30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges

It's Day 20 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. The National Book Awards were presented last night, and I was thrilled to see Jacqueline Woodson take home the honor for her spectacular memoir Brown Girl Dreaming. It is seriously magnificent, people - review coming when Picture Book Month is at an end.

Tonight's pick is one that often ends up on best-of lists, and for good reason - Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges, like Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming, honors a connection to the past and all those who've paved the way for future generations. Bridges tells the story of her grandmother, Ruby, a little girl growing up in China during a time when education was the province of boys, not girls. Ruby loves the color red, and she loves to learn, even putting in extra hours doing her domestic tasks just so she doesn't have to give up her studies when all the other girls do. And her grandfather sees Ruby's dedication and rewards it in a way that's most unusual for girls of that time period.

Ruby's Wish shines with the pride and love a granddaughter has for her grandmother, a message that young readers will no doubt find inspiring. Sophie Blackall rendered the exquisite watercolors for the book, and her art captures the time and place beautifully, as well as providing a gentle backdrop for the relationship between grandfather and granddaughter. (That cover - just amazing, no?) Modern readers may be surprised to learn of the restrictions on education - it's a great way to talk about how those limits continue in many countries, and discuss what we as global citizens can do to help broaden education worldwide.

Ruby's Wish is a stand-out addition to any home or classroom library. Read it for inspiration and history, in equal measures.

Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges, published by Chronicle Books

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams & Benjamin Lacombe

It's lucky Day 13 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. If you have been enjoying our series, you definitely will want to mark your calendars for January 27, 2015 - Multicultural Children's Book Day! This special day is an event that will raise awareness about the need for diverse books and celebrate all the great books already on shelves. Sprout's Bookshelf is proud to be one of the co-hosts of this important event!

Tonight's pick fits right into the spirit of Multicultural Children's Book Day - it's Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe. This gorgeous title is from Barefoot Books, always a great source for high-quality diverse picture books. (Really, you can't go wrong with Barefoot.) And this one is no exception - the story of a young boy tasked to buy supplies for the Moon Festival celebration, who longs for a red rabbit lantern but runs out of money. The choice Lin Yi makes is hard, but he knows it's the right one - and in the end, his love for his family is rewarded.

Everything's beautiful about Lin Yi's Lantern, from the touching storyline to the stunning illustrations. (The Moon Fairy at the end is a special favorite of mine.) I also love the thoughtful touches, from the legend that Lin Yi's Uncle tells, to the explanation of marketing in China, to the activity of making a Chinese lantern. Those are the qualities that help make multicultural literature more relatable to all kids, everywhere, and it's nice to see it so well done in this book!

Pick up Lin Yi's Lantern for the Moon Festival or really any time - it's a story of family and giving that you'll want to read all year round.

Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe, published by Barefoot Books

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - One is a Drummer by Roseanne Thong

It's Day 2 of 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. Today's choice is an older title that for some reason hasn't made the blog until today. Not sure just why, because it's one we read and enjoyed when Sprout was quite a bit younger - but I'm making up for that now!

We really love One is a Drummer: A Book of Numbers by Roseanne Thong. The winsome illustrations by Grace Lin accompany Thong's text about activities like playing mahjong and racing dragon boats, as well as counting the days of the week and dancing in the sprinkler. I love the blending of pastimes that most kids will find familiar alongside some that may be new to them. Thong includes a glossary for further discussion points, which you'll find especially helpful for any questions that arise.

One is a Drummer works on multiple levels, making it a nice well-rounded addition to any collection since it serves several purposes. Concept book, check. Cultural introduction, check. Artistic inspiration, check. All this with rhymes that flow perfectly and a light, upbeat tone make One is a Drummer a winner!

One is a Drummer by Roseanne Thong, published by Chronicle Books

Chapter Book Review - The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Confession: I do not long for the bygone days of my youth. For the most part, they weren't all that great, and I've no secret longing to relive them in any way, shape, or form. But I do sometimes find myself hankering to have one childhood experience once again: that of picking up a book you've never read and cracking the spine to find yourself peeking back at you.

