Chinese
Americans
Traditional |
Biography |
Fantasy |
CLICK ON THE
BOOK’S TITLE TO LINK TO amazon.com TO PURCHASE YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS.
NOTE: RECENTLY ADDED TITLES APPEAR IN RED.
NOTE: Titles added Winter 2008/2009 appear in BLUE.
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Ashley, B. (1995). Cleversticks.
Illustrated by D. Brazell. |
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Wishing he had something to be clever at like each of
the other children in his class, Ling Sung unexpectedly and happily discovers
the others admire his prowess with chopsticks. (amazon.com) |
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Cheng, A. (2003). Grandfather
counts. Illustrated by A. Zhang.
Lee & Low. (K-4) |
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When
Helen”s grandfather, Gong Gong, comes from |
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Cheng, A. (2004). Honeysuckle
house. Front Street. (3-5) |
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Alienation,
longing, prejudice, and cultural difference are touched on in this immigrant
story told in the voices of two ten-year-old girls. Sarah and Tina are fourth
graders. The most important thing in the world to Sarah - American-born
Chinese - is the recent departure of her best friend, Victoria. She misses
her terribly. Tina has just recently moved to |
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Cheng, A. (2003). The
key collection. Illustrated by Y. Choi. Holt. (3-5) |
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Ten-year-old
Jimmy has a close relationship with his grandmother, Ni Ni, whom he visits
nearly every day. She cooks delicious treats for him, teaches him Chinese
characters, tells wonderful stories about growing up in |
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Chin-Lee,
C. (1993). Almond
cookies and Dragon Well tea. Illustrated by Y. S. Tang. |
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Erica visits the home of Nancy, a Chinese American girl,
and makes many delightful discoveries about her friend’s cultural heritage. (card catalog) |
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Chinn, K. (1997). Sam
and the lucky money. |
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Anticipating spending his gift of Lucky Money on Chinese
New Year’s day, Sam accompanies his mother to |
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Lee, H. V. (1998). At
the beach. |
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A little boy and his mother go to the beach. There she
teaches him how to make Chinese words by drawing pictures in the sand. Young
readers can learn ten Chinese characters in this wonderfully innovative
picture book. (amazon.com) |
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Lee,
H. V. (1998). In
the park. |
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Spring has arrived and Xiao Ming can’t wait to spend the
day in the park with his mother. All around them are signs of the season:
insects flying, leaves on the trees, and flowers in bloom. Xiao Ming’s mother
teaches Xiao Ming how to write the words for these things in Chinese by first
drawing pictures of them. (amazon.com) |
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Lee, H. V. (2000). In
the snow. |
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A mother and son practice writing Chinese characters in
the snow. Introduces the characters for ten simple words. (Borders.com) |
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Levine, E. (1995). I
hate English! Illustrated by |
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A realistic, sympathetic story of the problems of
learning a new language and culture, with cartoonlike illustrations of a
distraught, angry, or pleased young girl from Hong Kong set against a
background of |
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Lin, G. (2006). The
year of the dog. Little, Brown Young Readers. (4-6) |
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It’s
the Chinese Year of the Dog, and as Pacy celebrates with her family, she
finds out that this is the year she is supposed to find herself. As the year
goes on, she struggles to find her talent, makes a new best friend, and
discovers just why the Year of the Dog is a lucky one for her after all.
Universal themes of friendship, family, and finding one’s passion in life
make this novel appealing to readers of all backgrounds. This funny and
profound book is a wonderful debut novel by prolific picture book author and
illustrator Grace Lin, and has all the makings of a modern classic. (amazon.com) |
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Lin, G. (2008). The
year of the rat. Little, Brown
Young Readers. (4-6) |
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In
this sequel to Year of the Dog, Pacy has another big year in store for her.
The Year of the Dog was a very lucky year: she met her best friend Melody and
discovered her true talents. However, the Year of the Rat brings big changes:
Pacy must deal with Melody moving to California, find the courage to forge on
with her dream of becoming a writer and illustrator, and learn to face some
of her own flaws. Pacy encounters prejudice, struggles with acceptance, and
must find the beauty in change. Based on the author’s childhood adventures, Year of the Rat, features the whimsical black and white
illustrations and the hilarious and touching anecdotes that helped Year of the Dog earn rave reviews and satisfied
readers. (amazon,com) |
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Look,
L. (2001). Henry’s
First-Moon birthday. Illustrated by Y. Heo. |
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Jenny’s baby brother Henry
is having his one-month birthday -- his first-moon, as it’s called in
Chinese. And even though Jenny’s sure he doesn’t deserve it -- all Henry does
is sleep, eat, and cry – there’s a big celebration planned for him. Together,
Jenny and her grandma get everything ready, from dyeing eggs a lucky red to
preparing pigs’ feet and ginger soup. And someday, when Henry’s old enough to
appreciate all her hard work, Jenny will tell him how lucky he was to have
her in charge. The childlike charm of Lenore Look’s story is perfectly
captured in Yumi Heo’s naïve illustrations, which give readers the impression
that Jenny drew them herself. (amazon.com) |
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Look, L. (2004). Ruby
Lu, brave and true. Illustrated by A. Wilsdorf. Atheneum/Anne
Schwartz Books. (1-3) |
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Most
days the best thing about being Ruby is everything. Like when she’s the star of her own backyard magic
show. Or when she gives a talk at the school safety assembly on the benefits
of reflective tape. Or when she rides the No. 3 bus all the way to |
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Look, L. (2006). Ruby
Lu, Empress of everything. Illustrated by A. Wilsdorf. Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books. (2-4). |
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When
Ruby’s cousin Flying Duck emigrates from As if that
weren’t enough, this summer proves to be even more perilous as Ruby faces the
dangers of swimming lessons, the joys of summer school, the difficulty of
staying with a twelve-step program, the miracle needed to keep a beautiful
stray dog that wanders into her life, and much more. Is it all too much for
anyone -- even the Empress of Everything -- to handle? (amazon.com) |
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Look, L. (2006). Uncle
Peter’s amazing Chinese wedding. Illustrated by Y. Heo. Atheneum/Anne
Schwartz Books. (K-3) |
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Jenny’s
favorite uncle, Peter, is getting married, and everyone is happy happy --
everyone, that is, except Jenny. While her family runs about getting ready
for the traditional Chinese wedding -- preparing for the tea ceremony,
exchanging good-luck money called hungbau, helping the bride with her many
dresses -- Jenny is crying on the inside. How is she supposed to still be
Uncle Peter’s number-one girl, with her new aunt Stella around? Maybe if she
can stop the day’s events from happening, he won’t get married at all...
