Book Review: It’s The New Year!
Lunar New Year pops up to life!
Let's read together!
A book that makes reading easy-ish…
When it comes to reading, this is not too hard because the vocabulary is actually fairly simple. It only may be a little harder because the text on each page can vary from a few short sentences to medium-length paragraphs.
So this is a book hitting the beginner-intermediate difficulty level for us. A toddler, for example, won’t be able to read everything on their own but they will probably learn to read little bits here and there of the text. But a child, whose proficiency is up to scratch or who has had enough practice, might be able to read it all on their own.
…and fun!
What’s most important, in our opinion, is that this book is fun and engaging to read with children, which means getting them to sit down to read it with you shouldn’t be too difficult. If you can get a kid to listen to you read enough and consistently, they’ll eventually pick up different bits of the language!
Plus, it looks gorgeous!
The book is beautifully designed, with the space on every page and cover well-utilised. It isn’t so busy on the page that it distracts from what’s important, but there’s enough to make you go back and discover more. They’ve even paid attention to the detail of the front cover! You can’t see it on the computer but there’s a stunning floral design with carnations, peonies, plum-blossoms and other flowers of Asia spot-varnished into the background. It’s a subtle touch, but everything helps build towards this lovely book.
They’ve even paid attention to the detail of the front cover!
Can you call an illustration warming?
Because that’s what I feel when I read the book. It just feels… warm! Aside from the intuitive page spread designs, the illustrations add to the celebration and tell a story on their own right. They’re very cartoon-y but it’s cute and reflects the joys of celebrating the New Year with loved ones. The lion and dragon are particularly striking - really leaving an impression!
They’re very cartoon-y but it’s cute and reflects the joys of celebrating the New Year with loved ones.
Bringing the book to life
Just open the book!
Every double-page spread has an interactive element (including the inside cover!) so it makes this really easy to engage with right as you open the book. You’ll get a mini story on the first page. Then turn the page and decorate your front door with banners… Don’t forget to lay the table with food! (Learn their names and see what they look like as a cartoon.) Watch a noisy firework and try out a whole new wardrobe. And, of course, make sure you get your ang pao! Then go out and celebrate: watch a lion and dragon dance and see all the pretty red lanterns!
This book lends itself perfectly to engaging with kids and there’s not much more you have to do to add interaction with the book because it comes to life on its own.
As they say: experience is the best teacher.
It’s one thing to just read about festivals and celebrations but it’s another to try some things out. Children will best remember the taste of real food, the look of real clothes, the sound of real firecrackers and so on. We might have limited resources and events due to COVID-19 restrictions but it shouldn’t stop you from trying little aspects from the book. In fact, Lunar New Year is on its way so it’s a perfect time to try. If you’re worried about doing a full-fledged celebration, just take some ideas from the book and try them out!
Other thoughts
Everyone takes part!
Sometimes it’s just nice to see the whole family or communities do things together. After all, harmony is one of the key reasons to celebrate the New Year. So I really like how the book covers activities that are done together: like cooking, watching lion dances and dragon dances, lighting firecrackers, and telling stories. It really adds to the flavour of the book!
Customs and traditions…
The book provides a great introduction to the customs and traditions and some of the reasons in celebrating the New Year. You follow a little boy learning about the New Year and all the activities and foods and customs so it’s a nice way to ease kids into learning about and enjoying the festival!
For instance, it explains why firecrackers are lit on the New Year’s Eve and lists a few typical foods eaten like tang yuan (汤圆) and dumplings (饺子).
Conclusion
There are some books that make you want to be a kid again and, for me, this is one of those books. The illustrations are delightful and the book is stunningly designed and put together. Every page is a joy to open and discover and the interactive nature of the book makes it really engaging for kids! This is a wonderful introduction to the Lunar New Year celebrations that children will enjoy!
Hope this review has been useful to you! Are you thinking of buying this book? Maybe there’s a friend out there who would like to know more about Lunar New Year? Comment below and share this review with a friend or relative! We’d love to hear what you think!
If you’re living in the UK or Europe, you might be able to find this in our shop!
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