Chinese Americans

Realistic fiction

Non-fiction

Traditional

Biography

Historical fiction

Poetry

Fantasy

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Note: RECENTLY ADDED TITLES APPEAR IN RED.

Realistic Fiction:

Ashley, B. (1995). Cleversticks. Illustrated by D. Brazell. New York: Random House. (K-3)

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)

Cheng, A. (2003). Grandfather counts. Illustrated by A. Zhang. Lee & Low. (K-4)

When Helen”s grandfather, Gong Gong, comes from China to live with her family, he’s shocked to find that none of his grandchildren speak Chinese. How will he communicate with them? At first he keeps to himself. Then one day he joins Helen to watch the trains. He starts counting the train cars in Chinese, and she repeats the words. Then Helen says the numbers in English. They continue to teach each other, and Helen even learns her Chinese name, which means "flower.” In this luminously illustrated intergenerational story, the devotion between a young girl and her grandfather helps them overcome barriers of age and language. (amazon.com)

Cheng, A. (2004). Honeysuckle house. Front Street. (3-5)

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 Cincinnati from Shanghai, and is trying to make sense of a whole new world - pretty much clueless to all the things Sarah is hip to. The two girls are paired together in school, as if Asian appearance were proof of parallel lives and experience. ("I don't speak Chinese,” Sarah keeps having to explain.) It’s the daily, common stuff of childhood intrigue that finally manages to connect their stories and forge a friendship. A whole constellation of adult concerns swirl around them - green card worries, assimilation, absent fathers, family tensions - but Andrea Cheng remains true to the heart and voice and vision of two ten-year-old girls, in a story which blends tears and games, drama and play. (amazon.com)

Cheng, A. (2003). The key collection. Illustrated by Y. Choi. Holt. (3-5)

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 Shanghai, and shows him such things as a fascinating collection of keys. Jimmy is heartbroken when he learns Ni Ni is moving to San Francisco to live with his aunt, but the blow of losing Ni Ni is softened somewhat by a friendship that develops between Jimmy and a boy named Jason. Jimmy is reunited with Ni Ni after his aunt sends a ticket for him to fly out to San Francisco for his grandmother’s eightieth birthday. During the visit, Jimmy comes to realize that there are ways for him and his grandmother to bridge the distance between them. This warm, reassuring story of intergenerational friendship is decorated with black-and-white illustrations of key scenes that add further emotional content. (Booklist)

Chin-Lee, C. (1993). Almond cookies and Dragon Well tea. Illustrated by Y. S. Tang. Chicago. IL: Polychrome. (K-3)

Erica visits the home of Nancy, a Chinese American girl, and makes many delightful discoveries about her friend’s cultural heritage. (card catalog)

Chinn, K. (1997). Sam and the lucky money. New York: Lee and Low Books. (K-3)

Anticipating spending his gift of Lucky Money on Chinese New Year’s day, Sam accompanies his mother to Chinatown, where he watches a dancing New Year’s lion, visits many colorful and good-smelling shops, and learns a special lesson. (amazon.com)

Lee, H. V. (1998). At the beach. New York: Henry Holt. (K-3)

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)

Lee, H. V. (1998). In the park. New York: Henry Holt. (K-3)

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)

Lee, H. V. (2000). In the snow. New York: Henry Holt. (K-3)

A mother and son practice writing Chinese characters in the snow. Introduces the characters for ten simple words. (Borders.com)

Levine, E. (1995). I hate English! Illustrated by S. Bjorkman. New York: Scholastic Trade. (K-2)

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 New York’s Chinatown. (Horn Book, 1990)

Lin, G. (2005). The year of the dog. Little, Brown Young Readers. (3-5)

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)

Look, L. (2001). Henry’s First-Moon birthday. Illustrated by Y. Heo. New York: Simon & Schuster/Atheneum. (K-3)

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)

