Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and this time we enter the year of the Snake, a symbol of wisdom, intuition, and transformation. Here at JoJo, we hope to see children everywhere taking on the very best of these qualities in their own life. We aim to provide the resources teachers and parents need for children to excel and develop key linguistic and cultural knowledge.
Working with educators, parents and children, our JoJo team picked 10 great Chinese Children's books to read for the Chinese New Year. We hope you and your kids will love these beautiful and authentic Chinese books as much as we do.
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Beautifully illustrated engaging stories
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Tested and loved by educators, parents and children
- Culturally authentic
- Filled with examples of Chinese family traditions--both old and modern
We put the 10 books into two age groups
- 6 Best Chinese Picture Books for Chinese New Year, for children ages 3+
- 4 Best Chinese Picture Books for Chinese New Year, for children ages 6+
Good to know: Some vocabulary about Chinese New Year will be unfamiliar to most kids outside of China. Please don’t expect your children or students to know each single Chinese phrase in these books. Allow children to listen to the stories again and again while exploring the illustrations and they will be repeating new vocabulary from them before you know it!
Research suggests that children’s listening comprehension outpaces reading comprehension until the middle school years. It is especially important for young children to be read to as they gradually shift to independent reading. The age bucket is also subjective because each child is truly unique. What we believe is that if you make a lot of great books available to your children and they will find the books they truly love!
6 Best Chinese Picture Books for Chinese New Year, for children 3+
1. The Very Busy Chinese New Year Eve 好忙的除夕
Author: 翁艺珊 Weng Yishan
Print Book: Chinese New Year 3-Book Collection
Audio Book: read by Luka with the presence of the print book.
Watch Luka read this book!
The Chinese New Year Eve is such a busy day, me and my younger brother got up super early to play. Mom is cooking like a real chef. We promise to help and not to make mischief!
Grandma is busy making steamed cakes, granddad is busy dusting windows, and dad is busy shopping for New Year decorations. My brother and I are trying to help but still make all shorts of mistakes! We have so much fun but we do not worry, because granddad says no scolding or punishment is allowed today. Only praise and good wishes for the New Year day!
We knocked over candies and helped dad to choose a new house plant! We even got lost in the crowded nursery market!
Finally, after a big busy day we have the New Year's Eve banquet! Every one makes a new year wish as we dive into the feast.
Who would not love to play games and stay up past midnight to usher the New Year (守岁 shǒu suì)? We finally have to get ready for bed and get a moment to count the money in the red envelopes given to us as new year gifts. Mom says: You should put the red envelopes under the pillow. They will bring you peace and prosperity! After the New Year, you should give your mom your red envelopes, so that I can safeguard your money and return it to you when you are grownups!
As my little brother dozes to sleep, he asks: "Sister, sister, can you tell me? Will mom really give us the money when we want her to?"
Why we recommend:
If you only choose one book to read with your child about all the fun and craziness of a contemporary Chinese New Year, choose this XinYi Children's Literature Award winner 好忙的除夕 The Very Busy Chinese New Year Eve by budding Taiwan author 翁艺珊.
There are not many Chinese books that rhyme, and there are not many Chinese New Year books that truly speak from the perspective of a child, but 好忙的除夕 The Very Busy Chinese New Year Eve accomplished both masterfully. We love the incorporation of everyday language that rhymes! The Chinese text flows and sings to create a joyful read-aloud experience.
We love the authentic, lighthearted and rhyming narrative of the many traditions this contemporary family hold dear. 年夜饭 (nián yè fàn) Cooking the biggest feast of the year, 大扫除 (dà sǎo chú) the deepest house cleaning of the year, 贴春联 (tiē chūn lián) putting Spring Festival couplets around the door, 说好话 (shuō hǎo huà) saying everything auspicious and nothing non-auspicious for the whole day, 守岁 (shǒu suì) staying up past mid-night to usher in the New Year, receiving red envelopes with New Year money from grownups...
The stories are not only humorous but also authentic. I can't help but smiling when reading the book with my own children: "Exactly!", I think. When I was a kid growing up in China, my mom always had a way to take my red envelopes away and I don't think I have ever get them back! ... What good memories! My brother and I loved staying up past midnight on New Year's Eve. Every single light in our home would be switched on to usher in the New Year and scare off evil spirits. The air bubbled with the smell and deafening sound of fireworks. My brother and I eagerly counted and compared our red envelope money and plotted ways to spend it...One time, I got in trouble for dumping water out in the sink because no one was supposed to throw away anything (symbolizing money) until after midnight when the very auspicious New Year comes!
