Chinese New Year Titles @ Cairns Libraries |
Picture Books: |
Fang Fang's fears that her friend Lisa won't enjoy the Chinese New Year celebrations are put to rest as Lisa has a wonderful time tasting the different foods and watching the Dragon Dance. |
Follow a family as they set off firecrackers, watch lion and dragon dances, and hang up lanterns to celebrate the start of their New Year. A simple and delightful introduction to the festival of Chinese New Year, this is a book highly suitable for even the very youngest child. |
New Year is almost here, and Long-Long sets off to market with his grandfather to make money for their Spring Festival celebrations. When they meet with trouble along the way, Long-Long worries about disappointing his family. He wanders through the market's colourful New Year scenes, trying to work out what to do. Is there still time for him to make the family's Spring Festival extra special? |
In this bright, cheerful collage picture book, a young girl prepares for and celebrates the Chinese New Year with her extended family, describing how she makes an altar to honor her ancestors, gets a haircut, feasts with her relatives, and attends a Chinatown parade. The tale radiates warmth and quietly builds up to the dramatic dragon dance and the traditional greeting of "Gung Hay Fat Choy!" |
| Junior Fiction: |
Nathan's having a bad day. Nothing seems to be going right for him and his family. But then a competition leaflet comes through the door to win a mystery tour and he decides to give it a go. While looking for the answers to the quiz questions, he chats to a young girl working in a second-hand shop and she takes him through the Dragon Doorway..... |
This novel, set in the 1920s, explores the experiences of a Chinese immigrant family living in America. Fifteen-year-old Joan and her siblings have been invited to a neighbour's Christmas party, but their parents don't want them to go, saying that the kids should be celebrating Chinese holidays instead of American ones. Like Yep's other books, this one gets at the heart of how cultures can clash and how different people can hopefully come to understand and respect each other. |
Lulu, a little Chinese girl, longs to play the drums. When she sees a Chinese New Year procession, she knows that she wants more than anything to be a lion drummer but she is told that girls cannot learn the drums. Undeterred, she goes to the master drummer and asks him for lessons. A lovely little book about following your dreams and having a goal from a great Chinese-Australian author. |
A tiger, a monkey, a dragon, and a twelve-year-old Chinese American boy fight to keep a magic talisman out of the hands of an enemy who would use its power to destroy the world. This is an original work of fairy tale that successfully mixes fantasy and Chinese history. Book one in the series. |
It's the Chinese year of the dog, and when Pacy's mom tells her that this is a good year for friends, family, and "finding herself," Pacy begins searching right away. As the year goes on, she struggles to find her talent, deals with disappointment, makes a new best friend, and discovers just why the year of the dog is a lucky one for her after all. |
| Other great Chinese themed titles: |
| Picture Books: |
Jin Jin the dragon does not know what kind of creature he is, so he embarks on a journey, assisted by other animals he meets along the way, to find Old Turtle and Crane, who will help him learn his identity. This book also includes information about Chinese writing and the place of the dragon in Chinese lore. |
Long ago the people of China lived, worked, and fought under the protection of guardian spirits that took on the appearance of animals, but the children grew tired of war and created a new spirit to protect all the people and bring peace. This title also includes facts about chop marks and calligraphy, instructions for making Chinese characters, and a game idea. |
| Junior Fiction: |
The fish-basket goddess -- The mouse bride -- Dream of the butterfly -- The cowherd and the spinning girl -- The ghost catcher -- The frog who lived in a well -- Chang-E flies to the moon -- The wolf and the scholar -- Playing the qin for the water buffalo -- Carp jumping over the dragon gate -- How the fox tricked the tiger -- The Monkey King turns the heavenly palace upside down -- The monkey Wu Kong learns his lesson. |
A Chinese American girl becomes torn between her family's traditional values and the more modern ones in her second grade classroom when she befriends another Chinese girl. Many children of immigrants may relate to this story due to the underlying and more serious issue of identity and growing up within two cultures. |
Ancient China is suffering from a flood that the emperor fears has been caused by angry gods. He pleads with young Yu to find a way to save the land and people. With a dragon and a tortoise, Yu sets out to do his best. A contemporary comic book that is particularly recommended to kids who also enjoy mythology and folktales. |
| Junior Non Fiction: |
The history of China - the six major dynasties - and information on selected topics such as the Silk Road, festivals, various inventions, Chinese beliefs about numbers and colours. |
Adeline Yen Mah's compelling autobiography in that parallels the well known fairy-tale, Cinderella (after the death of her mother, Mah is treated as a second-class citizen by her cruel stepmother). A powerful story of survival and life in Shanghai during the WWII years, Mah delicately weaves details of her life alongside the traditions of China. This is a painful and poignant memoir younger readers will find hard to put down. |
Step into the amazing world of the Chinese Empire and uncover the secrets of the world's oldest continuous civilization. Explore Chinese culture and beliefs, from their ancient origins through to the abdication of the last emperor. Discover fascinating facts about the Chinese people and find out why tombs were filled with pottery figures, what the importance of jade was and how silk was made. A great junior fiction title containing fact-packed text and over 200 beautiful colour photographs and illustrations. |
Catalogue tip – Find more great titles and go to Advanced Search, type ‘Chinese’ and select limit by collection as Easies, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Fiction or Junior Non Fiction!
Want to know your Chinese horoscope? The new Chinese astrology by Suzanne White
Learn about the history of Chinese people in Cairns and North Queensland: Topsawyers: the Chinese In Cairns 1870 to 1920* (*Item is held in the City Library’s Regional Resource Collection and not available for loan) |
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