Chinese New Year is fast approaching. Kids have a natural curiosity about things they aren’t familiar with. As many of you know, I am a bookseller, and I LOVE sharing different book recommendations.
Books about different holidays are some of my favorites. And this holiday is no exception. I have to tell you, I learned a lot about the holiday when I was researching different books to share with my readers. I think this post could probably be twice the length, but I kept it to some of my absolute favorites.
trekkingandtasting.com is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases you make, using these links does not cost you more!
What is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year is the Chinese festival marking the start of the new year, beginning on the second new moon after the winter solstice and ending on the full moon fifteen days later. It is marked by visits to family and friends, special meals, fireworks, and gift giving. Sometimes it is also referred to as Spring festival.
When Does Chinese New Year Fall In 2021?
Chinese New Year falls on Friday, February 12th in 2021. The holiday will conclude on February 26th with the Lantern Festival. You can read more about the Lantern Festival at this website.
So now is a great time to start sharing these titles with your children to get them excited!
What is the symbol for 2021?
2021 is the year of the ox in the Chinese New Year. When reading about this years symbol, I learned that the Ox is second of all Zodiac animals. It would have been the first, but a rat tricked it, so that is when it is second.
Some other facts include:
- The ox is from the earthly branch
- The ox is considered to be Yang
- Oxes are valued animals in Chinese culture because of their usefulness in agricultural tasks
- They are honest, hardworking, and never look for praise
Some Chinese New Year Traditions
One of the most important traditions of the holiday is the traditional New Year’s Eve dinner. A highly anticipated family reunion, it includes serving fish and dumplings. These two items signify prosperity in the Chinese tradition. Preferably, this dinner is served at home, but some may go to a restaurant.
Other parts of a traditional celebration include cleaning the house thoroughly(symbolizes out with the old, in with the new), decorating for the holiday, fireworks, red packets, and visiting the New Year’s market for needed supplies.
So now that you know a little bit about this holiday, now we can talk about all the wonderful books you can share with your kids so they can learn about it too!
Children’s Board Books
So first up on my list are a few boards books that the youngest readers can enjoy. I always maintain that boards books are my favorite because of how sturdy they are. Your kids can enjoy them as soon as they are strong enough to hold them. Of course, they are also perfect for short attention spans, and make cuddle time a must.
Here are a few to get you started!
- Baby’s First Chinese New Year by DK Publishers
- Chinese New Year Colors by Richard Lo
- Lunar New Year by Hannah Eliot
- Dim Sum for Everyone by Grace Lin
- My Lucky Little Dragon by Joyce Wan
- 12 Lucky Animals by Vickie Lee
Pictures Books To Celebrate Chinese New Year
For the older readers, here are some of my favorite recommendations for picture books.
- Ruby’s Chinese New Year by Vickie Lee
- How To Catch A Dragon by Adam Wallace
- Peppa’s Chinese New Year by Eone
- D is for Dragon Dance by Ying Chang Compenstine
- Maisy’s Chinese New Year by Lucy Cousins
Other Titles Your Children Will Enjoy
And a few more titles that even older readers will enjoy. I am very particular to the “Celebrate Chinese New Year” done by National Geographic. I love all their titles!
- Celebrate Chinese New Year National Geographic by Carolyn Otto
- The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin
So there you have it, just a few book recommendations for your kids. They make for fun read-alouds for the younger ones, and great resources for older kids as well. And, as a grown up, I bet that you will learn a lot as well! Hope you enjoy them.
And if you liked reading these book recommendations, here are a few more that I thought I would share with you!
More Book Recommendations
- Children’s Books About Apples
- Best Planning Books For Your Disney Vacation
- Beach Reads For Your Entire Family
- The BEST Children’s Travel Journals
Awesome Items To Help Celebrate Chinese New Year
trekkingandtasting.com is also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases you make, using these links does not cost you more!
Here are a few things to help you celebrate this wonderful holiday.
Leave a Reply