Avery & Augustine: Children's Books and More

Download a free printable activity sheet, craft and coloring sheet for Lunar New Year and Chinese New Year.

Make a red lantern and have fun coloring little Ren in this free printable for Lunar New Year!

Little Ren looks forward to the preparation for and festivities of Lunar New Year, but she is always too little to help make the delicious pineapple cakes that are her favorite. She watches family members rolling out the dough and loves the mouth-watering smell. Watching and waiting, when will Ren be old enough?

These Lunar New Year craft and activity sheets were created by Simon & Schuster for A Sweet New Year for Ren, written by Michelle Sterling and illustrated by Dung Ho. Click here to download the free printable for Chinese New Year/Lunar New Year.

A recipe for pineapple cakes is included in the book. Watch recipe creator Bonnie Eng make pineapple cakes in this video!

New Lunar New Year Books for Kids and Chinese New Year Books for Kids

With Lunar New Year coming up, we thought we’d share a list of new Asian and Asian American children’s books about Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year, Seollal and Tet that have been published recently in 2022 along with a few titles that will be published very soon in 2023. These picture books share rich stories that wonderful to read all year long! Cover images and synopses are provided courtesy of publishers. For forthcoming books, the planned date of publication for each book is listed, but please check the publisher’s website to confirm actual publication date.

Kids’ Books about Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, Seollal and Tet

Best New Kids’ Books about Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year, Seollal and Tet

A Sweet New Year for Ren was written by Michelle Sterling, illustrated by Dung Ho and published by Paula Wiseman Books. Photo by Michelle Sterling,

Children’s books about Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year.

A delicious ode to food, family, and togetherness that celebrates Lunar New Year. A little girl and her family are hosting a New Year party, an event marking the Lunar New Year. There’s a lot to do before the guests arrive! First, a trip to the market to fill up the Tray of Togetherness, a special candy box for the partygoers. Each of the eight lucky snacks in the Tray has an auspicious meaning: peanuts for a long life, pistachios for happiness, candied coconut for strong family ties…As the family returns home, they pass out delicious good wishes to the friends and neighbors they meet along the way. After the tray has been prepared and the decorations set up, it’s time for the party! A diverse group of relatives and friends gathers, ready to celebrate the New Year with the Tray of Togetherness. This sensory, food-focused story is brought to life with eye-catching illustrations and a little girl’s cheerful narration. Debut author/illustrator Flo Leung encourages readers to explore culturally specific Lunar New Year practices, while offering a universal message about carrying on traditions and creating community.

The Tray of Togetherness was written and illustrated by Flo Leung and published by Owlkids.

A legendary race determined the order of the animals in the Chinese zodiac calendar . . . but what happened to Cat, the one animal who never received a year? Rat, Cat, and their eleven friends star in this innovative, funny animal adventure that introduces young readers to both the Chinese zodiac and the concept of apologizing. Themes of friendship, making amends, and realizing the consequences of our actions will draw in fans of This Is Not My Hat and We Don’t Eat Our Classmates.

Rat won the Great Race, which determined the order of the Chinese zodiac calendar. But he did it using trickery that left poor Cat behind. Now, Rat wants to make amends . . . or so he says. Rat, Pig, Dog, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Horse, Snake, Dragon, Tiger, Rabbit, and Ox all set off to apologize to Cat. Yet somehow, by the end of the journey, Rat is the only one left. And Cat has a surprise for him.

Richard Ho’s sly and perfectly paced text unfolds an exciting animal adventure, full of nods to the traditional Great Race tale. And watch out for an unexpected, delicious twist when Cat doesn’t find Rat’s apology quite sincere! Jocelyn Li Langrand’s joyful and expressive illustrations bring the journey to vibrant life, full of details that reward a closer look. Together, text and art are an homage to the traditional Great Race tale and a funny, subversive update for today’s young readers.

Every year is the year of the Cat!

Year of the Cat was written by Richard Ho, illustrated by Jocelyn Li Langrand and published by Greenwillow Books.

Would you like to explore all the flavor and excitement of Tết, the Vietnamese New Year?

Then, you’ll love This is Tết, a beautiful rhyming picture book that depicts Tết activities and customs!

