Happy New Year, to everyone who celebrates the lunar new year! It began last week, on February 3, and continues for 15 days. That’s 15 days of festivities, food, and family. I was hoping it would also be 15 days of delightful children’s books but I’m coming up a bit short, here.
My local library has a good selection of round-the-world folk tales for older children and a couple of books that explore Chinese New Year customs. (I’m not being exclusive, here – the books I found are specifically about Chinese practices, not other Asian traditions). And they’re… pleasant. Beautifully illustrated, in some cases.
Charmingly told, in others.
But they’re all very Serious. They have Morals. They are – gasp! – deeply Earnest. This isn’t terrible, of course. Morals are useful and earnestness is our national characteristic, here in Canada.
But this week, my plea to you is: could you suggest some beautiful, charming, light-hearted, Asian-inspired books for young people? Books about the New Year would be fantastic, but I’m also interested in all-year-rounders, at all reading levels, fiction or non-fiction, illustrated or not.
And at the moment, we’re loving Rachel Isadora’s Happy Belly, Happy Smile.
Thank you, friends!
P.S. This week, A Spy in the House was released in paperback! That was fast.
