Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year, is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the Lunar calendar. In Chinese culture and East Asian countries, the festival is commonly referred to as the Spring Festival. The Chinese zodiac assigns an animal to each year in a repeating twelve-year cycle. In 2024 the Chinese New Year starts on Feb 10 which marks the start of the Year of the Dragon – Dragons in Chinese culture symbolize great power, good luck and strength. They represent power and authority, particularly control over water, rainfall and floods. Emperors were assumed to have descended from the dragons. That is why, out of the twelve zodiac signs, the Dragon is the most popular one. 2024 is predicted to be a year of luck.
These 15 gorgeous children’s books offer a great way to introduce your child to the magic of the Lunar New Year and its rich symbolism and traditions.
1. Long Goes to Dragon School by Helen H. Wu, illustrated by Mae Besom; Yeehoo Press, 2023
Wrapped in Eastern and Western dragon lore, this fantasy tale celebrates perseverance, cultural inclusion, and self-discovery.
It’s the first day of Dragon School, where all the young dragons must learn how to harness their fire breath. Today’s lesson? Using it to cook food! All the dragons are excited to test their powers . . . except Long.
Long is from the East and can only breathe out water. No matter how hard he huffs and puffs, he isn’t sure he can match his fire breathing classmates. But will he be discovered? Or will Long find his own unique path to cooking-and to fitting in?
From TOFU TAKES TIME author Helen H. Wu and New York Times bestselling illustrator Mae Besom (WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN IDEA?) comes a gorgeously illustrated and stirring tale around self-discovery.
Click HERE to download this FREE Lunar New Year Coloring Book, featuring the Chinese dragon, Long, and his dragon friend, Axolotl Dragon, celebrating Lunar New Year, eating dumplings, bringing good luck, and wishing you health and wealth in a variety of scenes! Use these pages for early finishers, indoor recess, parties, writing prompts, story starters, and more!
2. Tofu Takes Time by Helen H. Wu, illustrated by Julie Jarema; Beaming Books, 2022
Lin and her grandma, NaiNai, are making tofu from scratch! When NaiNai goes through each step, from blending soybeans with water to molding curd into shape, Lin gradually becomes impatient. But she soon discovers that making tofu not only takes time, but also takes the whole universe! It takes the seed from soil and sunshine, the cloth from thread and fiber, weight and space, books of words and pictures. And most of all, it takes spending lovely time with her beloved grandmother.
In this charming tale by Helen H. Wu, readers will marvel at how patience brings a whole universe together in a simple dish made by a modern Chinese American family. Perfect for fans of Fry Bread, Drawn Together and Thank You, Omu.
3. A Sweet New Year for Ren by Michelle Sterling, illustrated by Dung Ho; Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2022
Celebrate the Lunar New Year through a young girl’s family traditions in this charming picture book featuring illustrations by New York Times bestselling artist Dung Ho that also includes a recipe for pineapple cakes!
Little Ren looks forward to the preparation for and festivities of Lunar New Year, but she is always too little to help make the delicious pineapple cakes that are her favorite. She watches family members rolling out the dough and loves the mouth-watering smell. Watching and waiting, when will Ren be old enough?
4. Year of the Cat by Richard Ho, illustrated by Jocelyn Li Langrand; Greenwillow Books, 2022
A legendary race determined the order of the animals in the Chinese zodiac calendar . . . but what happened to Cat, the one animal who never received a year? Rat, Cat, and their eleven friends star in this funny animal adventure that introduces young readers to both the Chinese zodiac and the importance of apologizing.
Rat won the Great Race, which determined the order of the Chinese zodiac calendar. But he did it using trickery that left poor Cat behind. Now, Rat wants to make amends . . . or so he says. Rat, Pig, Dog, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Horse, Snake, Dragon, Tiger, Rabbit, and Ox all set off to apologize to Cat. Yet somehow, by the end of the journey, Rat is the only one left. And Cat has a special surprise for him.
5. Ruby’s Chinese New Year by Vickie Lee, illustrated by Joey Chou; Henry Holt and Co., 2017
In this picture book celebrating Chinese New Year, animals from the Chinese zodiac help a little girl deliver a gift to her grandmother. Ruby has a special card to give to her grandmother for Chinese New Year. But who will help her get to grandmother’s house to deliver it? Will it be clever Rat, strong Ox, or cautious Rabbit? Ruby meets each of the twelve zodiac animals on her journey. This picture book includes back matter with a focus on the animals of the Chinese zodiac.
6. Playing with Lanterns by Wang Yage, illustrated by Zhu Chengliang, translated by Helen Wang; Amazon Crossing Kids, Jan 2022
Zhao Di wishes the New Year would never end!
Zhao Di and her friends are excited to go out at night with their paper lanterns and celebrate Chinese New Year. Each holding a unique colorful lantern with a lit candle inside, they admire the breathtaking colors while doing their best to avoid the wind and the sneaky boys in the village. Every night, until the fifteenth day of New Year, Zhao Di and her friends take part in this fun tradition, experiencing the thrill of nighttime in their village. And then―it’s time to smash the lanterns!
7. Alex’s Good Fortune by Benson Shum; Penguin Workshop, 2020
In this story designed to engage early readers, charming characters combine with simple text, lively illustrations, and laugh-out-loud humor to help boost kids’ confidence and create lifelong readers! Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for Alex and her family, so it’s even more special when she gets to share her favorite traditions with her best friend, Ethan. Together, they join the Chinese New Year parade and get to help 6. make the dragon dance. Then they prepare for the festivities by tidying up, decorating, and making dumplings. After that, it’s time to open red envelopes, eat a great big feast, and enjoy the lantern festival! Exciting, easy-to-read books are the stepping stone a young reader needs to bridge the gap between being a beginner and being fluent.
