon Dance, allowing the reader to discover more about this fascinating festival if needed.

This is a book about a loving family as much as about an exciting festival making it an extra-special read!

I Love Chinese New Year

Eva Wong Nava, illustrated by Xin Li

Scholastic ISBN: 978-0702315732