Ever had that happen? If you ever were a misfit somewhat-on-the-fringe bookworm like I was, it might just have been your biggest relief. Seriously, there was little I found more comforting than knowing that I surely couldn't be the only one for whom middle school was pretty much torture, and then reading a book that showed me someone out there felt the same (and wrote the book about it).

Even today I love finding books like that, because they can be a lifeline for kids who are having the same experience right now. I think that's especially true for kids who stand out in some way, and often that's due to cultural differences in their family life. That's certainly the case for the title character in Wendy Wan-Long Shang's The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. Lucy is relatable, accessible and someone that middle-grade readers will recognize in the mirror, even if they don't share her Chinese-American heritage.

When we meet Lucy, she's primed for a great year in sixth grade. This is going to be her moment to shine, and nothing symbolizes that more than the fact that she'll no longer be sharing a room with her older sister Regina, who's off to college soon. But everything crashes down on Lucy when she finds out that her family will be hosting a visit from Auntie Yi Po, a relative Lucy's never even heard of, much less met. And just guess where Yi Po will be staying, when she's with the family for several months. If you picked Lucy's almost-all-hers bedroom, you win (but in Lucy's view, she loses).

Shang absolutely nails Lucy's experience of feeling like an outsider even in her own family. While her sister Regina "majored in Being Chinese", Lucy can't speak much of the language and finds pretty much all the food more than she can handle. Now with Yi Po in the house, Lucy's off to Chinese school on the weekends and missing out on basketball - and she's not shy about voicing her opinion, just as her parents aren't shy about expressing theirs. Lucy feels the friction of her two worlds, and struggles to find a balancing point between them. It's a realistic struggle, and the dynamics between the family members are always believable. 

I love the resolution that comes about, mostly because it rings absolutely right and true. You can feel Wendy Wan-Long Shang's passion for her subject and her devotion to making sure that young readers have a denouement that is both positive and plausible. Lucy Wu is a character kids will root for and relate to; though Shang is a debut author, her skills speak for themselves. Hand this to kids who love Judy Blume, Grace Lin or Beverly Cleary - and then we'll all be waiting on pins and needles to read more from this talented author!

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang, published by Scholastic

Ages 9-12

Source: Library

Sample: "Now the desk and bookcase formed a wall between the two beds. The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. When I lay down on my bed, all I could see was my side of the desk and the front of the bookcase. And I hid my favorite picture of my grandmother, the last one we took before she got sick, in my bookcase."

Recommended

Thanking the Moon by Grace Lin

Today's a pretty awesome day - the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival. I didn't know a whole lot about this festival before I read today's selection, but it's a very cool holiday. The specific date day varies from year to year, but generally it is the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, means it can fall during either September or October. The holiday is generally observed by Chinese families, but some other Asian peoples also take part, and the observation of this day began as a way to honor the completion of the harvest and the preparation for a new season. And the moon is a very central part of the whole holiday, since it is celebrated after the moon rises in the evening.

Sprout and I learned about this holiday by reading today's selection, Thanking the Moon by Grace Lin. We first read this book a couple of years ago, stumbling on it at the library and checking it out because, well, it's Grace Lin, and I'd read the phone book if she wrote (and illustrated) it. Sprout was quite taken, then and now, with the illustrations, which isn't a surprise if you've seen any of Lin's books. Her characters have an openness and an honesty about them that draws young children in. There's plenty of depth in her deceptively simple scenes, most of which center on some aspect of family life, making them a great choice for sharing with toddlers and preschoolers.

I love that Lin always honors domesticity and tradition in her books, and Thanking the Moon is similar in that regard. Being that it follows one family's observation of the Moon Festival, we learn a lot about how they prepare for the celebration - driving to the park at night, setting up a picnic of special food (mooncakes and pears, yum!), mounting the lanterns, pouring the tea. Oh, how much Sprout wants to climb into that picnic illustration where the family is gathered around eating mooncakes in the soft light of the golden lanterns. We both love the way the family thanks the moon for all its blessings, tangible and intangible alike. Lin's author note explains that the moon's fullness during the festival symbolizes wholeness and harmony - she drives that point home with a lovely spread at the end showing all the families who have come to observe the festival in the same fashion.

