Summer has begun and so has the summer reading program at the public library. Almost all (95%) of the public libraries in the U.S. participate in this program. To encourage children to read through the summer, they offer free books and a contest to win prizes. Our local library even has a great selection of free Chinese books in both Traditional and Simplified.
Stop by your local library to see what books are available. Some libraries may have more information about the summer reading program on their website, or you can call your local branch to inquire.
Even though I am a bit late because I totally forgot, the library still had an entire cart full of Chinese books. You can select one book for each child. They are nice books that you would find at a bookshop! Here are a few from the collection:
Since June is Pride month the library also offers free picture books about LGBT culture. The books are in English only. I selected “This Day In June” for the vibrant illustrations and the beautiful message the story teaches children. Love is love…
How To Borrow Chinese Books From the Library
I cannot stress enough what an important resource the public library is. Depending on where you live the library even hosts free Chinese storytime, cultural events, and meetups. You can borrow Chinese language books even if they are not at your local library. You can even reserve your books online and pick them up when they are ready. If the libraries in your district do not have Chinese books you can borrow them through the LINK+ program. Searching for Chinese language books through the online database is a bit tedious. My tip is to try searching the Chinese characters and in Pinyin, even for Traditional Chinese books.
Here’s a very detailed article about how to borrow books via LINK+.