Mischievous kids will love following Lenore Look and Yumi Heo’s feisty
heroine from Henry’s
First-Moon Birthday in this charming story that also
illuminates the many traditions of the Chinese wedding. (amazon.com) |
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Low, W. (1997). Chinatown.
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In this tribute to his own childhood in |
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Marsden, C. & Loh, V. S. (2008).
The
jade dragon. Candlewick. (2-4) |
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Second-grader
Ginny is thrilled when another Chinese girl joins her class. But Stephanie is
adopted and her fondest wish is to be Caucasian like her parents. Despite
Stephanie’s initial unwillingness, the girls eventually become friends, and
Ginny gives Stephanie a valuable jade dragon to seal the deal. The story, set
in the 1980s, brings up some interesting issues, including the embarrassment
some first-generation children feel about their heritage, the things children
will do to make and keep friends, and the uncertainty foreign adoptees can
feel about fitting into their families. The authors tackle it all with a
light touch, centering the story on Ginny’s desire to make a new friend,
especially one that looks like her. Though it will take a skilled
second-grade reader to read the book (it might have attracted a wider
audience had the characters been slightly older), children who stick with it
will enjoy the story, and the compelling cover photo will draw an audience.
Pair this with Grace Lin's Year of the Dog (2006). (Booklist) |
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Molnar-Fenton, S.
(1998). An
Mei’s strange and wondrous journey. Illustrated by V. Flesher. |
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Molnar-Fenton has much to say about how the past can
prey on the present, despite the loving attentions of others, in this story
about his adopted Chinese daughter’s journey from her birthplace to a new
home in the U. S. (Kirkus
Reviews, 1998) |
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Namioka,
L. (2002). Yang
the eldest and his odd jobs. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. |
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In this final installment in the Yang family quartet,
Eldest Brother discovers he needs a new violin and is forced to get a job to
pay for it. After trying his hand at everything from baby-sitting to serving
sushi, he becomes obsessed with making money and gives up on the violin
altogether, until his younger siblings lead him to resume his music. (Borders.com) |
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Namioka,
L. (2000). Yang
the second and her secret admirers. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. |
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While her younger siblings have adopted many American
customs since moving from |
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Namioka,
L. (1999). Yang
the third and her impossible family. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. |
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Yingmai Yang has changed her name to Mary now that she’s
learning how to “be American”. It’s hard since her family sticks to their
Chinese customs. Still, Mary wants to be best friends with popular Holly
Hanson and sees her chance when she adopts one of Holly’s kittens. Now, to
prove her friendship to Holly, Mary must find a way to keep the kitten a
secret from her impossible family. (Borders.com) |
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Namioka,
L. (1994). Yang
the youngest and his terrible ear. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. |
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Recently arrived in |
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Nunes, S. M. (1997). The
last dragon. Illustrated by C. K. Soentpiet. |
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While spending the summer in |
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Peacock,
C. A. (2000). Mommy
far, mommy near: An adoption story. Illustrated by S. C. Brownell. |
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Although Elizabeth, a young Chinese girl, is
secure in the love of her adoptive Caucasian American family, she still has
questions. Why, if |
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Porte, B. A. (1993). Leave
that cricket be, Alan Lee. Illustrated by D. Ruff. |
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Chinese and American cultures blend in the colorfully
illustrated tale of young Alan Lee, who searches for the cricket in his
house, while his uncle Clemson tells of his youth in China, where crickets
were kept in cages. (amazon.com) |
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Sing,
R. (1994). Chinese
New Year’s dragon. Illustrated by S. W. Liu. |
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This New Year, the Year of the Dragon, something magical
happens. A young girl’s grandmother tells her about dragons, and suddenly she
finds herself on a dragon’s back soaring over ancient |
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Tan,
A. (1995). The
Moon Lady. Illustrated by G. Schields. |
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On a rainy afternoon, three sisters wish for the rain to
stop, wish they could play in the puddles, wish for something, anything, to do.