The central elements of Thanking the Moon are the kind I wish to deeply imbed in my son - peacefulness and harmony, gratefulness and calm. Reading this book together again this year reemphasized for me what a great thing it can be to introduce new cultural traditions into our lives, to make them that much richer. Tonight, with the blessing of clear skies, I think we'll be letting Sprout stay up just a little longer, that we might gaze up at the clear brightness of the moon together and rejoice in all the goodness we've been given, and all that's yet to come.

Thanking the Moon by Grace Lin, published by Alfred A. Knopf
Ages 3-6
Source: Library
Sample: "The mid-autumn moon glows in the sky. We go into the night to admire it."
Recommended

3 Terrific Chapter Books for Chinese New Year!

It's almost Chinese New Year! Sprout has a sort of horrified fascination with snakes at the moment, and when I told him this coming year was the Year of the Snake he wasn't sure whether to be thrilled or freaked out (Mama is definitely in the latter camp).

Last year we shared some great picture books for Chinese New Year, so this year I thought it would be fun to feature books for slightly older readers. Because let's remember that these sorts of celebrations aren't just for the youngest set - there's all kinds of celebratory fun to be had for older kids, teens and adults too. And as I pointed out last year, it's really important to choose selections that have cultural accuracy, in order to share with our kiddos the most authentic view of the holiday and the cultures that celebrate the Lunar New Year.

First up is Laurence Yep's The Star Maker. Yep is a prolific author with many award-winning books to his credit, including historical fiction and fantasy titles as well. In The Star Maker, Yep gives us the story of Artie, whose desire to fit in with his obnoxious cousin Petey leads him to make a rather rash promise - that he'll supply firecrackers for Chinese New Year for all the cousins. Now Artie has to figure out how to come up with all the money to pay for it. And he thinks he has the solution in his Uncle Chester; now if only Uncle Chester will come through. Set in 1953 in Chinatown, The Star Maker is a slice of life that kids will thoroughly enjoy. Even better, the fast pace and realistic conflicts makes it a perfect choice for those just transitioning into more advanced chapters.

Up next is Grace Lin, one of my favorite authors, and her novel The Year of the Dog. Pacy is excited because this is supposed to be the year she finds her special talent. What will it be? She has no idea, but she does know this is going to be a lucky year when she makes friends with Melody, who is Taiwanese just like Pacy. As the two girls get into trouble, have adventures, and work hard to find Pacy's talent, they learn about friendship, family, and the process of finding yourself when you have a foot in two cultures. This is a great book for readers who love stories about bright, determined heroines - and look for more of Pacy's adventures in The Year of the Rat and Dumpling Days.

Lensey Namioka has written a series of chapter books about the Yang family; while none of them focus specifically on Chinese New Year, they all provide an excellent perspective, that of a family of Chinese immigrants navigating life in America. In the first novel in the series, Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear, we hear the story of Yingtao, the only untalented member in a family of brilliant musicians. Yingtao is struggling to fit in not only at home but also in this strange new American life, where even his name is hard for Americans to understand. But Yingtao soon makes a friend and finds an activity he's truly passionate about -- only it isn't the violin. This is a well-written story of identity and individuation, and kids will understand Yingtao's twin desires to be himself without disappointing his family.

What are your favorite novels for Chinese New Year? We'd love to hear how you celebrate the holiday, and what traditions are most important to you and your family. We hope books are part of the fun!

Picture Book Review - Dragon Dancing by Carole Lexa Schaefer

Ever since Sprout started preschool, art has become a big thing for him. His teachers believe in affording the kids lots of opportunities to stretch their creative muscles, providing them with all kinds of fun art supplies and giving them (mostly) free rein. One night a few weeks ago I came in to pick him up and he was busily constructing a caterpillar for Daddy's office - cut-up egg carton, pipecleaner antennae and googly eyes, just like I remember doing when I was in elementary school. It's so much fun to see the pride in his eyes when we display one of his fantastic creations, such as the neon noodle art and sponge paintings that are hanging on the family fridge even as we speak.

