Chinese New Year: Books For Kids
Whether or not you culturally celebrate Chinese New Year, reading children's books about Chinese New Year can open your children's eyes (and yours!) to the amazing culture and traditions that are a part of this holiday that is so special to so many. In fact, as you learn more, you may just feel inspired to celebrate (even a little) in your own home this year, whether that be with the food (dumplings, noodles and rice cakes! oh my!), red envelopes filled with money, or giving everything a good new year's cleaning. In preparation for Chinese New Year this year, we've been reading a lot of books about Chinese New Year, and these are some of our favorites—we hope you enjoy the stories as well as the education!
Top 10 Chinese New Year Books
This book is an adorable parody of Goldilocks and the three bears for the Chinese New Year. I especially loved all the subtle references to Chinese New Year's traditions strewn throughout and that Goldi comes back to rectify her mistakes and make a few friends as well.
In this Chinese American retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” a careless Goldy Luck wreaks havoc on the home of a family of panda bears. She eats up the littlest panda’s rice porridge, breaks his rocking chair, and rumples all the blankets on his futon. When Goldy takes responsibility for her actions, she makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!) just in time for Chinese New Year.
A clever little girl outsmarts the Nian monster, who is no longer scared away by the loud noises, fire and color red that have kept him at bay for so long, with the help of her community and some very special New Years' traditions. I love the critical thinking and problem solving it demonstrates, the traditional (almost folk-talesy) way it's told, and of course, the beautiful illustrations.
Tong tong! The legendary Nian monster has returned at Chinese New Year. With horns, scales, and wide, wicked jaws, Nian is intent on devouring Shanghai, starting with Xingling! The old tricks to keep him away don't work on Nian anymore, but Xingling is clever. Will her quick thinking be enough to save the city from the Nian Monster?
This is a great book. It seemed to go through all of the traditions of Chinese New Year's celebrations. I didn't know much about their celebrations or why they do what they do so this was a fun book that taught me some of these things. It has fun rhymes and nice illustrations.
A rhyming story that describes a typical Chinese New Year celebration.
This story about what a boy chooses to do with his lucky money he received from Chinese New Year is heartwarming. The overall message was great, with Sam realizing how lucky he is and wanting to help another. This book does have a little more text per page, so I'd recommend it for slightly older children who like to sit still for a little bit longer stories. :)
Sam must decide how to spend the lucky money he's received for Chinese New Year.
The illustrations in this one are amazing—cute, colorful and modern! It introduces you to the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac as Ruby goes on a journey to her grandmother's house to celebrate Chinese New Year, as well as many of the elements that make up a traditional Chinese New Year celebration. I loved that it emphasized that the most important part isn't the gifts, but the quality time spent together with family and friends.
In this picture book celebrating Chinese New Year, animals from the Chinese zodiac help a little girl deliver a gift to her grandmother. Ruby has a special card to give to her grandmother for Chinese New Year. But who will help her get to grandmother’s house to deliver it? Will it be clever Rat, strong Ox, or cautious Rabbit? Ruby meets each of the twelve zodiac animals on her journey. This picture book includes back matter with a focus on the animals of the Chinese zodiac. - GODWIN BOOKS -
This book tells a great story about why the Chinese calendar year is named after certain animals, and the reason for the order it's in. I thought it was fun, creative, and it's full of colorful illustrations. There's also an explanation at the back of some of the main holidays on the calendar.
Discover how 12 animals competed in a madcap swimming race to help create the lunar calendar! Includes facts about Chinese festivals, the lunar calendar and the animals that rule each year.