《好忙的除夕》是台湾新兴作家翁艺珊的信谊幼儿文学奖获奖作品。它用浅显日常并且押韵的文字，从两个孩子的角度生动幽默地讲述了中国人熟悉的除夕日常。是代代相传的过年记事。 除夕这天，我们全家好忙、好忙。忙着煮年夜饭、蒸糕、大扫除、买年货、贴春联……大人忙进忙出，我和弟弟也忙着玩了一整天！
资深图画书作家何耘之评论说: 传统主题要变出新花样不大容易，但这本《好忙的除夕》却能运用儿童的视角和现代的创作手法，去诠释传统题材，整体图像画风细腻，许多细节阅读起来特别有滋味。可贵的是，除了一些年节习俗，还有相当写实的祖孙三代、姐弟手足关系表现，不只清楚呈现现代家庭准备过年的生活点滴，还带出家人间温馨的亲情互动。文字朗朗上口，叙文清晰流畅，时有韵脚，思维幽默，念起来逗趣又有节奏感。
2. The Little Monster Nian 小年兽
Author: 熊亮 Liang Xiong
Print Book: Chinese New Year 3-Book Collection
Audio Book: read by Luka with the presence of the print book.
Why we recommend:
We love that this monster story is told with comforting warmth. Many other authors have attempted this New Year monster folktale, but their monsters actually eat people! For some young kids, that can be a little too scary. Far from being scary, with a happy little twist in the end, 小年兽(xiǎo niǎn shòu) is all about happiness and friendship.
I personally took notice of the author Xiong Liang years ago and bought many of his early books including 一园青菜成了精 (Yì Yuǎn Shū Cài Chéng Le Jīng, When the Vegetables Become Alive in the Garden) and 我的小马 (Wǒ De Xiǎo Mǎ, My Little Pony). Although I loved that his illustrations contain traditional Chinese elements, the artwork and storytelling tend to be too abstract for small children to appreciate. It was not until the past few years that we started to fall in love with his newer works. 小年兽 ( Xiǎo Niǎn Shòu) is definitely a highlight for this highly celebrated author in contemporary China.
每当到了春节的时候，小朋友都要听年的故事。也许他们已经听过各种关于年的故事，但是不要错了过这一本《小年兽》。这本书的作者是中国知名童书作家熊亮。故事中的小年兽一点也不吓人，他只有在寒冷和孤独是才会跑出来。春节的时候他会去找那些感到孤独的人，让他们被孤独一点一点吞没。当然，作者给出了方法来改变结局。除了要有红色，你必须和所有人认识的人说新年快乐，连小年兽也不能漏掉！小年兽听到了怪不好意思的，慢慢变红，成了一个”新”年，新年快乐！这本书的语言简单易懂，适合低龄的孩子和初学者阅读。
3. Disney Chinese New Year 3D Pop-Up Book 迪士尼欢乐节日立体书：春节
Looking for an engaging, interactive experience for your students to ring in the new year? This pick has it all with stunning 3D scenes on every page, a fun action-packed story, and even multiple crafts for students to make after they’ve finished reading! This pick is sure to be a highlight in any student’s collection, especially if they’re a big Disney fan.
4. The 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals 十二生肖的故事
Author: 赖 马 Lai Ma
Long, long ago in China, people had trouble remembering how old they were. The Jade Emperor in heaven threw a swimming race. In order to make it easier for people to remember the year of their birth, the top 12 finishers would be picked to name 12 years!
(Fun fact…even today, Chinese people don’t usually directly ask about someone’s age. Instead, they say: what’s your zodiac animal? That’s how your age is figured out!)
We have read and reviewed many books about the Chinese Zodiac over the years. After all, the Zodiac animals are at the center of Chinese folk culture. What topic can a child relate to better than animals? This is, however, the book that our own children ask to read again and again.
We love that the short story is filled with action. The illustrator Lai Ma is another celebrated contemporary Taiwanese author and illustrator.
On the last page of the book, children enjoy finding out the birth year and zodiac animal of each of their extended family members.
As you can see, we also love to play with the original version of the Uncle Goose Chinese blocks ( not included with the book) which include the characters for the 12 zodiac animals.
在众多的关于12生肖的书籍中，我们独选了台湾著名作家和插画家赖马的这一本。故事妙趣横生，插画精美生动，语言简单日常。为什么会有12生肖？为什么老鼠怕猫？为什么蛇没有脚？为什么猴子是红屁股？故事*后还附有“生肖年谱对照表”，让孩子和老师或者父母一起探讨年龄和生肖的关系，对照查看家人、朋友的生肖，孩子们非常喜欢。
5. The Kitchen God 灶王爷
Author: 熊亮 Liang Xiong
Digital Book: Ellabook App
Print Book: Amazon
Audio Book: read by Luka with the presence of the print book.