That same spirit of creativity is alive and well in Carole Lexa Schaefer's Dragon Dancing. Set in a preschool much like Sprout's, populated with a diverse cross-section of kiddos, the story begins with the class reading a book about dragons. Fueled by thoughts of these fire-breathing beasts, the students begin using their art supplies to create a magical dragon of their own. Soon the children, "in a long dragon line", are transported right out of their classroom and into strange and beautiful worlds beyond. The flights of fancy this creative parade takes can only be brought back to earth when the children are called back in by their teacher (of course).

One of the things we like best about Dragon Dancing is the way illustrator Pierr Morgan makes use of every bit of the page to tell her visual story. Sprout can pretty much read this for himself, Morgan's pictures are so vivid and lively. She captures the joy of the child-dragon as it ascends a snow-topped peak or tiptoes past breakfasting panda bears, starkly black-and-white against a background of soft bamboo forest. I'd love to know just how the artwork was created, because it strikes just the right balance between realism and softly whispered imaginings. This one's definitely a feast for the eyes, if ever there was one.

And the text is great too, filled with the kinds of phrases any true devotee of read-aloud will love to share. The dragon's not just dancing through the flowers, he is "swirl-whirling around whispery meadows." Rather than just swimming, he's "slip-sliding across foamy seas." You can just about feel the atmosphere Schaefer's dreamed up, just by the choice of dialogue she employs. This is magical stuff, and a great beginning to conversations about word choices and shades of meaning.

That is, if you get that far - you may just be captivated, as Sprout and I are, by the bounty of delightful imagery each page brings. At the end, Sprout's completely tickled by the fact that the children transform back into themselves just in time to share Mei Lin's birthday snack - lollipops, which he feels sure a dragon wouldn't really enjoy that much. And who knows, maybe he's right - but then again, a dancing dragon could need a little sugar boost too.

Don't save this one for Chinese New Year - bring it out any time you and your little ones want a feast for all your senses, in the form of this vibrant storytime choice!

Dragon Dancing by Carole Lexa Schaefer, published by Viking
Ages 2-6
Source: Library
Sample: "After, in the art room, we decorate for Mei Lin's birthday with sparkly paper and ribbons. Snip, twirl, flip. 'Look at me!' Mei Lin shouts. 'I'm Birthday Dragon!'"
Recommended

Library Find - Crouching Tiger by Ying Chang Compestine

A few months back, my husband got a flyer in the mail from some travel company or another (among his other pursuits, he also writes a blog focusing on disabled travel). This particular brochure had a page advertising trips to China, which featured a picture of the terracotta warriors. Since China isn't in the travel plans just now, Jake put the brochure in the recycle bin, where Sprout promptly found and rescued it. For several weeks, he packed that picture of the terracotta warriors around, asking all about it. Those are in China, we said, and maybe one day we'll see them.

End of conversation, or so we thought.

Then Sprout was watching Thomas and saw an episode featuring a Chinese dragon. He's seen it before, so no big deal, right? But for some reason this time it stuck with him. "That from China, Mom?" he asked, and so we talked about how the dragon is a feature in Chinese culture. And then he remembered that they'd talked about Chinese New Year at his daycare. And then he saw me reading Grace Lin's The Year of the Rat, and so that prompted more talk about China. Honestly, I think the boy was getting a little obsessed.

So when we ran into the book Crouching Tiger by Ying Chang Compestine during a trip to the library, I was pretty sure he'd be interested. And sure enough, he was very excited to hear that the book was about a young boy, Vinson, whose grandfather visits from China. Surprisingly, though the book is a little long for his age, Sprout stuck with it, and has enjoyed looking over Yan Nascimbene's finely drawn illustrations on his own as well.

Crouching Tiger is a story about culture, family and identity; not only is it beautifully illustrated, it is sensitively and thoughtfully told to boot. In the book, Vinson doesn't know his grandfather very well, but he's impressed to see Grandpa practicing what he thinks is a martial art. Tai chi is not like kung fu, though, and Vinson quickly loses patience with the methodical movements Grandpa teaches him. In fact, everything about Grandpa seems frustratingly foreign: the way he always speaks Chinese, and how he insists on using Vinson's Chinese name, Ming Da. In fact, Vinson starts trying to avoid Grandpa - until an incident on the street gives Vinson a new appreciation for his grandfather's skills. Soon he begins to understand that while Grandpa's ways are different than his American friends' habits, they are still pretty amazing. And a Chinese New Year festival gives Vinson a whole new perspective on his ancestry and his grandfather both.

