Honeysuckle House

Honeysuckle House

Written by: Andrea Chang

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Alienation, longing, prejudice, and cultural difference is 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."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.andreacheng.com/books/middle_grade_novel/honeysucklehouse

Chee-Lin: A Giraffe's Journey

Chee-Lin: A Giraffe's Journey

Written and Illustrated by: James Rumford

Elementary Grades

"Linking the Chinese mythological creature, the Chee-Lin, to a 1414 Chinese portrait of a giraffe, Rumford imagines how a giraffe may have journeyed to China. From his birth and capture in East Africa to a short stay in Bengal and a stay in Nanjing and finally landing in Peking, lonely Tweega (Swahili for giraffe) survives frightening voyages, cruel and tender caretakers, and cramped quarters, ending up in the emperor’s spacious grounds. Tweega inspires awe everywhere and stirs optimism among the Chinese, who believe the Chee-Lin to be an omen of good fortune."

Booklist Review

Grandfather’s Story Cloth/ Yawg Daim Paj Ntaub Dab Neeg

Grandfather’s Story Cloth/ Yawg Daim Paj Ntaub Dab Neeg

Written by: Linda Gerdner and Sarah Langford
Illustrated by: Stuart Loughridge

Elementary Grades

"Chersheng starts to feel distant from his beloved grandfather, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Their bond is strengthened, however, when his mother gives him a story cloth made by his grandfather that represents his life as a Hmong hill farmer in Laos and his time in a refugee camp in Thailand before coming to America. A beautiful book which bridges the generation gap between children and the elderly."

**This is a bilingual book written with English and Hmong with an informative afterword written about Hmong culture**

Online Resources:
http://www.hmongculture.net/

Sparrow Girl

Sparrow Girl

*2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award*

Written by: Sara Pennypacker
Illustrated by: Yoko Tanaka

Elementary Grades

"Ming-Li looked up and tried to imagine the sky silent, empty of birds. It was a terrible thought. Her country's leader had called sparrows the enemy of the farmers--they were eating too much grain, he said. He announced a great "Sparrow War" to banish them from China, but Ming-Li did not want to chase the birds away.

As the people of her village gathered with firecrackers and gongs to scatter the sparrows, Ming-Li held her ears and watched in dismay. The birds were falling from the trees, frightened to death! Ming-Li knew she had to do something--even if she couldn't stop the noise. Quietly, she vowed to save as many sparrows as she could, one by one..."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://suzyred.com/2010_Sparrow_Girl.html
http://www.sarapennypacker.com/pennypacker-sparrow.htm

Grandfather Counts

Grandfather Counts

Written by: Andrea Cheng
Illustrated by: Ange Zhang

Elementary Grades

"Helen has to adjust to changes in her household when Gong Gong, her grandfather from China, comes to live with her family. Gong Gong can't speak any English, nor can Helen speak Chinese. So it's difficult for them to communicate. Worse, she has had to give up her back bedroom, so she can no longer watch the passing trains from her window. But Helen soon learns that Gong Gong is also a train watcher, and the two find they can enjoy counting the cars together, in both English and Chinese. Several Chinese words, including the numbers one to eight, are naturally incorporated into this moving story of a bicultural, biracial family."

Publishers Description

Online Resources
Classroom Guide for Book Use:
http://www.leeandlow.com/p/counts_tg.mhtml

Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution

Red Scarf Girl

Written by: Ji Li Jiang

Junior High and High School

This is a very personal and deeply movingstory about the author's childhood growing up during the Chinese Communist Revolution in the 1960's. Ji Li excels in school, art, and leadership at her school until the day that she is forced to strip herself of all the things that interested her while she and her school mates and family are forced to denounce everything they own and possess to show their loyalty to Chairman Mao and the communist ideals. The determination and character that Ji Li and her family show as their world is being torn apart shows just how strong the human spirit can be in spite of horrible political and social forces.

Jennie's Review

Online Resources:
http://www.jilijiang.com/school-visits/guide.htm
http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=66&catid=2&subcatid=6

The Silk Princess

The Silk Princess

Written and Illustrated by: Charles Santore

Elementary Grades

"Princess Hsi-Ling Chi has heard tales of a sleeping dragon and ancient gods residing in the Holy Mountains beyond her father’s palace. But when she emerges from the gates for the first time, she is not afraid. She has with her a magical thread unraveled from a tiny cocoon that dropped into the Empress’s teacup, and she knows it will lead her back to the palace garden. But she is very far from home when she notices that the thread has broken, and that she is lost. How will she find her way back? And will the secret of silk be lost forever?"