So Ying-Ying, their grandmother, tells them a tale from long ago. On the
night of the Moon Festival, when Ying-Ying was a little girl, she encountered
the Moon Lady, who grants the secret wishes of those who ask, and learned
from her that the best wishes are those you can make come true yourself. (amazon.com) |
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Tompert, A. (1997). Grandfather
Tang’s story. Illustrated by R. A. Parker. |
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Grandfather tells a story about shape-changing fox
fairies who try to best each other until a hunter brings danger to both of
them. (card
catalog) |
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Trottier,
M. (1996). The
tiny kite of Eddie Wing. Illustrated by A. Van Mil. |
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This story tells of how a small boy’s passion for kite
flying and his ability to dream helps an old man bring meaning to his own
life. (Borders.com) |
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Vaughan,
M. K. (1996). The
dancing dragon. Illustrated by S. W. Foon. |
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The Chinese New Year is about to begin. There’s lots to
do - tie strings of firecrackers outside, hang up red scrolls, bake special
cakes, and sing New Year’s songs. And when family and friends are gathered
together, it’s time for the parade to begin. This book folds out to reveal
all the color and excitement of a traditional Chinese New Year celebration,
complete with dancing dragon! (amazon.com) |
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Wallace,
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From the award-winning illustrator of "The Very
Last First Time” and "The Name of the Tree” comes the story of a young
Chinese boy who has the opportunity to fulfill his lifelong dream of dancing
in the New Year’s parade, and almost lets fear ruin everything. (Borders.com) |
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Williams,
V. B. (1997). Lucky
song. |
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Listen to this
lucky song about Evie and her blue-sky, kite-flying day. But Evie’s day
wouldn’t be nearly as special without a little help from her family. Young
readers will want to hear Evie’s lucky song again and again and again. |
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Yang, B. (2004). Hannah
is my name. Candlewick. (1-3) |
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In
an upbeat immigration story, Yang draws on her own experience of coming to |
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Ye,
T. X. (1999). Share
the sky. Illustrated by |
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Young Fei-Fei loves kites and often flies them with her
grandfather in |
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Yee, L. (2005). Millicent
Min, Girl Genius.
Scholastic. (5-6) |
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Millicent
Min is having a bad summer. Her fellow high school students hate her for
setting the curve. Her fellow 11-year-olds hate her for going to high school.
And her mother has arranged for her to tutor Stanford Wong, the poster boy
for Chinese geekdom. But then Millie meets Emily. Emily doesn’t know
Millicent’s IQ score. She actually thinks Millie is cool. And if Millie can
hide her awards, ignore her grandmother’s advice, swear her parents to
silence, blackmail Stanford, and keep all her lies straight, she just might
make her first friend. What’s it gong to take? Sheer genius. (amazon.com) |
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Yee, L. (2005). Stanford
Wong flunks big time.
Levine/Scholastic. (5-6) |
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Yee,
who won the 2004 Sid Fleischman Humor Award for Millicent Minn, Girl Genius (2003), offers an equally funny sequel, switching
viewpoints to Stanford Wong, who, after flunking sixth-grade English, must
forgo celebrity basketball camp for summer school and afternoon tutoring with
Millicent. During their sessions, the former adversaries grudgingly discover
that they have more in common than just their grandmothers, who are best friends,
and each helps the other move through messy predicaments grounded in their
own embarrassment and lies. Yee weights the lively sparring between her young
characters (and Stanford’s new crush on Millicent’s friend) with Stanford’s
worries at home: his grandmother, recently placed in a nursing home; his
parents’ fights; and his remote, hard-to-please father. Young readers will
find themselves chortling over comedic scenes, delivered in Stanford’s
genuine, age-appropriate voice, even as the well-drawn, authentic heartache
about family, friends, and integrity reaches directly into their lives. Young
sports fans, particularly boys, will appreciate a portrait of a wholly
likable underachiever in the classroom who shines on the court. (Booklist) |
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Yep, L. (1990). Child
of the owl. |
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This spellbinding tale of the contradictions and special
heritage of growing up Chinese-American is set in early 1960s Chinatown in |
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Yep,
L. (2002). Dream
soul. |
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All Joan Lee and her younger siblings, Bobby and Emily,
want for Christmas in 1927 is to be allowed to celebrate it. Joan longs to be
just like everyone else, even if she is Chinese, but this will be the Lees’
first Christmas in |
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Yep, L. (1997). Later,
gator. Illustrated by |
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Teddy finds that his imagination once more has gotten
him into trouble, when he buys a baby alligator for his younger brother
Bobby’s birthday. (amazon.com) |
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Yep, L. (1997). Ribbons.
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When Robin Lee is forced to give up her beloved ballet
lessons because her parents need the money to bring her grandmother to |
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Yep,
L. (1998). The
case of the goblin pearls. |
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When Tiger Lil’s priceless Goblin Pearls are stolen
during Chinatown’s New Year’s parade, she and her niece, Lily, go on an adventurous
search through the town to find them and get them back from the bandits. (amazon.com) |
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Yep, L. (1999). The
case of the lion dance. |
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After a bomb explodes in front of a |
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Yep,
L. (1992). The
Star Fisher. |
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The lovely Chinese legend of the star fisher serves as
an analogy to the plight of the Lee family, who in 1927 move from Ohio to
West Virginia in search of a better life. A pleasure to read, entertaining
its audience even as it educates their hearts. (Horn Book, 1991) |
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Yep, L. (1997). Thief
of hearts. |
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In this sequel to the award-winning Child of the Owl,
Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep continues the story of Casey Young and her
daughter, Stacy, as Stacy struggles to come to terms with her
Chinese-American heritage. (amazon.com) |
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No synopsis available. |
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Behrens, J. (1989). Gung
hay fat choy. |
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Explains the significance of the Chinese New Year and
describes its celebration by Chinese Americans. (card catalog) |
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Brown, T. (1997). Chinese
New Year. |
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Text and photographs depict the celebration of Chinese
New Year by Chinese-Americans living in |
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Burckhardt, A. L.