The dilemma that Vinson faces in Crouching Tiger is one familiar to many who grow up with a foot in two worlds. There's the pull of the new life, shiny and modern with its sense of excitement. And then there is the quiet steadiness of one's heritage, a part of identity that can seem dull in comparison but which forms the basis of who we are. Vinson learns that he is two things, both Chinese and American, and that there is value in each, a lesson that I hope we can give Sprout as he reconciles his Ethiopian ancestry with his life in America. If nothing else, I want him to see that there is beauty in tradition, just as Vinson does, and that he should never be ashamed of who he is.

And I guess we'd better start saving up to visit China too.

Crouching Tiger by Ying Chang Compestine, published by Candlewick
Ages 5-12
Source: Library
Sample: "On New Year's Eve, we cleaned the whole house. Dad cut my hair, and Mom cooked a big traditional meal. Grandpa handed me a red silk jacket embroidered with dragons. 'Ming Da, wear this for the parade tomorrow.' My heart sank. All my friends would be there and see me in this silly jacket. I excused myself and left the table."
Recommended

Chapter Book Review - The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng

Sometimes I just desperately wish for time travel. Usually it's because I'd like to go back and shake my 20-something-year-old self into finishing my degree (since I always wonder how much further I'd be in my career if I'd done it then instead of now). Sometimes it's because I'd like to reassure my 30-something-year-old self that this adoption thing really is going to turn out great and totally be worth the risk. But most often, it's because I come across a book that I would love, dearly love, to go back in time and present to my grade-school self.

Most recently that desire was sparked by Andrea Cheng's The Year of the Book. This is the kind of book I would have lived for as a middle-grader, one that is bursting at the seams with character and heart and all kinds of fantastic novels to boot. Oh, and just about the most adorable drawings, courtesy of the delightful illustrator Abigail Halpin (whose pictures for Penny Dreadful made me love that fantastic book even more, if that's possible!).

Anna's the kind of girl I was at her age -- bookish, slightly lonely and yet fulfilled in herself. She was best friends with Laura, but now all of a sudden Laura's hanging out with a different crowd and they don't seem to have time for Anna. This bothers her, but she's got her own life: her friendship with crossing guard Ray, her creative pursuits in the realm of sewing, and of course, her books. In fact, a book is the place Anna'd most like to be, when she's feeling out of place in Chinese school for being ABC (American-born Chinese) or when she's embarrassed by her report on winter break, when she built paper airplanes with her brother most days. As each novel she reads unfolds, Anna not only learns more about her fictional friends, but also finds more confidence in who she is, and what she has to offer to a real-life friend.

Fans of Grace Lin's Pacey novels (The Year of the Dog, The Year of the Rat, and Dumpling Days) will find a lot to love about Anna Wang as well. For starters, Anna is also a girl with a foot in two worlds, both American and Chinese, and she doesn't always feel she fits in either one. Then, too, there is the search to find a friend, which both Pacey and Anna experience. I love that Cheng gives us a very realistic scenario for Anna to face, that of friends suddenly changing allegiances for no apparent reason. That's grade school for you, isn't it? And though Laura and Anna keep the thread of friendship, it isn't quite the same while Laura's hanging out with another crowd. There's also the fact that Anna isn't always sure how she feels about her parents. While she's proud of her mother for learning to drive and attempting to master English, Anna sometimes finds herself embarrassed by her mom's Chinese-ness. Kids of all backgrounds will identify with Anna's struggle to reconcile her feelings.

Though The Year of the Book is pretty short, and the story is comparatively quiet, there's a lot to think about here. It's great to see an Asian American heroine for this age, one who is totally relatable to the audience Cheng is writing for.The story is well-told, the characters finely drawn, and overall it's a real and true pleasure to read. And Halpin's illustrations add just the right note of whimsy - her renditions of familiar book covers are particularly charming, and kids just may find some new titles for their reading lists. What could be better than that?