Look, L. (2004). Ruby Lu, brave and true. Illustrated by A. Wilsdorf. Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books. (1-3)

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 Chinatown to visit GungGung and PohPoh. And then there are the days when it’s very hard to be Ruby. Like when her mom suggests Chinese school on Saturdays. Or when her little brother, Oscar, spills all of Ruby’s best magician secrets. Or when her parents don’t think she’s old enough to drive! Come along with Ruby Lu in her chapter-book debut -- which even includes a flip book of a magic trick -- and share the good and the not-so-good days with an (almost) eight-year-old Asian-American kid. (amazon.com)

Look, L. (2006). Ruby Lu, Empress of everything. Illustrated by A. Wilsdorf. Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books. (2-4).

When Ruby’s cousin Flying Duck emigrates from China to live with her, Ruby decides the best thing about Flying Duck is that she is a great new friend. BUT the worst thing about Flying Duck is that now, no one speaks English at home. Plus, there’s strange food on the table every night and only chopsticks to eat it with. And Flying Duck is deaf, and Ruby doesn’t know any Chinese Sign Language.

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)

Look, L. (2006). Uncle Peter’s amazing Chinese wedding. Illustrated by Y. Heo. Atheneum/Anne Schwartz Books. (K-3)

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)

Low, W. (1997). Chinatown. New York: Henry Holt. (K-3)

In this tribute to his own childhood in Chinatown, William Low melds a spare, evocative text with richly descriptive art, a combination that lends a feeling of immediacy to every page. Herbal shops, outdoor markets, and a tai chi chuan class in the park are among the many sights a young boy sees when taking a walk with his grandmother. (amazon.com)

Molnar-Fenton, S. (1998). An Mei’s strange and wondrous journey. Illustrated by V. Flesher. New York: Dorling Kindersley. (K-3))

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)

Namioka, L. (2002). Yang the eldest and his odd jobs. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. New York: Yearling Books. (4-6)

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)

Namioka, L. (2000). Yang the second and her secret admirers. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. New York: Yearling Books. (4-6)

While her younger siblings have adopted many American customs since moving from China to Seattle, Yinglan Yang clings to her Chinese heritage so her brother and sister hatch a plot to convert her to American culture. (card catalog)

Namioka, L. (1999). Yang the third and her impossible family. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. New York: Yearling Books. (4-6)

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)

Namioka, L. (1994). Yang the youngest and his terrible ear. Illustrated by K. deKiefte. New York: Yearling Books. (4-6)

Recently arrived in Seattle from China, musically untalented Yangtao is faced with giving a violin performance to attract new students for his father when he would rather be working on friendships and playing baseball. (card catalog)

Nunes, S. M. (1997). The last dragon. Illustrated by C. K. Soentpiet. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (K-3))

While spending the summer in Chinatown with his great-aunt, a young boy finds an old ten-man dragon in a shop and gets a number of people to help him repair it. (amazon.com)

Peacock, C. A. (2000). Mommy far, mommy near: An adoption story. Illustrated by S. C. Brownell. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman. (K-3)

Although Elizabeth, a young Chinese girl, is secure in the love of her adoptive Caucasian American family, she still has questions. Why, if China is such a big country, wasn’t there room for all the babies? Didn’t her mother love her? Such questions surface in games with her younger Chinese sister, in loving give-and-take with her American mother, and in hurt feelings after seeing a Chinese mother and daughter at the playground. Decorated in floral patterns and colored in lush, velvety hues, the thickly stroked, realistic artwork expands on the text while heightening the emotions it conveys. Elizabeth’s misgivings are met head-on by her adoptive mother’s reassurance, love, and thoughtful responses. The mother’s tender support not only reassures Elizabeth but will also benefit other adoptees, especially those from Third World countries, as it reinforces the efforts of all loving, adoptive parents. (Booklist)

Porte, B. A. (1993). Leave that cricket be, Alan Lee. Illustrated by D. Ruff. New York: Greenwillow. (K-3)

