Learn about the most important holiday of the year with this list of Chinese New Year books. I’ve included our not-so-traditional favorite stories that I hope your children will love too! These books are published in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and bilingual English, plus one adorable story in English.
We borrowed many of these from our local branch. Remember to check your public library for these titles. I try to include links to purchase in the U.S. when available.
Big Cities Little Foodies
By Cheryl Chepusova & Isabel Foo
Language: Traditional Chinese and English
Tastes of Lunar New Year’s pages are filled with colorfully illustrated characters celebrating Lunar New Year with festive food from China, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Korea.
Lunar New Year
By Isabelle Engler, Music & Tales
Language: Traditional Chinese with Pinyin
A bilingual singable book with a traditional nursery rhyme retold and reimagined. Sing along in English or Mandarin with Pinyin. Easy-to-follow colored keys guide enables children to play the song on the piano.
楼上的奶奶怕过年
By 塔塔, Tata
Language: Simplified Chinese Characters
The grandma upstairs is afraid of New Year’s Eve, but why? As they prepare for New Year’s Eve dinner, the little boy downstairs tries his best to find out. This modern story is so relatable for our children and for parents separated from loved ones. The illustration of grandma video chatting with her family is too real!
Alex’s Good Fortune
Author: Benson Shum
Language: English
Learn about six major Chinese holidays through this delightful book Alex’s Good Fortune is about little Alex who invites her friend Ethan to her family’s Chinese New celebrations. She teaches her friend about the traditions like the CNY parade, firecrackers, dragon dancing, red envelopes, making dumplings, lanterns, and more!
小善的壓歲錢
By Karen Chinn
Language: Traditional Chinese
English title: Sam and the Lucky Money
Beautiful watercolors illustrate the heartwarming story in this wonderful Chinese New Year book. 小善, aka Sam, is excited to spend his red envelope money from his grandparents. During his shopping trip with his mom to Chinatown, he encounters an elderly homeless man. Sam notices the man is without shoes or socks on such a cold winter day. He thinks of this man while they finish their shopping and decides to offer his precious red envelope money to the man instead of buying himself a toy.
走，去迪化街買年貨
By 朱秀芳
Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
The shops on Dihua Street in Taipei sell many things you need to celebrate the Lunar New year. Follow Arui and his grandfather as they browse the lantern shop, herb store, and traditional kitchen wares, and learn about the history of Dihua Street along the way.
Celebrating Chinese New Year
By Lacey Benard & Lulu Cheng
Language: Simplified with Pinyin/English or Traditional with Zhuyin/English
A festive board book to learn about Chinese New Year traditions, vocabulary, and even the names of family members in Chinese. Designed by moms, for moms like us!
Gordon & Li Li: Celebrate Chinese New Year
By Michele Wong McSween
Language: Simplified Chinese and English
Learn how to say ‘Happy New Year’ in Mandarin, about the Chinese zodiac animals, how to decorate for the new year, what kinds of foods to eat, why fireworks are important, and much more!
十二生肖誰第一
By 劉嘉路
Language: Traditional Chinese with Zhuyin
Long ago, the Jade Emperor held a competition to determine the animals of the Chinese zodiac. The first twelve animals who can successfully reach the finish line will be selected, however, who be the first to win?
Lin’s Lucky Red Envelope
By Sennah Yee
Language: English and Simplified Chinese
It’s Lin’s first time celebrating Lunar New Year in Canada, and nothing seems to be going right: she’s too short to hang up decorations, can’t seem to fold dumplings like her mom, and accidentally rips her favorite tiger doll. Will a red envelope all the way from China help to turn her luck around?
Celebrating Chinese New Year
By Eugenia Chu
Language: English
Learn about the different ways people around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year. Chinese culture is introduced through delightful illustrations and activites.
By Maria Wen Adcock
Language: English
Curious George is a loveable old friend from my childhood that I had to share with my children. I’m so excited to have George celebrate Chinese New Year with us! In this rhyming board book, George and Mei share Chinese New Year traditions.
過年
By Mei Zihan
Language: Traditional Chinese
It’s Lunar New Year, a time when families come together for a wonderful feast, and a father longs to be with his daughter—but she lives in another country. As he imagines how his daughter is spending the festivities, he recalls fond memories of time spent with her, feeling a sense of loss and dislocation. While he misses her deeply, he also recognizes her need to move away, grow up, and become herself. New Year is a stunning portrait of leaving home, finding independence, and loving those who are many miles away.
Little Sen’s Chinese Holidays
By Yulin Li
Language: Simplified Chinese
Learn about six major Chinese holidays through this delightful book filled with whimsical illustrations. This bilingual children’s book is written in Simplified Chinese and English.
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