D Is for Dragon Dance [Hardcover]

Ying Chang Compestine (Author), YongSheng Xuan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2005 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

A is for Acrobats. B is for Balls. C is for Calligraphy. D is for Dragon Dance. From firecrackers to noodles, from red envelopes to the zodiac, young readers are introduced to the exciting traditions of the Chinese New Year in this accessible and visually stunning homage to the holiday.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–In this alphabetical celebration of the Chinese New Year, a boy and a girl prepare for the festivities with their family. Each page or full spread, representing one letter, includes such headings as A is for Acrobats, I is for Incense, and P is for Peking Duck. One- to two-sentence subtitles under some of these headings explain the traditions. The Z is for Zodiac page includes a circular chart to allow children to find their own Chinese sign. The back matter includes an authors note on the traditions surrounding the New Year, an artists note on the calligraphy appearing in the background, and a recipe for dumplings. While Compestines text is well researched, many of her subtitles are written in an uneven tone, vacillating between a second- and third-person voice. The art makes up for the patchy text and depicts the vibrancy and color of the celebrations as they occur in modern China. Done in watercolor, acrylic, and latex, it features stylized, richly colored figures layered on subtle, full-page calligraphic designs. Young readers will enjoy observing the antics of a playful cat on each spread. Overall, this vivid introduction is sure to fascinate youngsters new to the traditions of this holiday.–Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K---Gr. 1. This warm, often charming, but not entirely successful ABC book comes from the creators of The Story of Chopsticks (2001), The Story of Noodles (2002), and other fiction titles about aspects of Chinese culture. This, too, gives some intriguing glimpses into Chinese traditions, in particular New Year's customs. Occasionally the examples are a bit cryptic for kids: "V is for veneration. Families venerate their ancestors during New Year's." The artwork, however, is cheerful and bright, rather stylistic, with appealing repetitive details that will draw kids right in--a little boy and girl preparing for the celebration can be found on nearly every page, as can a small, scampering yellow cat. Traditional cultural symbols, architectural backdrops, and clothing give a sense of both community and ordinary life during a special time of year, and it's hard to miss the textured backdrops behind the pictures, which, as an endnote explains, replicate Chinese characters in four different calligraphic styles. A tempting recipe for dumplings concludes this attractive addition to the multicultural shelves. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House (November 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823418871
• ISBN-13: 978-0823418879
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #200,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ying Chang Compestine is the author of 16 books, including A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts, a collection of frightening Chinese ghost stories, and the award winning novel, Revolution is not a Dinner Party, which has received twenty-eight awards, including the ALA Best Books and Notable Books. Ying has been featured on numerous national television and radio programs and in magazines and newspapers. She is the spokesperson for Nestle Maggi and Celestial Seasonings and a frequent contributor to many national magazines.

Ying has visited schools throughout the US and abroad, sharing with students her journey as a writer, how her life in China inspired her writing, and the challenges of writing in her second language. She has lectured on a variety of subjects at writer's conferences and universities, and aboard cruise ships.

Ying is available to talk about her books to book clubs in person, by telephone or online. Ying was born and raised in Wuhan, China. Her website is: www.yingc.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A New Must have Chinese New Year Book!, January 11, 2006

By 

KSL "emma-and-me" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D Is for Dragon Dance (Hardcover)

D is for Dragon Dance is an absolutley beautiful book that has information on the Chinese New Year done so in an A to Z fashion.

Each page is a work of art because if you look at it you will notice that underneath each drawing is Chinese Characters, some represent a single word and others a saying. The characters where done in 4 different calligraphy styles 3 from the dynasty they where from and 1 in the cursive or grass style. On the last page of the book in the author's note, under the artist note you will see the word Dragon and how it looks in each of the 4 styles. With the characters underneath each painting, it give each page a textured look that makes fools your eyes and makes your hands go to feel each page, only to be disappointed that it feels paper smooth and not textured as you see. I love the way the artist draws, his children are beautiful!

Here is the break down of what each letter stands for.

A - Acrobats

B - Balls (shows a acrobat in a 2 person Fu dog / lion dancers balanced on a ball)

C - Calligraphy

D - Dragon Dance

E _ Evil Spirits

F - Firecrackers

G - Grandma & Grandpa

H - Haircut ( the author probablty didn't have the space to mention it, but one should only get their hair cut before the New Year and not during the New Year Celebrations because you'll be cutting off all of your good luck)

I - Incense

J - Jade

K - Kites

L - Lanterns

M - Moon

N - Noodles

O - Oranges

P - Peking Duck

Q - Quiz

R - Red Envelopes

S - Steamed Dumplings ( Yum!!)

T - Tradition

U - Unity

V - Veneration

W - Wish

X - Xylograph

Y - Yo - Yos

Z - Zodiac ( 12 year cycle) This one starts in the year 1981 the year od the rooster and ends in 2016 in the year of the monkey.

On the last page is both the author's and artists notes on the book as well as a receipe for New Year's Dumplings Delight and Soy-Garlic Dipping Sauce, which I can't wait to try.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COLORFUL, EDUCATIONAL, AND ENTERTAINING, December 11, 2005

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: D Is for Dragon Dance (Hardcover)

It's a given that we can learn a great deal from other cultures, other customs, and there's not a better time to start than when we're young. "D Is For Dragon Dance" is both entertaining and educational as it tells about the Chinese New Year with all its color and unique traditions (my favorite is how youngsters greet the New Year by honoring their parents!)

An alphabet book, it begins with "A is for Acrobats," takes us through to K and L for Kites and Lanterns, then concludes with "Z is for Zodiac," explaining that the Chinese calendar is a 12 year cycle with each year represented by a different animal.

Yongsheng Xuan has created boldly colored full page illustrations in watercolor, acrylic and latex. They're all eye-poppers.

Also included is an author's note with tips to ensure good fortune in the New Year (clean the house before the New Year starts and light firecrackers to scare off evil spirits, etc.) Plus, there's a recipe for dumplings called "New Year's Dumpling Delight."

"D is for Dragon Dance" is a sure kid pleaser bound to elicit lots of interesting dinner table conversations.

- Gail Cooke

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely illustrations, March 17, 2006

By 

Christina B. Kennedy "Real book addict. E-bo... (Near Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: D Is for Dragon Dance (Hardcover)

From Acrobats to Zodiac, this is a book that uses the alphabet to introduce many different aspects of Chinese New Year to preK-K-aged kids (though my 8-year-old liked this one, too). Instructional for adults is the last page which contains notes from the author, such as "tips to ensure good fortune in the New Year," information about the Chinese characters that appear in the book, and a recipe for dumplings. A fun read!