Growing Up Under a Red Flag
A stirring and magnificently illustrated picture-book memoir of the author’s childhood during the Chinese Cultural Revolution Ying Chang Compestine was a young girl in 1966 when Mao launched his Cultural Revolution to reclaim power and eliminate non-communist values in the country. His army began punishing and arresting people who didn’t agree with him, foreign reading material was banned, and children were all required to dress in uniform and carry the Little Red Book of Mao’s teachings. It was a time of fear, mayhem, and scarcity that lasted until Mao’s death ten years later, when Ying was thirteen. Through those ten harrowing years, Ying’s parents found ways to secretly educate her and allow her dreams of visiting America to stay vibrant. Now she brings her childhood story and China’s history to life in this absorbing and beautiful picture book. Click here to view praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
The Chinese New Year Helper
A young girl finds an exciting role for herself at the Chinese New Year celebration in her family's restaurant. At last, she isn't being told that she's too young to help! Jia’s family is busy preparing for the Chinese New Year feast at their restaurant in Chinatown, and Jia wants to take part. But each time she tries to help she’s told that she’s too too young to be in the kitchen, too young to light the lanterns, too young to carry the plates. And then the feast begins, and something wonderful happens. When Jia is scolded for getting too close to the exciting lion dance, one of the dancers swoops her up and into the costume, and suddenly she’s a part of the performance—a crucial part that saves the show. Never again does her family tell her that she’s too young to help! Click here to view praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu
A playful, feminist retelling of Rapunzel with a Chinese-cuisine twist. The story of Rapunzel where she’s being locked in a tower by a witch is a good one—but it’s not totally the truth. The real story is about a young princess in China named Ra Pu Zel who doesn’t want to talk to princes or look proper. What Pu Zel wants is to cook and eat in peace, her long hair neatly braided to keep it out of her food. And when she gets tired of everyone telling her what to do, she locks herself in a tower with her dog Bao. Although princes from everywhere try to convince her to come down, it’s not until a young chef arrives with an intriguing food to share that Ra Pu Zel finally has a reason. Click here to view praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon
This is not the story you think you know. In this version of the classic fairy tale, Little Red lives in a village near the Great Wall and trains in kung fu. When she ventures to her grandmother’s to deliver rice cakes and herbal medicine, she encounters something much more fearsome than a wolf—a mighty dragon. With her wits and a sword in hand, Little Red must valiantly defend herself and her grandmother in this vibrant retelling from Ying Chang Compestine and Joy Ang. Click here to view praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
Dragon Noodle Party
It’s almost time for the party! One-by-one all the animals of the zodiac go up the hill, each one carrying an ingredient. Horse trots up the hill with a big wok. Goat strolls up the hill with wild onions. Simple text is paired with delightful, friendly art in this joyous look at the Chinese tradition of preparing long noodles to celebrate birthdays, the New Year, and other festive occasions. Click here to view praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes
Ming Da is only nine years old when he becomes the emperor of China, and his three advisors take advantage of him by stealing his stores of rice, gold, and precious stones. But Ming Da has a plan. With the help of his tailors, he comes up with a clever idea to outsmart his devious advisors: He asks his tailors to make “magical” new clothes for him. Anyone who is honest, the young emperor explains, will see the clothes’ true splendor, but anyone who is dishonest will see only burlap sacks. The emperor dons a burlap sack, and the ministers can’t help but fall for his cunning trick. Click here to view praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
The Runaway Wok
When a boy goes to the market to buy food and comes home with an old wok instead, his parents wonder what they'll eat for dinner. But then the wok rolls out of the poor family's house with a skippity-hoppity-ho! and returns from the rich man's home with a feast in tow. Click here for praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
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The Real Story of Stone Soup
A stingy fisherman always makes his three young helpers do all his work. One day he scolds the “lazy boys” for forgetting to provide lunch. “Don’t worry,” they say. “We can make stone soup.” The boys dig a hole and fill it with water and “flavored” stones. They trick the fisherman into making bowls and chopsticks, and fetching salt and sesame oil. While he’s busy, they stir in bird eggs, add wild vegetables, and slip fish into the soup. By the time the old man returns, they have a feast fit for a king. To this day, “Egg Drop Stone Soup” is a traditional dish in southeast China. A recipe is included. Click here for praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
Crouching Tiger
Vinson is very excited when his grandfather comes from China for a visit. When Grandpa practices tai chi in the garden, Vinson asks to learn, hoping it will be like kung fu, full of kicks and punches. But tai chi’s meditative postures are slow and still, and Vinson quickly gets bored. He can’t understand why Grandpa insists on calling him by his Chinese name, Ming Da, or why he has to wear a traditional Chinese jacket to the Chinese New Year parade. As the parade assembles, however, he notices the great respect given to his grandfather and the lion dancers under his training. And when Vinson is offered a role in the parade, he realizes that being part Chinese can be pretty cool—and is ready to start learning from his grandpa’s martial-arts mastery in earnest. Click here for praise, awards, and classroom activities! |
The Runaway Rice Cake
It's the Chinese New Year, and the Chang Family has only enough rice flour to make one nián-gão, a special New Year's rice cake, for the entire family to eat. But this delicious little nián-gão has other ideas. "Ai yo! I don't think so!" it cries, coming to life and escaping. Ming, Cong, little Da and their parents chase the nián-gão all over the village until it runs into a hungry, old woman and sends her tumbling to the ground. Though Da is a small boy, his heart is big enough to share the treat with her, even though that leaves Da's family with nothing to eat for their own celebration. But the Changs' generosity doesn't go unnoticed. When they return home, they find the Kitchen God has left a wonderful surprise for them. Click here for praise, a cooking tutorial, and classroom activities! |
Bilingual Books in English and Chinese
Bilingual Books in English and Chinese
D is for Dragon Dance
From the dazzling dragon dance to the scrumptious steamed dumplings to the firecrackers that frighten away evil spirits, this alphabet book celebrates the traditions of the lunar new year. First published in 2006, this new rendition presents the English text alongside the Chinese. Click here for praise, a reading of the book, and classroom activities! |
Boy Dumplings - A Tasty Chinese Tale
Long ago in old Beijing, a hungry ghost finds a boy, who doesn't want to become a midnight snack! What wackiness ensues when the child tempts the ghost to make the tricky "Boy Dumplings" recipe. Click here for praise, a cooking tutorial, and classroom activities! |
Amazing Chinese Inventions
This series, recounting how the creative Kang brothers discovered four of China's famed inventions, is redesigned to feature new bilingual simplified Chinese translations.
ChopsticksWanting more to eat, Kùai is inspired to use sticks to grab food quickly while it's too hot for Ting and Pan. When his family attends a wedding banquet, Kùai brings his chopsticks... to everyone's great surprise
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KitesThe Kang brothers imagine making wings to fly and drive the birds from their rice fields! With paper, straw, and feathers, what else can they create?
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NoodlesThe village always expects Mama's famous dumplings to win the annual cooking contest. However, this year the Kang brothers play with the dough, and soon, long strips fly everywhere.
With no time left, the family can bring only the strings of boiled flour. Will the new dish wow the judges or will the three boys find themselves in hot water? |
PaperThe Kang boys don't want their teacher to write embarrassing notes on their hands anymore. Can they concoct a formula for what just may become a very useful school supply?
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