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)

Sing, R. (1994). Chinese New Year’s dragon. Illustrated by S. W. Liu. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. (K-3)

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 China. Bright, colorful illustrations complement this informative and imaginative tale. (amazon.com)

Tan, A. (1995). The Moon Lady. Illustrated by G. Schields. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. (1-5)

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)

Tompert, A. (1997). Grandfather Tang’s story. Illustrated by R. A. Parker. New York: Dragonfly. (K-3)

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)

Trottier, M. (1996). The tiny kite of Eddie Wing. Illustrated by A. Van Mil. New York: Kane/Miller. (K-3)

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)

Vaughan, M. K. (1996). The dancing dragon. Illustrated by S. W. Foon. New York: Mondo. (K-3)

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)

Wallace, I. (1998). Chin Chiang and the dragon’s dance. Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books. (K-1).

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)

Williams, V. B. (1997). Lucky song. New York: Greenwillow Books. (K-2)

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.

Yang, B. (2004). Hannah is my name. Candlewick. (1-3)

In an upbeat immigration story, Yang draws on her own experience of coming to America from Taiwan at age seven in the late 1960s. The bright gouache pictures of San Francisco draw strongly on Chinese and American traditions, with geometric cutout shapes depicting people crowding the streets, at school, and at the workplace--all from the child’s viewpoint. This story isn’t about missing the old country or being a stranger, and most people are friendly. Hannah learns to sing "This Land Is My Land,” and she reads Curious George in Woolworths. The tension is in the threat of deportation as the family waits for green cards that will allow everyone to live freely in the U.S. Mama and Papa work, but they hide from the officials who come to check their papers; Hannah’s friend’s family is sent back to Taiwan. The struggle with documentation and the celebration when the green cards finally arrive in the mail is a drama many immigrant families will recognize. (Booklist)

Ye, T. X. (1999). Share the sky. Illustrated by S. Langlois. Willowdale, ON: Annick Press. (K-3)

Young Fei-Fei loves kites and often flies them with her grandfather in China. When her parents, living in North America, send for her, she is filled with misgivings but adjusts smoothly to her new life. Despite the appealing kite motif, the story is a little too prim and proper to really soar. However, the illustrations are lively, and cultural misperceptions are presented with charming simplicity. (Horn Book, 1999)

Yee, L. (2005). Millicent Min, Girl Genius. Scholastic. (5-6)

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)

Yee, L. (2005). Stanford Wong flunks big time. Levine/Scholastic. (5-6)

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)

Yep, L. (1990). Child of the owl. New York: HarperTrophy. (5-6)

This spellbinding tale of the contradictions and special heritage of growing up Chinese-American is set in early 1960s Chinatown in San Francisco. (amazon.com)

Yep, L. (2002). Dream soul. New York: HarperTrophy. (5-6).

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 West Virginia! Miss Lucy, their landlady and friend, innocently invites the family to celebrate Christmas with her. Joan’s parents resist at first, but that changes when Papa realizes he can turn it to his advantage. The children can have Christmas, but only if they are good--all the time. (amazon.com)

Yep, L. (1997). Later, gator. Illustrated by E. Valasquez. New York: Disney Press. (4-6)

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)

Yep, L. (1997). Ribbons. New York: Scott Foresman. (5-6)

When Robin Lee is forced to give up her beloved ballet lessons because her parents need the money to bring her grandmother to America from China, Robin finds herself resenting this difficult--and different--elderly foreign woman, crippled by years of having her feet bound. (amazon.com)

Yep, L. (1998). The case of the goblin pearls. New York: HarperTrophy. (4-6)

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)

Yep, L. (1999). The case of the lion dance. New York: HarperTrophy. (4-6)