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.embracingthechild.org/Asantore.htm

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Written by: Grace Lin

Upper Elementary Grades

"In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=wherethemountainmeetsthemoon

The Pet Dragon: A Story about Adventure, Friendship, and Chinese Characters

The Pet Dragon: A Story about Adventure, Friendship, and Chinese Characters

Written and Illustrated by: Christoph Niemann

Elementary Grades

"Meet Lin and her pet dragon! When the dragon mysteriously disappears, Lin sets off on a journey to find her best friend and readers set off on a journey of learning and discovery.

By ingeniously integrating written Chinese characters into the illustrations as the story progresses, Christoph Niemann has created a book that is engrossing, unique, and memorable. The Pet Dragon is a playful introduction to the fascinating world of Chinese language and culture . . . and a terrific story to share with children everywhere."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.chinese4kids.net/

The Great Race

The Great Race

Written by: Dawn Casey
Illustrated by: Anne Wilson

Elementary Grades

"The Jade Emperor is concerned because his country does not have a calendar, and no one can tell one year from the next. He decides to hold a race across a great river, and the order in which the animals finish will determine the order of the years. The event is exciting as the creatures maneuver for position, only to be bested in the end by the clever Rat. In this retelling of the ancient legend, Casey maintains the pace well. Back matter includes information about the Chinese calendar in general, as well as the more specific Dragon Boat Festival and Moon Festival."

School Library Journal Review

My First Chinese New Year

My First Chinese New Year

Written and Illustrated by: Karen Katz

Elementary Grades

"In this colorful picture book, a young girl prepares for and celebrates the Chinese New Year with her extended family, describing how she makes an altar to honor her ancestors, gets a haircut, feasts with her relatives, and attends a Chinatown parade. The tale radiates warmth and quietly builds up to the dramatic dragon dance and the traditional greeting of "Gung Hay Fat Choy!" The collage illustrations, cut from paper with colorful Asian designs, also include paint and other media to capture the joyful celebrants. This is a clear introduction to the holiday that young children will enjoy in one-on-one or group read-alouds."

School Library Journal Review

Happy, Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy, Happy Chinese New Year!

Written and Illustrated by: Demi

Elementary Grades

“In a book that is itself a celebration, Demi explains the rituals and ideas behind the Chinese New Year festival. The last 15 days of the old year are spent cleaning and preparing (‘Wash your hair and get a new haircut. Pay the debts that you owe and collect what is owed to you!’). On the eve of the new moon, a special feast is prepared. . . . The first 15 days of the new year are spent celebrating with lion dances, firecrackers, and other activities. Demi’s characteristic tiny, lively figures illustrate each page, with several spreads devoted to small, labeled pictures identifying things associated with the holiday. Infused with joy and filled with information.”

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://content.scholastic.com/browse/unitplan.jsp?id=20

Hiss! Pop! Boom! Celebrating Chinese New Year

Hiss! Pop! Boom! Celebrating Chinese New Year

Written and Illustrated by: Tricia Morrissey

Elementary Grades

"Hiss!" and "Pop!" snap the firecrackers. "Boom!" says the drum to the Lion Dancer. Chinese New Year is here! Beautiful Chinese brush painting and elegant calligraphy illustrate each moment of the New Year celebration. Share the traditions with your child, and learn a few new things too!"

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.history.com/content/chinesenewyear

A Suitcase of Seaweed and Other Poems

A Suitcase of Seaweed and Other Poems

Written by: Janet Wong

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"With a sense of pride in her Korean, Chinese, and American background, Janet Wong's poetry reflects some of the differences between Chinese and Korean customs and culture and the American way of life. Divided into three sections – Korean, Chinese, and American – and with the author's own explanation as to how the poems developed from experiences in her own life, these poems speak directly and simply to young people of many ethnic backgrounds."

Publishers Synopsis

Web Resources:
http://www.janetwong.com/books/suitcaseofseaweed.cfm

Jouanah: A Hmong Cinderella

Jouanah: A Hmong Cinderella

Written by: Jewell Reinhart Coburn and Tzexa Cherta Lee
Illustrated by: Anne Sibley O'Brien

Elementary Grades

"Jouanah's shocking introduction to her newly-translated mother is the unforeseen crisis point where her young life takes a sudden and decisive turn. Her story takes readers to the remote mountains of Southeast Asia, to the traditional home of the Laotian Hmong. All essential Cinderella elements are here to enthrall readers of all ages. Gorgeous artwork remains faithful in the depiction of the Hmong lifestyle and the high mountain villages."

