Chinese New Year Books

If you've ever wandered through the streets of a Chinese city during Chinese New Year (or any Chinatown in the world during Chinese New Year) and wondered why there are so many stands selling oranges and pomelos, cans of abalone, and flowering plum or pussywillow branches, this is the book for you. You'll discover that this is a festival unlike any other as many of the activities and symbols have origins in ancient myths and even more modern word plays and puns. Simple, easy-to-read, and full of interesting insights into both classical and modern Chinese practices.

Young fans of eight-year-old Nancy Drew will learn tons of new things about Chinese culture, as Nancy's class prepares for a Chinese New Year celebration. There's going to be a parade, and the entire art class is going to create the dragon as a group project.

Somebody just doesn't want the parade to happen! Could it be the stuck-up girl in class who seems to be the likely suspect? Have no fear, Nancy Drew will pull out her trusty blue notebook, and like a true detective use logic and reason to assemble clues and identify every suspect until the case is cracked!

The Chinese New Year Mystery provides a good storyline and educational backdrop that will be of value to Nancy Drew fans for years to come.

Recommended!

Carolyn Reed Barritt's lovely drawings spice the story of a Chinese New Year's Day parade that is something different when an Afro-American girl takes her grandmother to the event. Grandma is skeptical about a February New Year's celebration, but Sugar has learned all about the ceremony and wants her grandmother to watch her father dance in the parade. When trouble threatens, Sugar uses her knowledge to help in this warm tale of quick thinking and cultural celebration, perfect for grades 3-5.

This is the story of a little boy who goes with his grandfather to town to sell their produce and, with the funds from the sales, purchase goodies for the the Spring Festival (Chinese new Year). It's a nice little story, but the highlight of the book is the illustrations, which are WONDERFUL. We recently returned from a trip to China, and the illustrations remind me so much of the sights and sounds I experienced there: the bikes laiden with packages, families traveling by scooters, the numerous and diverse small shops or stalls along the streets, and folks picking over foodstuffs for use in their cooking. Just a fabulous reminder of the China just a block or two beyond the hotels catering to western tourists.

This is really a very nice collection of Eastern beauty, legends and fairy tale. Not only it showcases beautiful traditional Chinese dances, you can also sense the essence of eastern culture. The print quality is super!

Another in the Enslow Press series Paper Craft Fun for Holidays, Chinese New Year explores basic facts about the holiday and offeres simple, effective crafts that children should have no difficulty making. Librarians, teachers and parents will find this title by California storyteller, puppeteer, papercrafter and Hans Christian Andersen portrayer Randal McGee a useful addition to their libraries. Instructions are easy to follow and children age 8 and up should have no difficulty making the crafts; younger children may require some assistance with cutting. Plenty of white space on the pages and good use of color will make this appealing book appealing to children.

I have been buying his books since I lived in Asia and I found his to be the most comprehensive and thought provoking. His books are well organsized and give excellent background information.

This book is great! I wasn't fully convinced in the truth of Chinese/Moon-based horoscopes, but after reading through parts of this book (especially MY horoscope), I became a believer. The best part of it is that it gets specific about what you can expect this coming year and sums up what happened last year. That's what convinced me, how specific and accurate it was about my personality and the past year.

The sections on each sign are general enough to give you a picture of the sign's respective characteristics, then get into more detail about the past and present year, and even gives a bit of advice. The author includes famous people and a sign appropriate quote in each section.

The book is easy to read - definitely not a book for the Chinese horoscope expert - but for the layman that wants to learn more and have a bit of insightful fun. It's marketed at an affordable price, too.

I spent hours in the bookstore narrowing which book I was going to buy-- and this one was it!