8. The Whole World Inside Nan’s Soup by Hunter Liguore, illustrated by Vikki Zhang; Yeehoo Press, 2021
A rumination on our ability to recognize our interconnectedness with all people, that in order to eat a single meal, it takes the whole world to make it. There’s something special bubbling in Nanni’s big metal pot. And it smells delicious! What ingredients might be inside? When Nanni lifts the lid on her soup, she reveals the whole world inside: from the seeds that grew into vegetables, to the gardeners who lovingly tended to the plants, to the sun, moon, and stars that shone its light above them. And, of course, no meal is complete without a recipe passed down generations of family, topped and finished with Nanni’s love.
In this tender tale by award-winning author Hunter Liguore and artist Vikki Zhang, readers will marvel at how a community and world can come together to put on an unforgettable meal between a granddaughter and her Nanni. Perfect for fans of Good People Everywhere, Thank You,Omu and Fry Bread.
9. Chloe’s Lunar New Year by Lily LaMotte, illustrated by Michelle Lee; HarperCollins, 2023
“Themes of love and family underlie the snappy text.” —Kirkus
It’s almost Lunar New Year, and Chloe can’t wait to celebrate! But first, Chloe and her family must prepare for the new year. They buy new shoes, lay out good-luck oranges in a bowl, decorate the red envelope, and make a crispy turnip cake. Everyone comes together to cook a fantastic feast, saving a plate for A-má, of course. Chloe enjoys the festive celebration and yummy food, but most of all, she loves spending time with her family.
Lily LaMotte and Michelle Lee have created a tender, warm, and uplifting holiday story about tradition and the importance of being with those you love.
The backmatter contains educational facts about the Lunar New Year celebration in Taiwan and a fun recipe for a yummy fortune cake!
10. Friends Are Friends Forever by Dane Liu, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield; Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2022
A picture book based on the author’s own immigration story, the infinite impact of friendship, and passing on love and kindness around the world.
On a snowy Lunar New Year’s Eve in Northeastern China, it’s Dandan’s last night with Yueyue. Tomorrow, she moves to America. The two best friends have a favorite wintertime tradition: crafting paper-cut snowflakes, freezing them outside, and hanging them as ornaments.
As they say goodbye, Yueyue presses red paper and a spool of thread into Dandan’s hands so that she can carry on their tradition. But in her new home, Dandan has no one to enjoy the gift with―until a friend comes along.
11. Tet Together by Alice Trinh; Nov 2021
Tết, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, is a time of celebration and it involves much preparation. This festive story is a great introduction to the most important Vietnamese cultural holiday. Readers will learn the significance of each tradition during this special time.
As families prepare to celebrate Tết, it is also a time of reflection and togetherness. Families come together to help sweep out the old year, hang dazzling decorations, and prepare lavish meals to share. Discover how the anticipation of Tết and the days of festivities that follow, all culminate in the celebration of families and the Vietnamese cultural heritage.
12. Grumpy New Year by Katrina Moore, illustrated by Xindi Yan; little bee books, 2022
This funny and heartwarming follow-up to Grandpa Grumps celebrates Lunar New Year and the love of a doting grandparent.
Daisy is traveling to China, and she’s excited to see her Yeh-Yeh again! She has big plans for all the fun they’ll have together in preparation for Lunar New Year, like flying kites and making jiao zi. But when she arrives, she has trouble sleeping and is less jolly than she hoped. Throughout the week, Yeh-Yeh tries all sorts of things to help her have a fun holiday and get her past her grumpiness. Will Daisy be able to get some rest and have one perfect day before she goes home?
13. Tomorrow Is New Year’s Day by Aram Kim; Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR); Bilingual edition, 2022
From Korean American author-illustrator Aram Kim, Tomorrow is New Year’s Day follows a little girl sharing the fun customs of Seollal―the Korean Lunar New Year―with her classmates.
Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, is Mina’s favorite day of the year.
Mina can’t wait to share the customs of Seollal with all of her friends at school. She will show her classmates her colorful hanbok, demonstrate how to do sebae, and then everyone will make tasty tteokguk in the cooking room. Yum! Her little brother may even join in on the fun… if he can find a way out of his bad mood.
In this joyful book about sharing age-old cultural celebrations with new friends, Aram Kim has created a must-have book for the New Year’s season. A glossary of Korean terms, with pronunciation guide, is included.
14. Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas by Natasha Yim, Illustrated by Grace Zong; Charlesbridge, 2015
It’s Chinese New Year, and Goldy Luck’s mother wants her to take a plate of turnip cakes to the neighbors. The Chans aren’t home, but that doesn’t stop Goldy from trying out their rice porridge, their chairs, and their beds—with disastrous results. In this funny and festive retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Natasha Yim and Grace Zong introduce a plucky heroine who takes responsibility for her actions and makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!), just in time for Chinese New Year. Includes back matter about Chinese New Year and a recipe for turnip cakes.
15. How to Catch a Dragon by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Andy Elkerton; Sourcebooks, 2019
From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling How to Catch series comes an all-new dragon book for kids―do you have what it takes to catch a dragon? The How to Catch kids are off again, this time trying to catch a dragon as they chase him through Chinese New Year celebrations! A great Chinese New Year book for kids, How to Catch a Dragon is the perfect dragon book for kids ages 3-8. Set in China during the Spring Festival, otherwise known as Chinese New Year, the wily dragon will have to avoid trap after trap as the kids run through paper lanterns, red lunar envelopes, fireworks, and more! Includes bonus educational back matter and Mandarin translations to enhance your reading experience.
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