After a bomb explodes in front of a Chinatown restaurant, twelve-year-old Lily and her great aunt, Tiger Lil, a former Hollywood actress, uncover a waitress’s longtime plot for revenge. The action packed mystery neatly weaves in explanations of Chinese culture including a glimpse into the sometimes uncomfortable relationship between native born and foreign born Chinese which serves to balance the few unbelievable coincidences. (amazon.com)

Yep, L. (1992). The Star Fisher. New York: Puffin. (5-6)

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)

Yep, L. (1997). Thief of hearts. New York: HarperTrophy. (5-6)

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)

BACK

Non-fiction:

Behrens, J. (1989). Gung hay fat choy. Chicago: Children’s Press. (K-3)

Explains the significance of the Chinese New Year and describes its celebration by Chinese Americans. (card catalog)

Brown, T. (1997). Chinese New Year. New York: Henry Holt. (K-3)

Text and photographs depict the celebration of Chinese New Year by Chinese-Americans living in San Francisco’s Chinatown. (card catalog)

Burckhardt, A. L. (1996). The people of China and their food. Mankato, MN: Bridgestone Books. (4-6)

Describes food customs and preparation in China, regional dishes, and cooking techniques; includes recipes for a variety of meals. (card catalog)

Chin, S. (1996). Dragon parade: A Chinese New Year Story. Illustrated by M. Tseng. Austin, TX: Raintree Steck-Vaughn. (4-6)

Norman Ah Sing, an immigrant from China, organized the first big Chinese New Year celebration in San Francisco in 1851. (Horn Book, 1993)

Daley, W. & Stotsky, S. (1995). The Chinese Americans. New York: Chelsea House. (4-6)

Discusses the history, culture, and religion of the Chinese, factors encouraging their immigration, and their acceptance as an ethnic group in North America. (card catalog)

Demi. (1999). Happy New Year! Kung-Hsi Fa-Ts’Ai! New York: Dragonfly. (K-3)

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)

Fisher, L. E. (1995). The great wall of China. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks. (4-6)

A brief history of the Great Wall of China, begun about 2,200 years ago to keep out Mongol invaders. (card catalog)

Hobbler, D & Hoobler, T. (1998). The Chinese American family album. New York: Oxford University Press. (5-6)

Using oral histories, letters, diaries, excerpts from literature, and authentic photographs, an album capturing the experiences, dreams, and struggles of Chinese immigrants in America offers a slice of living history for the multicultural American family. (amazon.com)

Hoyt-Goldsmith, D. (1999). Celebrating Chinese New Year. Illustrated by L. Migdale. New York: Holiday House. (1-5)

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 San Francisco’s Chinatown. (Horn Book, 1999)

Kite, L. (2000). The Chinese (We came to North America). New York: Crabtree Publications. (4-6)

With the opening of the west in North America, many Chinese left great hardship behind to work in the gold mines, on farms, and on the railroads. This fascinating account of their early contributions and the prejudice they faced is highlighted with full-color artwork and eyewitness accounts. Detailed maps show where they settled and how their traditions are still celebrated today. (amazon.com)

Krach, M. S. (2000). D is for Doufu: A Book of Chinese Culture. Illustrated by H. Zhang. Chicago, IL: Shen’s Books. (4-6)

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)

MacDonald, F. (1998). Marco Polo: A journey through China (Expedition). Illustrated by M. Bergin. Danbury, CT: Franklin Watts. (4-6)

A fascinating book with detailed illustrations of the many wonders that Marco Polo saw on his journey to China and back. Visit with the Mongol emperor Kublai Khan, sail on a giant Chinese junk and explore the dangers of the Silk Road. (Asia for Kids 2000 – 2001 Educational Catalog, p. 22)

Tan, J. (1989). Food in China. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Publications. (All ages)

Surveys food products, customs, and preparation in China, describing regional dishes, cooking techniques, and recipes for a variety of meals. (card catalog)

Waters, K. & Slovenz-Low, M. (1991). Lion dancer: Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year. Photographs by M. Cooper. New York: Scholastic Trade. (K-3)

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)

