My First Chinese New Year [Hardcover]

Karen Katz (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

Hooray! Hooray!
Soon it will be Chinese New Year.

A fun and colorful way to introduce the
Chinese New Year to young readers

Chinese New Year is a time of new beginnings. Follow one little girl as she learns how to welcome the coming year and experience all the festivities surrounding it. This warm and lively introduction to a special holiday will make even the youngest child want to start a Chinese New Year tradition!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1–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. Pair it with Janet S. Wong's This Next New Year (Farrar, 2000) for a festive treat.–Rachel G. Payne, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-K. This very simple introduction to the Chinese New Year focuses on food, families, and customs. Bright, cheerful collage and mixed media-illustrations work well with the narrative, but a few crowd the pages and spill into the gutter. Chinese lettering would have added an authentic flavor to signs and banners. Still, the brief, informative text is well suited for preschool holiday and multicultural units. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (December 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805070761
• ISBN-13: 978-0805070767
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,028 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Multicultural Stories > Asian & Asian American
  • #98 in Books > Children's Books > Holidays & Celebrations > Non-religious

More About the Author

Check out my newest book WIGGLE YOUR TOES! A Book to pull,fluff, and wiggle!

I have always been interested in folk art from around the world, Indian miniatures, Mexican ceramics, fabrics, Chagall, Matisse, children's art, and primitive painting, and I love to paint and experiment with pattern, texture, collage and color. The careers I've had--as a costume designer, a quilt maker, a fabric artist, and a graphic designer--have taken all these interests into account. Looking back, I can see that these passions and career choices have played a large part in influencing me to become a children's book author and illustrator.

But most importantly, it was after my husband and I adopted our daughter from Guatemala that I was inspired to do a children's book for her. My first book, Over the Moon, was the story of that magical experience of welcoming our daughter Lena into our lives. I painted, I drew, I collaged, and I wrote, and after working very hard... a beautiful book was born! Twenty-two books later, my daughter--now fourteen years old--still is an inspiration for me.

I am fascinated by babies and little kids. The simplest words and gestures can make them laugh. Sometimes standing in line at the supermarket and watching kids in grocery carts, my best ideas are born.

I am fascinated by people from all over the world and what they look like and how they live and the differences that make us all unique.

When an idea pops into my head I ask these questions:
Will a child want to read this book?
Will a parent want to read this book with their child?
Will this book make a parent and child feel something?
Is there something visual here that will hold a child's interest?
Will a child see something in a different way after reading this book?
If the answer is yes, then I know I'm on the right track.

I am very lucky to get to do what I do. Everyday I go into my studio and have fun. Don't get me wrong, some days are very frustrating. Sometimes the colors are all wrong and the words don't sound right. But after I work at it for a while...and try to do it a different way...and think...and change the words or colors...and try some more...suddenly, there it is--a great page of writing, or a great illustration. And nothing is more satisfying than that.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cutlure class, April 22, 2005

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My First Chinese New Year (Hardcover)

The book follows a young girl and her family as their prepare for the Chinese New Year. They decorate the walls, cooked traditional foods, and give red envelopes filled with money. They also get new clothes and fresh hair cut. The believe that they must start the new year fresh and clean. Finally it's time for the parade! The family has lots of fun watching the floats and paper lanterns.

The book was written with bold text. Not many words are on each page keeping the attention of even the smallest listeners.

Yes This is a wonderful book to introduce children and adults alike to the traditions and customs of the Chinese New Year.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gung Hay Fat Choy! A great book about Chinese New Year., March 9, 2005

By 

Mike Windsor (Fort Worth, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My First Chinese New Year (Hardcover)

This is an easy book to read to my two year-old. The pictures are simple and bright, and the text is easy without being "dumbed down." The story has the little girl and other members of her extended family going through the tasks of getting ready for and participating in the Chinese New Year celebration. The lion dancers and dragon in the parade caused a little concern, but I explained that the lion and dragon were just people in costumes (which my daughter points out everytime we read the book). At the end, we like to say, "Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy New Year!"

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable Celebration, January 26, 2010

By 

Reflection Haiku "Lily Wang, Author" (California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My First Chinese New Year (Hardcover)

When I was invited to read a book about Chinese New Year to young readers at school(K & PreK), this book was my personal pick. Adorable story and illustrations about a family of three generations celebrating Chinese New Year, MY FIRST CHINESE NEW YEAR contains all essential festive elements of this important holiday. From cleaning the house to make way for good fortune, getting new haircuts and clothes, cooking the big banquet for family reunion, getting that lucky red envelopes and finally going out with everyone to watch the dragon and lion dance on the street, this book has it all and will surely delight a classroom full of curious minds. Spice it up with paper lion puppet and red envelopes with candies inside for the class and you are surely in the spirit of Chinese New Year celebration!