(1996). The
people of China and their food. |
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Describes food customs and preparation in |
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Chin, S. (1996). Dragon
parade: A Chinese New Year Story. Illustrated by M. Tseng. |
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Norman Ah Sing, an immigrant from China, organized the
first big Chinese New Year celebration in |
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Daley, W. & Stotsky,
S. (1995). The
Chinese Americans. |
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Discusses the
history, culture, and religion of the Chinese, factors encouraging their
immigration, and their acceptance as an ethnic group in |
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Demi. (1999). Happy
New Year! Kung-Hsi Fa-Ts’Ai! |
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This joyful exploration of the rituals of the Chinese
New Year celebration is filled with illustrations and labels explaining the
images associated with the festival, including lion dances, firecrackers,
heavenly beings, and food symbolism. (amazon.com) |
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Fisher, L. E. (1995). The
great wall of China. |
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A brief history of the |
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Hobbler, D &
Hoobler, T. (1998). The
Chinese American family album. |
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Using oral histories, letters, diaries, excerpts from
literature, and authentic photographs, an album capturing the experiences,
dreams, and struggles of Chinese immigrants in |
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Hoyt-Goldsmith, D.
(1999). Celebrating
Chinese New Year. Illustrated by L. Migdale. |
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The text follows a young boy named Ryan as he and his
family prepare to celebrate Chinese New Year in their home and community.
Illustrated with captioned color photographs, the book introduces the
holiday’s foods and customs and provides information about the history of |
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Kite,
L. (2000). The
Chinese (We came to North America). |
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With the opening of the west in |
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Krach,
M. S. (2000). D
is for Doufu: A Book of Chinese Culture. Illustrated by H. Zhang. |
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Carefully selected Chinese words and phrases take you on
a wondrous journey through Chinese history and through the lives and customs
of its people. The meaning of 23 phrases (46 characters) are included in this
beautifully illustrated book that explores the richness of the Chinese
culture. Each phrase is introduced by a written image and an explanation of
the spoken Mandarin language, as well as a picture representing the concept.
Some of these Chinese words have been borrowed and shared by other people. (amazon.com) |
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MacDonald,
F. (1998). Marco
Polo: A journey through China (Expedition). Illustrated by M. Bergin.
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A fascinating book with detailed illustrations of the
many wonders that Marco Polo saw on his journey to |
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Tan, J. (1989). Food
in China. |
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Surveys food products, customs, and preparation in |
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Waters, K. &
Slovenz-Low, M. (1991). Lion
dancer: Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year. Photographs by M. Cooper. |
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Describes six-year-old Ernie Wong’s preparations, at
home and in school, for the Chinese New Year celebrations and his first
public performance of the lion dance. (card catalog) |
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Williams,
S. (1997). Made
in China: Ideas and inventions from ancient China. Illustrated by A.
Fong. |
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Chronologically told, this well-researched history of
scientific achievements introduces scientific inventions and discoveries
within their social and political contexts. Watercolors, along with woodblock
prints, paintings, drawings, and photographs, help clarify the descriptions
of crossbows, papermaking, seismographs, silk making, printing, compasses,
medicine, shipbuilding, and more. (Horn Book, 1997) |
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Wong, L. K. (2006). Good
fortune: My journey to Gold Mountain. Peachtree. (3-6) |
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An
elementary school teacher for 35 years tells about her family’s journey to |
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Young, E.
(2006). My
Mei Mei. Philomel. (K-2) |
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There
are other picture books about traveling to |
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Young, E. (2003). Voices
of the heart. |
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Explores twenty-six Chinese characters that describe
feelings or emotions, interpreting the visual elements within each character
while guiding readers through an underlying theme emphasizing the importance
of truthfully expressing thoughts and feelings. (amazon.com) |
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Bang, M. G. (1992). Tye
May and the magic brush. |
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In a dream a poor orphan is given a brush that brings to
life everything she paints. (amazon.com) |
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Bateson-Hill, M. (1998).
Lao
Lao of dragon mountain. |
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Lao Lao is known all over Dragon Mountain for her
simple, yet beautiful paper cuts. But when the powerful emperor hears of her
skill, he has her locked away in a tower, forgetting about the dragon who
lives nearby. This beautifully written story of a simple peasant woman weaves
together many themes from traditional Chinese folktales. (amazon.com) |
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Casanova,
M. (2000). The
hunter: A Chinese folktale. Illustrated by E. Young. |
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Hai Li Bu is a good hunter, but not even he can find enough food for his village when the drought comes. The people grow thin and weak, the children rarely laugh -- but worst of all, they begin to argue and stop listening to one another. Out on a hunt one day, Hai Li Bu saves a small snake from the beak of a crane. He is surprised to learn that he has rescued the daughter of the Dragon King of the Sea. The Dragon King offers Hai Li Bu the reward of his choice. Hai Li Bu asks only to know the language of animals. Then he can be a better hunter for his village. His wish is granted with a provision: He must never reveal the secret of his gift to anyone. Hai Li Bu’s people are saved from famine, but when he hears from the animals that a flood is coming that will destroy everything in his village, the people do not listen to him. “You ask us to leave our homes. How can we know what you say is true?” a village elder asks him. Now Hai Li Bu is faced with a terrible choice: to let the people of his village die in the flood or to reveal his secret, knowing the dire consequences for himself. Caldecott Medal and Honor-winner Ed Young’s magnificent illustrations bring this poignant traditional folktale to life. (amazon.com) |
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Chang,
C. (1994). The
seventh sister: A Chinese legend. Illustrated by C. Reasoner. |
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A lonely shepherd is saddened when he must let the
maiden he loves return to help her sisters weave the tapestry of the night
sky. (amazon.com) |
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Chang,
M. & Chang, R. (1997). The
beggar’s magic: A Chinese tale. Illustrated by D. Johnson. |
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A cautionary tale from ancient |
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Chen,
K. (2000). Lord
of the cranes: A Chinese Tale. Illustrated by J. J. Chen. |
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Tien, the Lord of the cranes, comes to earth to check on
the kindness of mankind. In this beautifully illustrated retelling of a
Chinese wisdom tale, the kindness and generosity of an innkeeper is rewarded.
