One Year in Beijing [Hardcover]

Xiaohong Wang (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

Ling Ling is eight years old and lives in Beijing, China. Come along as she takes you on a year-long journey through her life. Ling Ling’s personal accounts tell about Chinese culture and destinations, holidays and festivals, school and family life, and more. The month-by-month, journal-style format makes it easy for young readers to relate to Ling Ling’s experiences and feelings. Children will learn about life in Beijing and gain an understanding of China’s rich cultural history, through simple storytelling and the eyes of an eight year old. Illustrated by Grace Lin and written by Xiaohong Wang, this picture book is the first of its kind to introduce children to life in a big city in modern China.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3—Month by month throughout the year, Ling Ling writes and draws pictures about her activities, giving readers a glimpse of urban life in modern China. The eight-year-old is an only child in a middle-class family, and her world centers around family, school, and holidays. When her relatives come to visit, she and her family take them to the important sights in and around Beijing, and during the summer, they travel to Yellow Mountain for a vacation. The text is written as a child would write in her diary, and Lin's pictures, while more skillful than those that most eight-year-olds draw, retain a childlike look that fits perfectly with the text. The book concludes with additional information about foods, places mentioned in the story, holidays, and traditions. Ling Ling's parents are professionals, and her life in many ways resembles that of children all over the world. She likes Barbie dolls, and she celebrates her birthday with a cake and presents as well as with longevity noodles. In December she notes the Christmas decorations that appear in Beijing, and she and her family attend a Christmas party in a hotel. This fusion of cultures has become a part of her everyday world.—Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The eight-year-old daughter of professional parents, Ling Ling becomes a lively tour guide in this introduction to contemporary China and Chinese culture. Starting in January from her home city Beijing, Ling Ling points out famous places as well as some of her favorite spots, describes foods eaten during special occasions, and explains traditions associated with particular celebrations throughout the year. Although the "Dragon Boat Festival" usually occurs in May, she places it in June, and she includes Christmas customs in December. Two appended pages provide greater information on the foods, holidays, sights, and traditions mentioned in Ling Ling's narrative. Grace Lin's bright, colorful illustrations and accompanying cartoonlike ink sketches accentuate the narrative's informality and make this engaging personal tour an excellent supplement to classroom textbooks. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Chinasprout Inc; 1 edition (August 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0974730254
• ISBN-13: 978-0974730257
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #897,867 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book about holidays, May 20, 2007

By 

Suzy-Q (Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Year in Beijing (Hardcover)

This book is mainly about the holidays celebrated each month in China. I was expecting it to be more about everyday life in the city of Beijing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, tops for those wishing to learn basics of China's customs, September 8, 2007

By 

Nancy (West Coast FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Year in Beijing (Hardcover)

A great book to have for those who want to understand holidays and basic customs of China. For approximately age 6 and up, a little advanced for age 5, but still great, just gloss over what is too advanced for now. Fabulous illustrations by wonderful Grace Lin, a very decorated book. I sent this to Kindergarten for my daughter's teacher to review Chinese New Year with the class. I sent in Red Envelopes with chocolate coins and pinwheels and a little card with Sagwa. The kids loved it and the teacher was excited to be offered the opportunity to learn more herself about the holiday and share it with the class.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grace Lin has done it again!, March 30, 2007

By 

Holly (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Year in Beijing (Hardcover)

What a wonderful book. This is our fourth Grace Lin book, and it is currently my two-year-old daughter's favorite. Grace Lin's illustrations are so visually appealing and creative. The book provides great information about various Chinese holidays, Chinese culture, and points of interest around Beijing. This book would make a wonderful gift for a Chinese American child or a child of any background!