This winning overview of Chinese life and culture offers kids a good introduction to life in another country.
Young readers can use this picture book to travel to China and learn about everyday life and culture from the point of view of a child who lives there.
This latest children’s book in Roman’s (A Flag for the Flying Dragon, 2015, etc.) cultural series focuses on the Middle Kingdom and offers a look at what life is like for kids in the Asian country. Just as in prior volumes, which traveled to Scotland, Greece, Mexico, and other locales, this book explains the land’s culture, customs, and everyday life from the perspective of a young native. It opens with a map of the world to show where China is located and then describes China’s geography and landforms as well as its history; she notes, for example, that people have lived in Beijing for more than 3,000 years and that the city is “the political, cultural and education center of China.” She also takes what American kids know and understand and then compares it to their peers’ lives in China—for instance, American kids go to school, and Chinese kids go to “xue xiao.” She also describes Chinese sports; popular holiday traditions, such as Chinese New Year; common Chinese names; and what Chinese children call their parents. Roman describes how people in different regions of China eat different types of food: people in Beijing make Mandarin cuisine, those in the south make Cantonese food, and those in the southwest make Szechuan fare. With colorful illustrations and photographs and a warm, engaging tone, Roman’s books continue to appeal to young readers interested in other cultures. The text is well-researched and organized, with each page devoted to one topic with a corresponding image. Since many of the vocabulary words will be unfamiliar, Roman offers in-text pronunciation as well as a pronunciation guide at the back of the book. It’s a useful tool for both teachers and parents who want to inform children about geography early in life.
This winning overview of Chinese life and culture offers kids a good introduction to life in another country.Pub Date: May 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-5114-4084-4
Page Count: 30
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 7, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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A festive invitation to creative liberation.
A pleasingly tactile exploration of the possibilities inherent in mistakes.
"A torn piece of paper... / is just the beginning!" Spills, folded paper, drips of paint, smudges and smears—they "all can make magic appear." An increasingly complex series of scenarios celebrates random accidents, encouraging artistic experimentation rather than discouragement. The folded-over paper can be a penguin's head; a torn piece of newsprint can turn into a smiling dog with a little application of paint; a hot-chocolate stain can become a bog for a frog. Thanks to a telescoping pop-up, a hole is filled with nearly limitless possibilities. The interactive elements work beautifully with the photo-collaged "mistakes," never overwhelming the intent with showiness. Saltzberg's trademark cartoon animals provide a sweetly childlike counterpoint to the artful scribbles and smears of gloppy paint.
A festive invitation to creative liberation. (Pop-up. 4-12)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7611-5728-1
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2010
A lovely encouragement to young writers to persist.
This follow-up to How To Read a Story (2005) shows a child going through the steps of creating a story, from choosing an idea through sharing with friends.
A young black child lies in a grassy field writing in a journal, working on “Step 1 / Search for an Idea— / a shiny one.” During a walk to the library, various ideas float in colorful thought bubbles, with exclamation points: “playing soccer! / dogs!” Inside the library, less-distinct ideas, expressed as shapes and pictures, with question marks, float about as the writer collects ideas to choose from. The young writer must then choose a setting, a main character, and a problem for that protagonist. Plotting, writing with detail, and revising are described in child-friendly terms and shown visually, in the form of lists and notes on faux pieces of paper. Finally, the writer sits in the same field, in a new season, sharing the story with friends. The illustrations feature the child’s writing and drawing as well as images of imagined events from the book in progress bursting off the page. The child’s main character is an adventurous mermaid who looks just like the child, complete with afro-puff pigtails, representing an affirming message about writing oneself into the world. The child’s family, depicted as black, moves in the background of the setting, which is also populated by a multiracial cast.
A lovely encouragement to young writers to persist. (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4521-5666-8
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
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