This is a bit on the long side, but it's a beautiful story about being generous, even when you have almost nothing left to give. While the rewards of generosity may not always come as swiftly as they did to the Chang family, the conclusion of the story with the young boys being rewarded from learning from their parents' and neighbors' generosity is delightful a
It's the Chinese New Year, and the Chang Family has only enough rice flour to make one nián-gão, a special New Year's rice cake, for the entire family to eat. But this delicious little nián-gão has other ideas. "Ai yo! I don't think so!" it cries, coming to life and escaping. Ming, Cong, little Da and their parents chase the nián-gão all over the village until it runs into a hungry, old woman and sends her tumbling to the ground. Though Da is a small boy, his heart is big enough to share the treat with her, even though that leaves Da's family with nothing to eat for their own celebration. But the Changs' generosity doesn't go unnoticed. When they return home, they find the Kitchen God has left a wonderful surprise for them. Ying Chang Compestine's heartwarming story conveys an important and poignant message about sharing and compassion. Tungwai Chau's soft and evocative illustrations complete this tender holiday story.
A cute and simple introduction to Chinese New Year preparations and customs in a way that's very accessible and straightforward!
Chinese New Year is a time of new beginnings. Follow one little girl as she learns how to welcome the coming year and experience all the festivities surrounding it. Karen Katz's warm and lively introduction to a special holiday will make even the youngest child want to start a Chinese New Year tradition!
A Chinese American family prepares for and celebrates the Lunar New Year, in a book that includes endnotes discussing the customs and traditions of the Chinese New Year.
This book has some fun humor in it and shows the Chinese New Year through the eyes of a young child. It does a good job of introducing some of the traditions and meanings behind the holiday.
When her Chinese grandmother comes to visit, a young Chinese-American girl learns of and participates in the customs and beliefs celebrating an authentic Chinese New Year.
Books About China & Chinese New Year
This book is an adorable parody of Goldilocks and the three bears for the Chinese New Year. I especially loved all the subtle references to Chinese New Year's traditions strewn throughout and that Goldi comes back to rectify her mistakes and make a few friends as well.
In this Chinese American retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” a careless Goldy Luck wreaks havoc on the home of a family of panda bears. She eats up the littlest panda’s rice porridge, breaks his rocking chair, and rumples all the blankets on his futon. When Goldy takes responsibility for her actions, she makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!) just in time for Chinese New Year.
This book tells a great story about why the Chinese calendar year is named after certain animals, and the reason for the order it's in. I thought it was fun, creative, and it's full of colorful illustrations. There's also an explanation at the back of some of the main holidays on the calendar.
Discover how 12 animals competed in a madcap swimming race to help create the lunar calendar! Includes facts about Chinese festivals, the lunar calendar and the animals that rule each year.
A Chinese American family prepares for and celebrates the Lunar New Year, in a book that includes endnotes discussing the customs and traditions of the Chinese New Year.
Popo's Lucky Chinese New Year - B is for Bookworm - This book has some fun humor in it and shows the Chinese New Year through the eyes of a young child. It does a good job of introducing some of the traditions and meanings behind the holiday.
The Animals of Chinese New Year - Drawing on the myth of the Chinese zodiac, The Animals of Chinese New Year follows twelve animals as they speed across a river, competing to represent the imminent new year in a race held by the Jade Emperor,the most powerful Chinese god. Each animal competes in its own unique way.The ox works hard, the tiger is brave, the dog smiles kindly, but who will win? Bright photographs of babies demonstrating the same traits as the animals in the text, complemented by traditional Chinese graphic elements, accompany Sookfong Lee’s lively text. Orca Book Publishers is pleased to offer this book as a dual-language (English/Simplified Chinese) edition.
Lunar New Year - Learn all about the traditions of Lunar New Year—also known as Chinese New Year—with this fourth board book in the Celebrate the World series, which highlights special occasions and holidays across the globe. After the winter solstice each year, it’s time for a celebration with many names: Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, and Lunar New Year! With beautiful artwork by Chinese illustrator Alina Chau, this festive board book teaches readers that Lunar New Year invites us to spend time with family and friends, to light lanterns, and set off fireworks, dance with dragons, and to live the new year in harmony and happiness.
The Runaway Wok - 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.
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Did you enjoy our Chinese New Year book recommendations? Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!