Publishers Synopsis

The Song of Mu Lan

The Song of Mu Lan

Written and Illustrated by: Jeanee M. Lee

Elementary Grades

"Reflecting a combination of delicacy and strength, this translation of an ancient Chinese poem tells of a girl named Mu Lan, who, disguised as a man, goes to war in her father's place, and fights for 12 hard years before returning home. The song-like text, epic in feel, is best read aloud: it attains a simple majesty, an eloquence that belies its spare words: "War drums ring in the brittle air. The cold moon shines on steel." Dominated by hues of amber and sandalwood, Lee's (Silent Lotus) glowing watercolor paintings bow to traditional East Asian artistry; the expansive desert sands and mountain ranges are dotted with soldiers' tunics, flags, horses and bonsai-like trees, striking a balance between war and nature's silent grace. Elegantly presented, the book pulses with striking touches such as the Chinese text (rendered in fine calligraphy by Lee's father) which appears on each page; and the Sung and Ming Dynasty versions of this poem that are handsomely reproduced on the end papers. Powerful and understated."

Publishers Weekly Review

Web Resources:
https://library-fenn.wikispaces.com/Ancient+China

Red Scarf Girl

Red Scarf Girl

Written by: Ji-Li Jiang

High School Grades

"This award-winning memoir of a shattered childhood recalls a haunting time which chills the soul. At almost every turn, we listen to the heart-pounding struggle of a little girl, and her struggle between her belief in Chairman Mao and the Communist Party, and her beloved family. Writing with powerful simplicity and unblinking understatement, Ji-li makes the Cultural Revolution meaningful to children as well as adults. Red Scarf Girl stands beside The Diary of Anne Frank and Zlata's Diary, and forever changes the way we see the world and ourselves."

Publishers Review

Web Resources:
http://www.jilijiang.com/red-scarf-girl/
http://www.harperchildrens.com/schoolhouse/TeachersGuides/redscarf.htm

The Magic Pillow

The Magic Pillow

Written and illustrated by: Demi

Elementary Grades

"In China, Ping is happy with his family’s modest circumstances until he meets a magician who amazes him with an illusion of diamonds. Suddenly Ping desires “money, power, fame, and everything life can offer,” but the magician cautions him, offering a pillow for the evening. Ping’s dreams show how wealth and power lead to an endless cycle of greed, envy, and war for him and his descendants. In the morning, Ping awakens, grateful for his humble life. Demi’s dainty, jewellike art is the perfect vehicle for this story, adopted from a Shen Jiji short story. Rendered in traditional Chinese paints and inks and framed in her characteristic gold borders, the pictures of Ping’s early life have a graceful simplicity while the nightmarish dream scenes intensify with entanglements. The concluding moral explains,“He who finds peace in his heart has found his palace of gold."

Publisher's Review

The Boy Who Painted Dragons

The Boy Who Painted Dragons

Written and illustrated by: Demi

Elementary Grades

"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 Ping. Although he is terrified of dragons, he keeps his feelings secret and paints elaborate pictures of the creatures. Flattered, the Heavenly Dragon visits him and—quickly realizing that the boy paints these images out of fear—promises him three treasures if he can earn them. The pearls of wisdom read "Seek Your Truth," "Find Your Truth," and "Dare to Be True." In order to attain them, Ping must overcome his apprehensions by visiting four elemental dragons: Water Dragon, Fire Dragon, Earth Dragon, and Wind Dragon. Each page contains paintings of gilt-colored creatures and swatches of delicate Chinese silk brocade."

School Library Journal Review

The Seven Chinese Brothers

The Seven Chinese Brothers

Written by: Margaret Mahy
Illustrated by: Mou-Sien Tseng

Elementary Grades

"In colorful language well suited to a story of ingenuity and valor, Mahy presents the Chinese folktale about brothers with amazing powers. Although the broad outline is the same as The Five Chinese Brothers by Claire Huchet Bishop, illustrated by Kurt Wiese (first published in 1938), Mahy's stirring retelling is very different from and just as good as the earlier effort. She has elaborated on the story, spicing it with more action and adding ironic humor. Replete with striking character portraits, the Tsengs' dramatic watercolors evoke the Orient and provide authentic, historical details."

Publisher's Weekly Review