On December 23rd of the lunar calendar, the Kitchen god goes to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor about our family's deeds, good or bad. Grandmother made some really sticky, sweet candies and offered them to the Kitchen God. When the Jade Emperor asks him about our family, the Kitchen god's mouse is filled with candies and his teeth are stuck together with sticky sweetness, so all he could mutter out is: "Good! Good!"
The Kitchen god returns to our family right before New Year's eve and announces whether we are getting rewards or punishment from the Jade Emperor. I missed him and can't wait to welcome him back, because I know that the Kitchen god forgives me for my mischief. He is my family's guardian as he watches over us with love and trust.
Why we recommend:
灶王爷 The Kitchen God is another one of our favorite books from celebrated Chinese author 熊亮. The Kitchen god folktale may not be familiar to even many children in China nowadays. The Kitchen god may be found only in rural China where people still use the old-style stone fire stoves, usually burning coal or firewood for cooking. In those kitchens, you would likely see a picture of the Kitchen god over the stove.
In this book, the story is told through a little girl's narrative in everyday language. The Kitchen god is always watching over her and her grandparents. How odd! But wait... People make sticky candies, hoping to stuff the Kitchen god's mouth when he has his annual report with Jade Emperor before the New Year. In the end, it is love and respect that triumph over good behavior!
The story is short and warm, a lovely addition to your Chinese book collection. Children will learn about this unique Chinese tradition that used to be more prevalent but still happens in certain regions in China in December of the lunar calendar.
现在很多生活在中国的小朋友也不太清楚谁是灶王爷，也不知道为什么要祭灶神。读完熊亮的这本《灶王爷》，小朋友们就能了解这个中国传统。以前的中国人家家户户都用灶做饭，现在的一些农村地区也依然可以看到灶，灶台上会贴一张灶王爷的画。灶王爷总是睁着大大的眼睛，看着你。我想偷吃，呀，灶王爷看着呢！我打碎了花瓶，要不要说是小猫干的？灶王爷立即瞪起大眼睛，我只好乖乖认错啦。灶王爷不总是那么严厉的。我们吃饭，他就关眯眯地看着。每年的腊月二十三日，灶王爷要去天上跟玉帝禀报每家每户一年的事情。人们在祭拜他时都会摆一些糖瓜之类的甜食，这样灶王爷的嘴里都是黏黏的食物，就没办法说很多话啦，他只能在玉帝面前说: 很好很好!
通过这个简短而温馨的故事，孩子们可以了解到中国腊月里的传统。
6. The Little Stone Lion 小石狮
Author: 熊亮 Liang Xiong
Digital Book: Ellabook App
Print Book: Amazon
Audio Book: read by Luka with the presence of the print book.
I am a Little Stone Lion, the only guardian of the town. I am older than everyone in the town, although I am smaller than a cat.
Everyone in the town loves me the Little Stone Lion, and they serve me food during Chinese New Year.
I watch over everyone, keep everyone company and remember everything that has happened in this little town.
Children leave the town when they grow up, but I will be here, always.
Why we recommend:
Another delightful book written and illustrated by celebrated Chinese author 熊亮, the 小石狮 Little Stone Lion is a tender eulogy for the iconic stone lions that were once commonly seen in front of households as a symbol of safety and guardianship. With massive modernization and construction sweeping China in recent decades, traditional communities and houses, as well as those stone lion statues that once guarded them, have been disappearing, however they will long live in the memories of generations of Chinese.
Kids will warm up to the friendly Little Stone Lion and be delighted by the beautiful, authentic Chinese ink-style illustration. The sentences in the book are short and simple, suitable for younger kids and beginning readers.
熊亮绘著的这本《小石狮》讲述了小镇的石狮子，小镇唯一的守护神。他的个头比猫还小，但是年纪可比镇上最老的人还要大。镇上的人都很爱他，过年的时候也会给他准备吃的。孩子们长大了，会离开，也许他们会把小石狮忘记，但他一直会在那里，永远记得他们，想念他们。
石狮子是中国传统文化的一个重要元素。读完这本书，希望孩子们会爱上小石狮，爱上书中水墨画形式的插图。全书句子简短，浅显易懂，非常适合小孩子和初学中文者阅读。
4 Best Chinese New Year books for children 6+
1. A New Year's Reunion 团圆
Why we recommend:
2. Lantern Play 打灯笼
After the 1st day of Chinese New Year, villagers start to visit friends & family. On the 3rd day, children start to receive lanterns from their uncles.
On the 5th day, Zhao Di ’s uncle finally brings her 2 lanterns.
She immediately lights the candle inside one lantern and goes out to play. All her friends are out playing with lanterns of all shapes: lotus flower, fire ball, even ox poop-shaped lanterns!
