Illustrated by Crystal Kung 5 stars A unique and entertaining retelling of Rapunzel. Ra Pu Zel is a princess who loves food, but isn’t so interested in meeting princes and acting like her parents think she should. So one day, she locks herself in a tower with her dog to enjoy cooking and trying different…
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Illustrated by Grace Lin 3 stars A sweet story following a group of sisters, each with a special talent. When Seventh Sister is taken by a hungry dragon, the others team up to rescue her, each contributing their skill. Lin’s illustrations are gorgeous. Dynamic artwork with splendid color and detail. While the sisters look similar…
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Illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng 4 stars A beautiful reimagining of the Han tale of The Seven Brothers. This serves as a nice alternative to The Five Chinese Brothers with detailed illustrations and a full color pallet. In this version, the seven brothers learn that Emperor Ch’in Shih Huang is making people work day and night…
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Illustrated by Jérémy Pailler 4 stars A stunning story that visually represents the scaring away of bad luck and welcoming the new year. The story follows Yao and his first dance with the sky dragon, Shen Long. Together they chase away the bad luck and bring good luck to their community. Pailler’s artwork is absolutely…
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Illustrated by Lynn Scurfield 5 stars A beautiful story of friendship, sharing traditions, and making new connections. This was such a sweet book. Best friends Dandan and Yueyue spend one last Lunar New Year together before Dandan moves to America. Before she leaves, Yueyue gives Dandan a special gift and an important message. In America,…
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Illustrated by Sebastià Serra 4 stars A humorous retelling of The Talking Pot with a Robin-Hood-style twist that emphasizes sharing without others. Ming’s mother sends him to market to trade eggs for rice to make a Spring Festival meal to share with their neighbors. But when Ming meets a man offering a rusty wok, he strikes an…
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4 stars An interesting look at the initial outbreak of Covid in Wuhan through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old. Mei loves cooking, improving her skill through an online cooking game. But when the pandemic spreads, Mei faces being separated from her family, a city-wide shutdown, food shortages, neighbors turning on each other, and those around…
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4 stars A delightfully simple story that lists what humans need in splendid poetic style. Through the illustrations, the reader watches a life unfold. Jasu Hu pulls from her own life story and depicts her artistic journey, celebrating homecoming, happiness, and the cyclical nature of love and life. Though it is simple, it is beautiful….
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