Describes six-year-old Ernie Wong's preparations, at home and in school, for the Chinese New Year celebrations and his first public performance of the lion dance.

Describes six-year-old Ernie Wong's preparations, at home and in school, for the Chinese New Year celebrations and his first public performance of the lion dance.

LOVE this book. Told in the first person, Ernie Wan walks us through preparations and rituals of Chinese New Year. Ernie lives in Chinatown, goes to a special Chinese school, takes KungFu lessons and is part of the Lion Dance in the New Year celebrations. Illustrated with actual photos, this book explains the culture beautifully and in an engaging way. ( )

I had read this book to my students last school year for our Chinese New Year unit and to prepare the children for the parade that we do. The children loved listening to how the importance of participating in a celebration that isn't a tradition people who are not from that culture. The book talked about Ernie was fighting his apart about wanting to be the Lion Dancer because it was his turn according to their tradition. My students questioned, why the didn't want to wear the cool costume that he would be getting to wear. It raised a lot of questions which was good because they were curious to wanting to have an understanding of why China celebrates this tradition. ( )

introduces the cultural aspects of the chinese new year
1 large book