Williams, S. (1997). Made in China: Ideas and inventions from ancient China. Illustrated by A. Fong. San Francisco, CA: Pacific View Press. (4-6)

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)

Wong, L. K. (2006). Good fortune: My journey to Gold Mountain. Peachtree. (3-6)

An elementary school teacher for 35 years tells about her family’s journey to America, their interrogation at Angel Island, and the difficult life they faced in Oakland, CA, where her father ran an illegal lottery business. Paw Paw worked in Gold Mountain and sent money home. One day, the author, her two sisters, and their mother received a letter announcing that they would be returning with him after his next visit. The family studied the papers that he sent to prepare them for the difficult questions they would be asked upon their arrival. Particularly worrisome was the fact that Paw Paw wasn’t allowed to bring his wife to America, so she would be posing as his sister. This memoir clearly shows the hardships, sacrifices, and eventual successes of the Chinese families who came to America during the Depression. The extensive use of dialogue, which of course cannot be accurate after so many years have passed, and the plain telling of the story make the book easily accessible to elementary school readers. However, some explanation for the unusual spelling of the Chinese words would have been helpful since the transliteration does not appear to be the standard pinyin or Wade-Giles used for Mandarin and Cantonese. Photographs of the family when they are older show prosperous and happy people and leave readers with a sense of the richness of the immigrant experience. (School Library Journal)

Young, E. (2006). My Mei Mei. Philomel. (K-2)

There are other picture books about traveling to China to adopt a child, but what sets this one apart is the relationship between the first adoptive daughter, Antonia, and her Mei Mei, or younger sister. Based on Young’s experience, the text follows Antonia’s story beginning with her arrival from China and her early years, to her request for a Mei Mei, to her disillusionment with her less-than-perfect sibling, to the girls evolving closeness and love for each other. The narrative is told gracefully in Antonia’s expressive, childlike voice: “When we returned, I found out that she was not what she ought to be. She couldn’t walk. She couldn’t talk. She couldn’t play. She took all the attention away from me.” Young’s illustrations in gouache, pastel, and collage are irresistibly beautiful and filled with feeling. A significant page turn takes readers from Antonia’s anticipation about their first meeting to Mei Mei’s crying baby face filling an entire page. Most spreads achieve a serene unity through the use of varying wallpaper-like designs. A definitive composition shows the sisters lying together, legs intertwined, sharing a book, their form echoed against a gently curving floral background. A simple story of family bonds unerringly told. (School Library Journal)

Young, E. (2003). Voices of the heart. New York: Scholastic Trade. (K-3)

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)

BACK

Traditional:

Bang, M. G. (1992). Tye May and the magic brush. New York: Mulberry Books. (K-3)

In a dream a poor orphan is given a brush that brings to life everything she paints. (amazon.com)

Bateson-Hill, M. (1998). Lao Lao of dragon mountain. New York: Larousse Kingfisher Chambers. (K-3)

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)

Casanova, M. (2000). The hunter: A Chinese folktale. Illustrated by E. Young. New York: Atheneum. (K-3)

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)

Chang, C. (1994). The seventh sister: A Chinese legend. Illustrated by C. Reasoner. New York: Troll Associates. (K-3)

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)

Chang, M. & Chang, R. (1997). The beggar’s magic: A Chinese tale. Illustrated by D. Johnson. New York: Margaret McElderry. (2-5)

A cautionary tale from ancient China, full of contemporary appeal. A greedy, selfish farmer gets his comeuppance at the August Moon Festival, when the kindly beggar priest whom he has slighted performs a magic trick that makes the farmer a laughingstock of the village. (amazon.com)

Chen, K. (2000). Lord of the cranes: A Chinese Tale. Illustrated by J. J. Chen. New York: North-South. (K-3)

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)

Chin, C. (1997). China’s bravest girl: The legend of Hua Mu Lan. Illustrated by T. Arai. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press. (4-6)