The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Ages 8-12
Source: Library
Sample: "Writing that makes me think about Mom. I always wished I had a mom who spoke perfect English and who got her driver's license when she turned sixteen. But if Mom wasn't the way she is, she wouldn't be my mom and I wouldn't be me. Suddenly I just want to go home, but I have to finish my work first."
Recommended

Picture Book Review - My Mei Mei by Ed Young

When you're preparing to add a member to your family through adoption, there's a lot of getting ready to do. Preparing a room, checking out daycares or schools, babyproofing (or big kid-proofing), picking a pediatrician -- there are a million little details. If you have other children in the home, a big part of the preparations is explaining the adoption process, and what it will feel like when their new sibling joins the household.

Luckily there are a lot of great picture books to facilitate these discussions, and My Mei Mei by Ed Young is one of them. Young, himself an adoptive dad, was motivated to write and illustrate this picture book through his own experience adding a second daughter from China. Young's firsthand knowledge of this situation shines through on every page.

Antonia desperately wants a mei mei (little sister) to play and share secrets with. She plays at being jieh-jieh (big sister) and she just knows she'll be a really good one. And then the day finally arrives, and the family travels to China to bring Mei Mei home. Antonia is so excited! But Mei Mei turns out to be nothing like Antonia thinks she would be, and soon jealousy is creeping in. Will the sisters ever get used to each other? Will Antonia like being a big sister after all?

Young is not only an adoptive dad, he's also a Caldecott medalist, and his talents bring this very personal story to life. The colors he uses are vibrant and vivid, emphasizing the emotional journey that all the family members move through. And as the girls' relationship changes, so does the perspective, and soon the two are totally intertwined.

Whether you're bringing home a child through international adoption, foster care, or having a birth child, there's a lot here to help ease the transition from only child to older sibling. Sharing Young's gentle tale as a family is an excellent way to open a discussion about life changes or to remember another child's adoption story. A beautiful book, beautifully told!

Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year! 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, with the new year beginning tomorrow, January 23. New Years is a very important holiday for the Chinese people, and the celebration is one of the biggest that Chinese families celebrate. New Year marks new beginnings, but also is a chance to honor family and express hopes for good fortunes in the months to come.

When choosing books to use as part of your holiday observance, whether it's Chinese New Year or another holiday, it's important to pay attention to cultural accuracy. Look for titles written and illustrated by individuals with strong cultural ties (those who are either raised in a culture or closely linked to it in some significant way). Books with author's notes or explanatory passages about the holiday offer other beneficial insights. And choosing a cross-section of several titles will help present the most diverse perspective, including a sense of how the holiday is observed by people around the world. Check out sites like Kid World Citizen for unique crafts and other ideas of how to celebrate Chinese New Year in your library, classroom, or at home.

There are so many great titles about Chinese New Year that it's hard to sum up just a few. An older title that I really like is Janet Wong's This Next New Year. In the book a Chinese-Korean boy explain how his family celebrates the holiday and what his hopes are for the year to come. Each of the traditional observances is carefully explained in a way young readers will understand. The boy also describes how his friends, all of various other ethnicities, commemorate Chinese New Year in their own ways. A cheerfully inclusive title that's great for sharing.

Another fun title is The Runaway Rice Cake by Ying Chang Compestine. I love this one for its traditional feel. Set in China, the book explores one family's New Year observation. Momma uses the last of the flour to make one rice cake, which the family will share. But suddenly the rice cake comes to life and runs through the village (hints of The Gingerbread Man story here). Will the family catch the rice cake, or go hungry on New Years' Eve? Compestine provides some excellent cultural details here, including an afterward that explains the customs that most families follow in celebrating New Year. This is a really delightful tale that doesn't disappoint!

And what would a Chinese New Year list be without a book by Grace Lin? In Bringing in the New Year, Lin brings her trademark joyous illustrations to a book about the holiday. Every member of the family contributes to the holiday preparations, getting the house ready for the year to come. And the celebration that follows is extraordinary - who wouldn't love to participate? Lin caps the book off with a unique look at the dragon parade that is sure to impress. Bright and festive, this title belongs in every library's collection. (And for older readers, don't miss Lin's The Year of the Dog. The book follows Pacy on her quest to "find herself" throughout the year - it's a warm and funny story that has lots of great cultural detail too.)

However you celebrate, may the Year of the Dragon bring you much good fortune!