Tien’s lesson is, “Be kind to the poor.” (Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young
People, 2001, p. 6) |
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Chin,
C. (1997). China’s
bravest girl: The legend of Hua Mu Lan. Illustrated by T. Arai. |
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Hua Mu Lan convinces her father that she must go to war
to protect the family honor - because there is no eldest son. In this
adaptation of the beloved Chinese legend of the maiden warrior, poet Charlie
Chin shows us a heroine who is courageous and wise, respectful and loving,
and able to meet men on equal terms. (Borders.com) |
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Czernecki,
S. (1997). The
cricket’s cage: A Chinese folktale. |
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The emperor of China orders the design of his towers to
be perfect or the architect will be put to death, but when Kuai Xiang is
forced to take on this very difficult task, he finds a friend in his newly
adopted cricket, Pipa, who helps him along the way. (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Davol,
M. W. (1997). The
paper dragon. Illustrated by R. Sabuda. |
|
When a terrible dragon awakens and begins to wreak havoc
on all the villages in his path, only humble scroll painter Mi Lei is wise
and clever enough to confront the scaly beast. Visually told in a series of
gatefold illustrations, all the storytelling majesty of the Chinese narrative
scroll-maker’s art is revealed. (amazon.com) |
|
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Demi. (1991). The
artist and the architect. |
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|
In ancient |
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Demi. (2007). The
boy who painted dragons.
McElderry. (1-4) |
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|
The
dragons are playing in heaven, riding clouds and creating things such as
"thunder and lightning, flying comets…sparkling northern lights,” and
rain. They also look for "pearls of heavenly wisdom” that are concealed in the clouds. One day,
they peer through a hole in the heavens to Earth where they spy on a boy
named |
|
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Demi. (1996). The
dragon’s tale and other animal fables of the Chinese Zodiac. |
|
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|
A clever fox shows how small creatures must live by
their wits. A boastful bear learns the hard way that pride invites calamity.
A wise dragon teaches that the more you know, the more you know there is to
know. Each of these fables about the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac
contains a jewel of wisdom. (amazon.com) |
|
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Demi. (2000). The
emperor’s new clothes: A tale set in China. |
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Based upon several different translations of the
original Danish story, Demi’s tale is set in old provincial |
|
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Demi. (1996). The
empty pot. |
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|
When Ping admits that he is the only child in |
|
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|
Demi. (2004).
The
greatest power.
McElderry. (2-4) |
|
|
|
This
companion to The Empty Pot (1990) continues the story of the life
of Ping, the young emperor who wants to bring harmony to his kingdom. |
|
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Demi. (1998). The
greatest treasure. |
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In this traditional Chinese tale, a poor man receives a
treasure of gold and discovers the true value of simple pleasures. (amazon.com) |
|
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|
Demi. (2000). Kites:
Magic wishes that fly up to the sky. |
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|
With the signature style and extraordinary artistry that
have won her a loyal following, Demi tells the story of how kites came to be.
Long ago in |
|
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Demi. (1988). Liang
and the magic paintbrush. |
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When a poor boy in |
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Demi. (2008). The
magic pillow. McElderry. (1-3) |
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Based
on a famous Chinese folktale, The Magic Pillow tells the story of a poor boy
named Ping who is given a magic pillow by a mysterious magician. |
|
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Demi.
(1994). The
magic tapestry: A Chinese folktale. |
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Demi embroiders her retelling of this ancient fairy tale
from |
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Demi. (1979). Under
the shade of the mulberry tree. |
|
|
|
Retells an old
Chinese folk tale in which a greedy rich man is outwitted by a beggar to whom
he sells the shade of the mulberry tree.
(card catalog) |
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Heyer, M. (1989). The
weaving of a dream: A Chinese folktale. |
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When the beautiful tapestry woven by a poor woman is
stolen by fairies, her three sons set out on a magical journey to retrieve
it. A retelling of a traditional Chinese tale. (card catalog) |
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Hillman,
E. (1996). Min-Yo
and the moon dragon. Illustrated by J. Wallner. |
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|
The people in a small village in |
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Hong,
L. T. (1995). The
empress and the silkworm. |
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|
A fictionalized account of the Empress of |
|
|
|
Hong, L. T. (1993). Two
of everything: A Chinese folktale. |
|
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|
A poor old Chinese farmer finds a magic brass pot that
doubles or duplicates whatever is placed inside it, but his effort to make
himself wealthy leads to unexpected complications. (card catalog) |
|
|
|
Jiang,
J. (2002). The
magical Monkey King: Mischief in heaven. Illustrated by H. H.