"The ancient art of Chinese astrology, which predates the Western zodiac, is a detailed system of divination that has been used in the Orient for thousands of years. The depth of its wisdom, and the accuracy of its character analysis and prediction, have caught the imagination of the West in recent years and led to a rapid rise in its popularity." -from Your Chinese Horoscope 2006

In Chinese Astrology there are 12 signs named after 12 different animals. One legend says that the Buddha invited all the animals of the kingdom before him, and only 12 turned up. In gratitude, he named a year after each of the animals and those born during that year would inherit some of the personality of that animal. The first animal to arrive was the Rat, followed by Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. (In some systems, the Ox is called Buffalo or Bull, the Rabbit is called Hare or Cat, the Goat is called Sheep, and the Pig is called Boar.) Another aspect of Chinese Astrology is the five elements, which modify the traits of an animal sign: Metal, Wood, Fire, Water, and Earth.

2006 is the Year of the Dog, and according to author Neil Somerville, Dog years herald an emphasis on defense. As a result, many countries will tighten their borders and increase their security systems in 2006. Somerville also speculates that the United Nations will play a pivotal role in stabilizing troubled areas and restoring order, especially since the Dog year is a strict defender of both land and property. 2006 will also see an increase in group rallies and protests, environmental activism, and humanitarian outreaches for alleviating and preventing suffering. Materialistic culture will lessen as individuals re-evaluate their values and lifestyles, and the steady focus of the Dog will reward those who are willing to put forth some effort in their endeavors.

Your Chinese Horoscope 2006 features an overview of each primary animal personality and the five sub-personalities based on the elements, as well as their prospects for 2006. For example, the author gives an overview of the Rat, and then describes the five different types of Rat: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. An astrological forecast for both the primary animal and its sub-personalities are also given. He also provides a tip for the year and a list of famous people for each animal. Famous horses would include Harris Ford, Bob Geldof, Janet Jackson, Calvin Klein and Condoleezza Rice, while famous Roosters include Benjamin Franklin, Renee Zellweger, Priscilla Presley, Eric Clapton, and Britney Spears.

In the Appendix, advice is dispensed for each of the animals including general prospects, career prospects, finance, and relationships. There is also a chart for the relationships between the signs. The most interesting aspect of this 367-page book is the section on Ascendants. Although familiar with the Rising Sign (Ascendant) in traditional astrology, I didn't realize Chinese Astrology contained this element, as well. Somerville provides a chart based on your time of birth, and then explains how the Ascendant will modify your animal sign. For example, I'm a Metal Dog who should fare very well in a Dog year, and my Ascendant is that of the Monkey. This means that the Monkey Ascendant imparts humor and fun to the often serious and determined Dog personality-as well as making it more enterprising and outgoing.

I found Your Chinese Horoscope 2006 to be engrossing, informative, and entertaining. I highly recommend this book for those interested in annual horoscopes, as well as those who'd like to learn more about Chinese Astrology and its amazing animals.

My preschoolers enjoyed reading and flipping threw the tabs in this book. The pictures were stereotypical ancient China but it was colorful and vibrant. The story covers what happens in and around Chinese New Year, and the message was clear and simple.

I love the illustrations and narrative of this book. It's a rare find amongst a sea of books attempting, but failing, to capture the spirit of this special, cultural event. Most books on the subject are patronizing, offensive, or downright inaccurate. This one is not. I like details, such as the photo of the ancestors on the table with the fruit and flowers--a tasteful way to display Chinese ancestral worship, not just during the new year celebrations. I like the Chinese astrology wheel at the back of the book and the 'make your own dragon puppet' how-to instructions. Those extra touches were a special bonus.

Read this story to my 2 year old twins this year, we are trying to learn about other cultures holidays, and they liked the story a great deal. We are not very familiar with Chinese culture so I am not sure how accurate it is but my kids loved the story. The pictures were colorful and clear, and information on the traditions was easy to understand. The kids were able to take what they saw in the book and use it in real life, we saw a Chinese dragon in a Thomas the Tank Engine video and they said "Chinese New Year".

My daughter is 2.5 years and loves this book. The text is simple, with flaps, and covers the very basic ideas behind CNY.

I bought this book for my nieces and nephews, and my daughter's school, to give the kids some background on Chinese New Year in advance of parties at our house and school. My daughter is too young to understand the words, but loves to lift the flaps and the bright colors of the book.