Lunar New Year and the start of the Year of the Dragon are coming up in a few weeks. It has been a while since I did a Lunar New Year Brainstorm (see Brainstorm 100), so I thought it was time to share some reading ideas again for those who want to know more about the holiday and how it is celebrated in various regions or are looking for stories to read at this time of year. I’m sharing these a few weeks early to give you time to find them if you want to. I'm not going to repeat any of the books I shared in Brainstorm 100, so check out the link to that Brainstorm as well for more ideas. Next week I’ll share some dragon story ideas for you to enjoy in the Year of the Dragon. Click on the titles to see my full reviews of each book including any content notes/trigger warnings.
Jia and the Nian Monster by Mike Richardson, ill. by Megan Huang
Every New Year's Eve the Nian monster comes and steals one person from Jia's village in retaliation for a man who stole a fruit and a woman's heart ages ago. The monster claimed her mother and her father disappeared seeking out the monster. Now Jia is determined to find the monster's lair and stop it from terrorizing her village. But what can one girl do, even if she has a friend with a stick helping her?
This is a graphic novel based on Chinese folklore to explain why red decorations and fireworks are part of Chinese New Year celebrations.
Target Readers:
Graphic Novel Fans, Fantasy Fans, Chinese New Year Folklore Fans, Middle Grade Readers
Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, ill. by LeUyen Pham
Valentina used to love Valentine’s Day. She had an invisible best friend, St. Valentine, who would help her create all the cards and a special card to her father from her deceased mother who obviously also loved Valentine’s Day since she named Valentina after it. But on Valentine’s Day her freshmen year everything changes. What she thought she knew about her family and Valentine’s Day comes crashing down, family secrets get revealed, and St. Valentine changes from his cupid form into a creepy old dude promising Valentina she’d be safer if she just gave her heart to him for safe keeping. She turns him down, but St. Valentine shows up again her Junior year when she meets a guy. Valentina wants to believe she has a chance at true love, but Grandma has told her their family is cursed in the love area. St. Valentine gives Valentina one year to decide whether to keep her heart or give it to him so she won’t get hurt. Valentina is hoping against hope that Les is the one. He’s fun, popular, rich, and gets her into lion dancing, and Valentina loves it. But is this really love?
What I liked most about this graphic novel was the message of the story. Is the risk of loving people worth it? It sounds from the synopsis like it is just about romantic love, but there are also key aspects of familial and friendship love to the story. And Val learns important lessons about what healthy romantic love looks like too.Target Readers:
Graphic Novel Fans, Fantasy Fans, Valentine's Day Story Fans, Lunar New Year's Story Fans, Lion Dance Fans, Vietnamese American Character Fans, Korean American Character Fans, Love Stories, Young Adult Readers
Mindy Kim and the Lunar New Year Parade (Mindy Kim, #2) by Lyla Lee, ill. by Dung Ho
Mindy is super excited for Lunar New Year, but she isn't so sure about celebrating it without mom or in Florida. In California there were lots of other Koreans around to share the celebration, but not so much in Florida. Her dad says he is planning on taking her to a Lunar New Year parade in a nearby city that's supposed to be big and Sally can come too, so maybe the day won't be a total loss.
Target Readers:
Contemporary Fiction Fans, Korean American Character Fans, Korean New Year Tradition Story Fans, Just Moved Story Fans, Lower Grade Fiction
The Nian Monster by Andrea Wang, ill. by Alina Chau
After centuries scared away by the traditional decorations of Chinese New Year, the Nian monster is so hungry the reds, fire, and fireworks don't bother him. He shows up at Xingling's house in Shanghai 3 days before the New Year and threatens to eat her up along with the rest of the city. But Xingling has a couple ideas of how to take care of this Nian monster.
This is a funny twist on the Nian monster folkore that includes a virtual tour of Shanghai and adorable artwork.
Target Readers:
Fantasy Fans, Chinese New Year Folklore Fans, Shanghai Setting Fans, Problem Solving Story Fans, Humorous Story Fans, Art Lovers, Picture Book Readers
Playing with Lanterns by Wang Yage, ill. by Zhu Chengliang, translated by Helen Wang
Zhao Di and her friends have each gotten colorful new lanterns from their uncles for New Year fun. Each night, from the 3rd to the 15th day of the Lunar New Year celebration the friends meet outside in the snow and try to keep their lanterns alight until they smash them on the last day.
I’d never heard about this type of Lunar New Year celebration before. Check out the back of the book for more information on the Shaanxi province in northwestern China where this is celebrated and more information on the New Year traditions from this area.
Target Readers:
Contemporary Fiction Fans, Lunar New Year Traditions Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Shangxi Region of China Setting Fans/Culture Studiers, Winter Story Fans, Translated Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
A Sweet New Year for Ren by Michelle Sterling, ill. by Dung Ho
Ren wants to help her family get ready for Lunar New Year, but everyone keeps telling her she's too little. Except for helping with pineapple cakes. She's finally big enough for that.
The author mentions Chinese/Filippino heritage, and the characters do appear to be somewhere warm for Lunar New Year, but this could be set anywhere in Southeast Asia or California that celebrates LNY.
Target Readers:
Contemporary Fiction Fans, Family Holiday Story Fans, Growing Up Story Fans, Lunar New Year Traditions Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
Tomorrow Is New Year's Day: Seollal, a Korean Celebration of the Lunar New Year by Aram Kim
Mina and her family teacher her class at school about Seollal traditions.
A great introduction to some typical activities and foods of the Korean Lunar New Year celebration.
Target Readers:
Contemporary Fiction Fans, Korean American Character Fans, Family Story Fans, School Story Fans, Seollal Traditions Story Fans, Picture Book Readers