Su-Kennedy. |
|
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|
Chinese children grow up hearing
stories about the Monkey King. Here is a series of these stories retold with
humor and affection by Ji-li Jiang, the author of Red Scarf Girl (an |
|
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|
Kimmel,
E. A. (1998). Ten
suns: A Chinese legend. Illustrated
by Y. Xuan. |
|
|
|
When
the ten sons of Di Jun walk across the sky together causing the earth to burn
from the blazing heat, their father looks for a way to stop the destruction. (amazon.com) |
|
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Lee,
J. M. (2002). Bitter
dumplings. |
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|
This striking picture book ends with a new
beginning for three people who never expected to be friends -- an orphaned
girl cast out by her siblings, a slave escaping from a mighty emperor’s ship,
and a hunchbacked old woman known for the bitter-melon and shrimp dumplings
she brings to market each day -- and for living in a haunted house at the
edge of the marshes. As their hardship-filled paths cross, each of their
lives begins to change for the better, in a moving affirmation of the power
of compassion. (amazon.com) |
|
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|
Lee, J. M. (1995). The
song of Mu-Lan. |
|
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|
A retelling of a sixth century Chinese folk poem
illustrated with watercolor paintings. A young girl named Mu Lan disguises
herself as man to take her father’s place when the Emperor calls his vassals to
war. (Borders.com) |
|
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|
Louie, A. (1996). Yen-Shen,
a Cinderella story from China. Illustrated by E. Young. |
|
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|
This version of the Cinderella story, in which a young
girl overcomes the wickedness of her stepsister and stepmother to become the
bride of a prince, is based on ancient Chinese manuscripts written 1000 years
before the earliest European version. (card catalog) |
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Mahy, M. (1992). The
seven Chinese brothers. Illustrated by J. & M. Tseng. |
|
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|
Bold, colorful, and historically accurate illustrations
adorn a classic Chinese folktale, in which seven brothers use their
supernatural gifts to overpower a cruel emperor. (amazon.com) |
|
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|
McCunn, R. L. (1998). Pie-biter.
Illustrated by Y. Tang. |
|
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|
Based on real characters in the 1800s, Hoi, a young
Chinese immigrant, was left to his own devices after the Continental Railroad
was finished. With the help of Spanish Louis, he turned his creativity into
success by way of good-old American pies. Initially published in 1983 as the
Chinese American answer to Paul Bunyan, the story is now re-published in a
new design and a tri-lingual format. (amazon.com) |
|
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|
|
When the eldest
son fell in the well and most of the time getting help was spent pronouncing
the name of the one in trouble, the Chinese, according to legend, decided to
give all their children short names. (card
catalog) |
|
|
|
Pittman,
H. C. (1996). A
grain of rice. |
|
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|
A
clever, cheerful, hard-working farmer’s son wins the hand of a Chinese
princess by outwitting her father the Emperor, who treasures his daughter
more than all the rice in |
|
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|
Tompert, A. (1996). The
jade horse, the cricket and the peach stone. Illustrated by |
|
|
|
In ancient
China, a small boy, Pan Su, catches in his fishing net a small jade horse and
after some persuasion, ventures off to give the horse to the emperor, if he
can defeat the swindlers along the way. (amazon.com) |
|
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|
Tseng,
G. (1999). White
tiger, blue serpent. Illustrated by J. & M. Tseng. |
|
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|
When
his mother’s beautiful brocade is snatched away by a greedy goddess, a young
Chinese boy faces many perils as he attempts to get it back. (amazon.com) |
|
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|
Wang,
R. C. (1995). The
treasure chest: A Chinese tale. Illustrated by |
|
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|
A
rainbow-colored magic fish helps Laifu protect his bride-to-be from the evil
ruler Funtong. (Borders.com) |
|
|
|
Wolkstein,
D. (1996). White
wave: A Chinese tale. Illustrated by E. Young. |
|
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|
This
well-known Chinese tale speaks of love, loss, grief and rebirth. A young
farmer discovers an iridescent snail shell gleaming in the moonlight, later
to find that he has been blessed with the companionship of a moon goddess,
White Wave. His life is slowly transformed and his loneliness disappears, but
in his joy the farmer wants more than he was given and he loses what he
loves. (Borders.com) |
|
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|
Yen,
C. (1991). Why
rat comes first: A story of the Chinese Zodiac. Photographs by H. C.
Yoshida. |
|
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|
Explains
why Rat comes first in the Chinese calendar cycle of twelve years. (card catalog) |
|
|
|
Yep, L. (1999). The
dragon prince: A Chinese beauty and the beast tale. Illustrated by K.
Mak. |
|
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|
Long ago in |
|
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|
Yep.
L. (1992). The
rainbow people. Illustrated by D. Wiesner. |
|
|
|
A collection of twenty Chinese folk tales that were
passed on by word of mouth for generations, as told by some old timers newly
settled in the |
|
|
|
Yep,
L. (1993). The
shell woman and the king: A Chinese folktale. Illustrated by Y.
Ming-Yi. |
|
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|
Good
Wu marries a young woman who can change herself into a shell. Because of this
ability, a cruel ruler wishes to own her. In order to escape and save herself
and her husband, she must perform three wonders. Ming-Yi’s watercolor
paintings give the reader a real feel for |
|
|
|
Yep,
L. (1995). Tiger
woman. Illustrated by R. Roth. |
|
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|
When
a beggar asks a greedy woman to share some of her food with him, she replies:
“I’m a tiger when I’m famished, so begone, old beggar, vanish!” Truer words
were never spoken for as the greedy woman eats her meal she really does become
a tiger. Chased from her village, she learns the importance of sharing. This
story, told in rhyme, is a retelling of a |
|
|
|
Yolen,
J. (1998). The
emperor and the kite. Illustrated by E. Young. |
|
|
|
When
the emperor is imprisoned in a high tower, his smallest daughter, whom he has
always ignored, uses her kite to save him. (card catalog) |
|
|
|
Young,
E. (1998). Cat
and Rat: The legend of the Chinese Zodiac. |
|
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|
According
to Chinese legend, the twelve animals of the zodiac were selected by the Jade
Emperor after he invited all the animals to participate in a race. This is
the story of that race, the legend of how the 5,000-year-old zodiac came to
be. It is also the story of Cat and Rat, and why they will always be enemies.
