Dear Jess,
Growing up, the best thing (and sadly, one of the only things) about Chinese New Year I remember was getting lai see or red envelopes every year. Lai see is filled with money and given to friends and family as a symbol of good luck.
Okay, I lied. I remember the food too. There was so much and it’s always so good– it’s hard to forget! If there’s one thing you can guarantee, it’s that you don’t leave without feeling like you’re in a food coma after a Chinese New Year dinner.
Since I only remember the food and money part of the most important holiday in my culture, I felt a tiny bit guilty about not being able to pass down that knowledge to my kids. I knew there was a ton of folklore and symbolism surrounding this holiday, but I couldn’t recite any of it with any conviction.
So a few years ago, I started collecting books by Chinese authors. A lot of them dealt with Chinese New Years or the legends surrounding them. Stories like how the Chinese zodiac animals were chosen, the Nian monster, and the meaning behind the many symbols and customs. I wanted to share my favorite eight books with you, since 8 is the luckiest number in Chinese culture:
Ages 0-2
Not the sturdiest lift-the-flap book for babies but it’s the most interactive CNY book I’ve seen. Cute, short, & sweet.
Ages 2-3
This was our first CNY book. The story each family member’s duties and activities of the celebration: cleaning out the old year, new haircuts, making dumplings, lion dances, and firecrackers. Plus, it has a fold out dragon at the end! I also like the detailed explanation of the customs in the final pages of the book. It’s very helpful for parents who are not familiar with Chinese New Year explain any questions the kids may have.
Ages 3-5
My favorite CNY book, hands down. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is adorable. The Nian Monster is wrecking havoc on Shanghai and Xingling has to use Chinese New Year foods and activities to drive the monster away. Major Shanghai landmarks are illustrated in the book which is an added plus.
This vibrantly illustrated story is a perfect companion to our Chinese New Year activities. My son is very into competitions right now and this traditional retelling of the Zodiac Animals’ race is a great addition to our library.
Ages 5-8
A very sweet story about generosity. Chinese New Year customs and activities (besides receiving lai see) is more the setting of this book instead of being a part of the story. However, I’m always a sucker for books that teach kids the gift of giving and this book checks that box.
I was very skeptical of this book. Blame Chinese restaurants with bad puns like “Wok & Roll”, “Wok In Cari Out”, “Wok Inn”, and “Wok to You”. So anything with the word “wok” in the name gives me pause.
However, this story is pretty cute. It’s based on the Danish folktale The Talking Pot and reminded me a lot of Robin Hood— take from the rich and give to the poor. It featured a lot of the traditional dishes of CNY.
I love seeing a story about an adopted child and the family’s tradition of celebrating her heritage with their own American twist. It resonated with me because while we celebrate Chinese New Year, we honor the traditions that resonate with our family. It’s pretty hard finding a CNY event close to us in the Midwest that has all the bells and whistles. I’m glad this story touches on how each family adapts the traditions to fit their own family.
Ages 8-12
Amazon Prime can be dangerous. With one click, I bought this book thinking it was about the folk story of the animals’ race. I thought the illustrations were cute so I just clicked away. In reality, it’s an in depth look at each animal and their characterizations. Each animal’s strengths, weaknesses, potential careers, attitude towards money, and what other animal’s it gets along with are listed. I was right, the illustrations are adorable, just not suitable for my toddler right now. It was great flipping through it with my husband though. I also love how the specific dates are listed for each animal, instead of just the year like at most Chinese restaurant placemats. It’s more accurate for someone like me, who has a birthday at the beginning of the year (January). If I just went by my birth year, I would be considered a rabbit. But by following the Chinese calendar and the reference pages in this book, my specific birth date makes me a tiger.
Honorable Mentions
This book is suitable for kids ages 4+, although the illustrations are a bit dark and hard to make out. I appreciate the art as an adult, but as a kid, it’s hard to decipher. For example, the page about the tiger has one side with a close up of the tiger’s face and the opposite page is a side profile of the tiger. When you look at the spread together, it looks like a two headed tiger.
This book is best suited for kids 7+. Grandma comes to visit and teaches this little girl about all of the CNY customs. When I say all, I mean ALL. It’s custom and superstition overload. It would be very confusing to read to a child under the age of 7. It’s overwhelming and I don’t know any Chinese American family that follows ALL of these traditions.
If you have any book suggestions, leave them in the comments below! I love finding new gems.
Love,
Tracy
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