When Zhao Di ’s candle is blown out by a gust of wind, all her friends make a wall of bodies to block the wind and let her relight it. A group of boys runs around with lanterns making mischief. Every evening Zhao Di plays outside with her friends and their lanterns until all the candles burn out. On the 15th day of the New Year, the last day of the New Year Lantern play, Zhao Di is sad. After she has a blast at the lantern party that ends with everyone playing a lantern-bumping battle and ultimately burning their paper lanterns, she cheers up: Lantern play will come back Next Chinese New Year!
This beautiful book is illustrated by artist 朱成梁 who also illustrated The New Year's Reunion book. The illustration is full of Chinese elements and the story is flowing with the warmth of Chinese New Year, introducing children to the 打灯笼 (paper lantern play) tradition in Northern China.
In Shanxi province in Northwest China, uncles gift their nephews and nieces paper lanterns on the Chinese New Year. Children go out to play with lanterns every night until the 15th of the New Year, the Lantern festival-- that finale with everyone playing a lantern bumping battle until their paper lanterns burn. Playing and burning the lanterns are thought to bring the family and the uncles good luck and health in the coming New Year.
A few Chinese idioms and figurative expressions are used along with the smooth, everyday narrative, providing an opportunity for parents and teachers to discuss using descriptive phrases in storytelling.
3. Mulan’s New Year 木兰的新年
4. The Spring Festival in Beijing 北京的春节
In the old time in Beijing, the Chinese New Year started in early December in the Luna calendar. On 腊八 (là bā) December 8th on the Lunar Calendar, every household made the 腊八 (là bā) porridge with every kind of nut and dry fruit. It was not a merely porridge. It was a mini farm harvest exhibit! A special garlic saucece was also made for the dumplings that every family would be enjoying in the Chinese New Year...
Children loved to roam the holiday market... and enjoy the many other activities filled with the exciting smells, sounds and colors of the Chinese New Year!
Why we recommend:
The author of this book, Lao She, a novelist and dramatist, was one of the most significant 20th-century Chinese literature figures. His work usually vividly uses Beijing dialect and portraits communities, people and traditions in Beijing, the capital city of China.
北京的春节 The Spring Festival in Beijing describes how people celebrated the Spring Festival in Beijing in the mid-20th century. The Spring Festival starts at the beginning of December of the Lunar calendar and ends on January 19th of the Lunar calendar. People were super busy during the two months, preparing and enjoying the biggest festival of the year.
Although the book is about New Year in the past, it doesn't register as being "outdated". The detailed, beautiful illustrations, as well as the smooth, skilled narrative bring back to life a wonderful time filled with delightful and interesting New Year activities in Beijing. Reading the book will make children feel like walking through an exquisite museum exhibit of Beijing.
The text of this book may be advanced for young Chinese learners. It is selected as a Chinese literature textbook for Grade 6 students in China. Even if your students or children's Chinese proficiency level may not allow them to read the book independently, we highly recommend introducing to them the E-book version of the book. We recommend "reading" the pictures of the book, while listening to someone to read the text aloud. Interactive e-books such as the Ellabook Digital Library App even animate the illustrations, and add music and sound effects to the book, making listening to the e-book an entirely different multimedia experience.
Children will enjoy the fascinating and detailed illustrations, discover traditional objects that Chinese people used during the new year, and walk through the streets and communities that made up a very festive New Year in Beijing.
这本书的作者老舍是中国著名的现代文学家。全书描绘了一幅老北京春节的民风民俗画卷，表现春节的隆重与热闹，展示了中国节日习俗的温馨和美好。人们从腊月初就开始准备庆祝春节了，一直到正月十九才结束，这两个月是最忙碌的时节。书中的语言对于汉语学习者来说比较复杂。这篇文章被选为中国六年级语文教材的一篇课文。我们建议孩子们在读这本书的时候可以看图片，书中的绘图包含了丰富的细节。孩子们通过这些细节可以看到很多老物件，也可以全面地完整地了解春节。 特别建议孩子们借助像 Ellabook 一样动画电子书App，像看电影一样的来欣赏这本书。动画电子书不仅有专业的朗读配音，背景音乐，新年闹市，鞭炮等音效，还有孩子可以点击画面进行互动的设计，能够大大提高复杂一些的中文说的可读性和可理解性。
Afterthoughts:
We are delighted to have selected those 10 great books for your family or class to enjoy for the Chinese New Year.
What’s on your Chinese New Year book list? Please leave us a comment and let us know!
Check out our other blog posts:
Best YouTube & NetFlix Movies to Watch This Chinese New Year
Simple & Fun Ways to Celebrate Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year Short Videos and Songs Children Will Love
Fun Chinese New Year Activities to Do at Home or in the Classroom