(amazon.com) |
|
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Young,
E. (1994). Little
Plum. |
|
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|
In a Chinese version of Tom Thumb,
Little |
|
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Young,
E. (1996). Lon
Po Po: A Red Riding Hood story from China. |
|
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|
Three
sisters staying home alone are endangered by a hungry wolf who is disguised
as their grandmother. (card catalog) |
|
|
|
Young,
E. (2001). Monkey
King. |
|
|
|
From a fantastic explosion
is born the legendary Monkey King, the clever and courageous hero of one of
the best-known stories from |
|
|
|
Young,
E. (1997). Mouse
match: A Chinese folktale. |
|
|
|
Caldecott
medalist Ed Young retells an ancient Chinese tale of how a father mouse
travels to the end of the earth in search of the perfect husband for his
wonderful daughter. How could he have known when he set out that his journey
would lead him back home? (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Young,
E. (1995). Night
visitors. |
|
|
|
When
his father threatens to flood out the ants that have invaded his storehouse,
young Ho Kuan protests, and one night, he follows the ants to their secret
kingdom, in a story based on an ancient Chinese folktale. (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Young,
E. (1998). The
lost horse: A Chinese folktale. |
|
|
|
With delicate and dramatic
collage illustrations in pastel and watercolor, Young retells an old Chinese
folktale that has echoes in many cultures. (Booklist) |
Biography:
|
Ditchfield,
C. (1999). Sports
great Michael Chang. |
|
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|
A
biography of the Chinese-American tennis player who, in 1989, became the
youngest man to win the prestigious French Open tournament. (card catalog) |
|
|
|
Freedman,
R. (2002). Confucius:
The golden rule. Illustrated by F. Clement. |
|
|
|
Born in |
|
|
|
Lee,
A. & Turk, R. (1998). I
am Chinese American (Our American Family Series). |
|
|
|
Briefly
discusses a Chinese American’s heritage. (Borders.com) |
|
|
|
Ling,
B. (1997). Maya
Lin. |
|
|
|
Informative
but flatly written, this biography opens with Lin’s winning the design
contest for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, then briefly covers her childhood,
education, and career. Lin’s memorial artwork and public art projects are
detailed, and difficulties she has faced are lightly touched upon. (Horn Book, 1997) |
|
|
|
Malone, M. (1992). Connie
Chung: Broadcast journalist. |
|
|
|
A
detailed, informative, and readable chronicle of this resourceful, tenacious,
and popular Chinese-American and her career in television newscasting. Little
of her personal life is revealed, but the book explains her coverage of
McGovern’s presidential campaign and Watergate, as well as discussing the
development of television news. (Horn Book, 1992) |
|
|
|
Rambeck, R. (1997). Michele
Kwan. |
|
|
|
A biography of
world champion figure skater whose goal is to win gold medals in the 1998,
2002, and 2006 Winter Olympics.
(amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Riley,
G. B. (1995). Wah
Ming Chang: Artist and master of special effects. |
|
|
|
Examines
the life of artist Wah Ming Chang, who is best known for his special effects
for Disney films and the Star Trek series. (card catalog) |
|
|
|
Say,
A. (1996). El
Chino. |
|
|
|
A
biography of Bill Wong, a Chinese American who became a famous bullfighter in
|
|
|
|
Torres,
J. (1999). Michelle
Kwan: (Real-life reader biography). Bear, DE: |
|
|
|
A
biography of the young Chinese-American figure skater who won national and
world championships in 1996 and a silver medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Wellman,
S. (1998). Michele
Kwan. |
|
|
|
Describes the personal life and figure skating career of
the young Chinese American who won the National and World Championships in
1996. (card
catalog) |
Historical Fiction:
|
Coerr,
E. (1993). Chang’s
paper pony. Illustrated by D. K. Ray. |
|
|
|
In |
|
|
|
Fritz,
J. (1999). Homesick:
My own story. Illustrated by M. Tomes. |
|
|
|
This is the author’s own story of her upbringing in |
|
|
|
Goldin, B. (1996). Red
means good fortune: A story of San Francisco’s Chinatown. Illustrated
by W. Ma. |
|
|
|
A twelve-year old named Jin Mun works for his father
doing laundry. Jin Mun is shocked to discover that one of his neighbors is a
slave girl, unable to leave her house. (card catalog) |
|
|
|
Hong,
L. T. (1995). The
empress and the silkworm. |
|
|
|
A fictionalized account of the Empress of |
|
|
|
Krensky,
S. (1995). The
iron dragon never sleeps. Illustrated by T. Fulweiler. |
|
|
|
Ten-year-old Winnie and her mother spend the summer of
1867 with Winnie’s father, a mining engineer for the Central Pacific
Railroad. While the Central Pacific weathers a strike by the Chinese
immigrant laborers, Winnie’s view of the world is forever changed by Lee
Cheng, a young tea carrier. (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Lord, B. B. (1986). In
the year of the boar and Jackie Robinson. Illustrated by M. Simont. |
|
|
|
In 1947, a Chinese child comes to |
|
|
|
Partridge, E. (2003). Oranges
on Golden Mountain. Illustrated by A. Sogabe. |
|
|
|
"You are never alone. Your dream
spirit, your Hun, will make sure of that,” Jo Lee’s mother tells him when she
sends him across the ocean to fish with Fourth Uncle on Golden
Mountain-California. Adjusting to the strange new land is not easy, but the
orange branches he has brought from home and his Hun’s nighttime travels
remind Jo Lee of his roots and nourish his growth. In
this finely wrought story of one Chinese boy’s transition to a new life in
late-nineteenth-century California, Elizabeth Partridge captures the
determination, family strength, and courage needed by all immigrants. Aki
Sogabe’s cut-paper illustrations, as rich in character and historical detail
as the text, soar with drama, imagination, and-like Jo Lee’s Hun-a deep
desire to connect. (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Yee, P. (1999). Tales
from Gold Mountain: Stories of the Chinese in the new world.
