Lunar New Year is an important cultural holiday celebrated by many East and Southeast Asians around the world. What better way for your students to learn about the origins and traditions of this celebration than by sharing some favorite Lunar New Year picture books?
Here are my top ten Lunar New Year books for 2024! And, since this is the Year of the Dragon, I’ve included a few dragon books as well!
I Love Chinese New Year! – Eva Wong Nawa
Readers join Mai-Anne as she celebrates a new year with her family and learns about the origins of Chinese New Year and the twelve zodiac animals. Wonderful, vibrant illustrations in this one!
Playing With Lanterns – Wang Yage
A look at the 15 day lantern festival that occurs each year during the Chinese New Year in the Shaanxi province of northeast China, told through the eyes of a young girl and her three friends. Colorful and joyful!
A Sweet New Year For Ren – Michelle Sterling
Such a sweet, warm story. I love the emphasis on family togetherness (across the generations) and how preparing beloved recipes helps honor tradition and celebrate each family member’s personal favorites! The Author’s Note at the beginning helps explain her personal connection to Lunar New Year and a recipe for pineapple cakes (which Ren is finally old enough to make!) is included in the back.
Bringing in the New Year – Grace Lin
I love Grace Lin’s books! This is a simple story about a family getting ready for Chinese New Year. Love the personal connections readers can make to preparing for their own cultural celebrations. Simple and great for early readers.
Chloe’s Lunar New Year – Lily LaMotte
I love that this book is both about a Taiwanese family’s traditions and preparations for Lunar New Year but also includes honoring and remembering those who have come before us. Lovely story!
Tomorrow Is New Years Day Seollal, A Korean Celebration of Lunar New Year – Aram Kim
Colorful, joyful and cute! In this story, a young girl proudly shares Korean New Year’s traditions, food, and clothing with her classmates. A glossary of Korean terms, with pronunciation guide, is included.
This is Tet – A Rhyming Story about Lunar New Year in Vietnam – Tam Bui
Inspired by the author’s childhood memories, this book, translated from Vietnamese celebrates Vietnamese New Year through the curious eyes of a child and her family. Delightful illustrations.
Ruby’s Chinese New Year – Vickie Lee
A delightful story about young Ruby’s adventures as she travels to visit her grandmother for Chinese New Year. Along the way, Ruby encounters all twelve animals in the Chinese Zodiac along with one extra guest. Love how the story weaves both cultural traditions and the zodiac animals!
Year of the Cat – Richard Ho
Did you know that the cat is one of the only animals NOT included in the Chinese zodiac? Why did cat get left out? This delightful book introduces young readers to both the Chinese zodiac and the importance of apologizing.
How to Catch a Dragon – Adam Wallace
The How to Catch kids are at it again, this time trying to catch a dragon as they chase it through Chinese New Year celebrations. Set in China during Chinese New Year, the dragon has to avoid all the traps as the kids run through paper lanterns, red envelopes, and fireworks trying to catch him. Bonus Mandarin translation included in the backnotes.
Nian, the Chinese New Year Dragon – Virginia Loh-Hagan
This is such a beautiful retelling of the traditional Chinese New Year origin tale. A perfect book for sharing with slightly older students to celebrate and explain Chinese New Year.
Out Lunar New Year: Celebrating Lunar New Year in 5 Asian Communities – Yobe Qui
From dragon dances in China to firecrackers in India, this book explores different lunar festivities around the world. Readers experience how children and their families from China, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, and India honor and celebrate Lunar New Year.
Our Moon Festival: Celebrating the Moon Festival in Asian Communities – Yobe Qiu
This book highlights different families and their traditions as they observe Moon Festivals in three different Asian countries: Zhong Qiu Jie (China), Tết Trung Thu (Vietnam), and Tsukimi (Japan) In all three stories, readers learn about celebrations of foods, traditions, dances, parades, and poetry.
Adrienne Gear - Reading Power Ltd. 