Illustrated by S. Ng. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books. (4-6) |
|
|
|
Eight
original stories give readers a sense of the hardships faced by the first
Chinese-Americans. In “Spirits of the Railway”, a young man appeases the
ghosts of dead railroad workers who were never properly buried. In “Forbidden
Fruit”, a father’s prejudice keeps his daughter from marrying her beloved.
Dramatic, full-color illustrations accompany the stories. (Borders.com) |
|
|
|
Yep,
L. (1989). Dragonwings:
Golden Mountain Chronicles, 1903. |
|
|
|
In the early
twentieth century a young Chinese boy joins his father in |
|
|
|
Yep, L. (2006). The
Earth Dragon awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
HarperCollins. (3-5) |
|
|
|
On the evening of April 17, 1906,
neither eight-year-old Henry nor his friend Ching is aware that the earth
beneath their |
|
|
|
Yin.
(2001). Coolies.
Illustrated by C. K. Soentpiet. |
|
|
|
When
Shek and little Wong journey to |
|
Ho,
M., editor. (1996). Maples
in the mist: Poems for children from the Tang Dynasty. Illustrated by
J & M Tseng. |
|
|
|
Chinese
children have always learned to read by memorizing poetry, and the poems of
the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) are widely accepted as the best classical
poems in |
|
|
|
Mak, K. (2001). My
Chinatown: One year in poems. |
|
|
|
Kam Mak grew up in a place of two cultures, one existing
within the other. Using extraordinarily beautiful paintings and moving poems,
he shares a year of growing up in this small city within a city, which is
called |
|
|
|
Wong, J. S. (1994). Good
luck gold and other poems. |
|
|
|
The collection of poems, most written from the point of
view of a young Asian-American girl, capture loving and poignant
recollections of family members and tell of moments where American, Chinese,
and Korean cultures meet or clash. (Horn Book, 1995) |
|
|
|
Wong,
J. S. (2000). This
next New Year. Illustrated by Y. Choi. |
|
|
|
A young boy prepares for Chinese New Year with rituals and
wide hopes, in this illustrated, free verse poem. The narrator, who is half
Korean, describes how he and his friends, like so many people in a multicultural
society, celebrate the holiday with a modern blend of adopted and inherited
traditions: the boy’s mother makes traditional Korean new year soup; Evelyn,
part Hopi and Mexican, loves the money-stuffed red envelopes from her
Singaporean neighbor; and Glenn, part French and German, “calls it Chinese
New Year, too, even though he celebrates it at his house by eating Thai food
to go.” At home, the boy cleans the house, “so it can soak up good luck like
an empty sponge,” grooms himself, and pledges to be brave and positive—“none
of that can't do,
don't have, why me.”
Choi’s smooth, brightly colored paintings--filled with firecrackers,
dragons, and other cultural symbols--ably illustrate the optimistic activity
and the yearning in the accessible, rhythmic text. Children of diverse
backgrounds will connect with the boy’s earnest desire to help change the
family’s luck and realize his own potential. (Booklist) |
|
|
|
Wyndham, R., editor.
(1998). Chinese
Mother Goose rhymes. Illustrated by E. Young. |
|
|
|
Enchanting
album of rhymes, riddles, lullabies and games that have amused Chinese
children for centuries. English with traditional Chinese calligraphy. (Asia for Kids 2000 – 2001 Educational Catalog, p.
20) |
|
|
|
Young, E. (2005). Beyond
the great mountains. Chronicle
Books. (4-6) |
|
|
|
Ed
Young’s spare prose, as lovely as a rice-paper painting, describes in
measured detail the beautiful and mystical land that the author so clearly
loves. The unique format and gorgeous paper-collage illustrations,
highlighted with Chinese characters, combine to convey the many facets of |
|
Armstrong, J. (1996). Chin
Yu Min and the ginger cat. Illustrated by M. Grandpre. |
|
|
|
The proud and haughty widow Chin Yu Min finds happiness
and humility through her friendship with a mysterious ginger cat in an
original, moving and beautifully told story of Chinese culture. (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Flack,
M. (1977). The
story about Ping. Illustrated by K. Wiese. |
|
|
|
A
little duck finds adventure on the |
|
|
|
Lobel, A. (1993). Ming
Lo moves the mountain. |
|
|
|
A wise man tells Ming Lo how to move the mountain away
from his house.
(card catalog) |
|
|
|
Partridge,
E. (2001). Oranges
on Golden Mountain. Illustrated by A. Sogabe. |
|
|
|
"You are never alone. Your dream spirit, your Hun,
will make sure of that”, Jo Lee’s mother tells him when she sends him across
the ocean to fish with Fourth Uncle on Golden Mountain-California. Adjusting
to the strange new land is not easy, but the orange branches he has brought
from home and his Hun’s nighttime travels remind Jo Lee of his roots and
nourish his growth. In this finely wrought story of one Chinese boy’s
transition to a new life in late-nineteenth-century California, Elizabeth
Partridge captures the determination, family strength, and courage needed by
all immigrants. Aki Sogabe’s cut-paper illustrations, as rich in character
and historical detail as the text, soar with drama, imagination, and - like
Jo Lee’s Hun - a deep desire to connect. (amazon.com) |
|
|
|
Steckman,
E. (1997). Silk
peony, parade dragon. Illustrated by C. Inouye. |
|
|
|
Mrs.
Ming owns a dragon farm, and the dragon, Silk Peony, is her pride and joy.
But negotiating a fair rental price for Silk Peony to march in the New Year’s
Day parade turns out to be quite a task. First the mandarin is rude, then he
bargains mercilessly, and finally he won't cough up! In the end, happily,
Mrs. Ming gets her way in this original fable. (Borders.com) |