With this book, you’ll celebrate Vietnamese New Year through the curious eyes of a city kid with her family in a northern Vietnamese village for Tết. The story is inspired by the author’s (Tam Bui) own family members, and the illustrator’s (Mai Ngo) childhood memories in Cổ Bản Village.

The book was originally written in Vietnamese (under the title Đúng là Tết) and this is a translated version.

This is Tết was written by Tam Bui, illustrated by Mai Ngo and published by Tiny Wrist.

Zhao Di and her friends are excited to go out at night with their paper lanterns and celebrate Chinese New Year. Each holding a unique colorful lantern with a lit candle inside, they admire the breathtaking colors while doing their best to avoid the wind and the sneaky boys in the village. Every night, until the fifteenth day of New Year, Zhao Di and her friends take part in this fun tradition, experiencing the thrill of nighttime in their village. And then—it’s time to smash the lanterns!

In this cheerful book first published in China, readers are invited along with Zhao Di and her friends as they experience all the joy and excitement of this folk Chinese custom. Details about the paper lantern tradition are also included in an author’s note at the end of the book.

Playing with Lanterns was written by Wang Yage, illustrated by Zhu Chengliang and published by Amazon Crossing Kids.

This funny and heartwarming follow-up to Grandpa Grumps celebrates Lunar New Year and the love of a doting grandparent.

"You should sleep on the long flight," said Mama.

Daisy should have slept-

but she didn't.

She was too excited to see Yeh-Yeh!

Daisy is traveling to China, and she's excited to see her Yeh-Yeh again! She has big plans for all the fun they'll have together in preparation for Lunar New Year, like flying kites and making jiao zi. But when she arrives, she has trouble sleeping and is less jolly than she hoped. Throughout the week, Yeh-Yeh tries all sorts of things to help her have a fun holiday and get her past her grumpiness. Will Daisy be able to get some rest and have one perfect day before she goes home?

Grumpy New Year was written by Katrina Moore, illustrated by Xindi Yan and published by Little Bee Books. Its scheduled publication date is December 13, 2022.

A fun and informative celebration of Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year!
Seollal is Mina's favorite day of the year. She can't wait to show her classmates her hanbok and make tteokguk in the cooking room. Even her little brother, who wants to wear his shark shirt, not his hanbok, eventually joins in on the fun. This sweet window into Seollal offers a fresh perspective on the holiday while celebrating diversity and cultural acceptance.

Tomorrow Is New Year’s Day: Seollal, a Korean Celebration of Lunar New Year was written and illustrated by Aram Kim and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers. Its scheduled publication date is December 27, 2022.

It's almost Lunar New Year, and Chloe can’t wait to celebrate! But first, Chloe and her family must prepare for the new year. They buy new shoes, lay out good-luck oranges in a bowl, decorate the red envelope, and make a crispy turnip cake. Everyone comes together to cook a fantastic feast, saving a plate for A-má, of course. Chloe enjoys the festive celebration and yummy food, but most of all, she loves spending time with her family.

Lily LaMotte and Michelle Lee have created a tender, warm, and uplifting holiday story about tradition and the importance of being with those you love.

Chloe’s Lunar New Year was written by Lily LaMotte, illustrated by Michelle Lee and published by HarperCollins. Its scheduled publication date is January 3, 2023.

Count to twelve with the zodiac animals as they get ready to celebrate Chinese New Year! Sweet, colorful illustrations introduce each of the zodiac animals as they bring special items to the celebration.

Xīn Nián Kuài Lè! Happy Chinese New Year!

The zodiac animals are ready to celebrate Chinese New Year with traditions and a big feast! Little ones can count to twelve as each animal prepares for the holiday:

Rat cleaned away the bad luck in one big sweep!

Ox shopped for two new outfits.

Tiger brought three kinds of flowers.

The simple text and vibrant illustrations in this book make it easy for little ones to follow along as the animals' preparations lead up to a tasty feast followed by a party with music and dancing!

The pages also feature the Chinese characters that correspond to each number highlighted on the page. Children will learn to recognize the characters as they read the book again and again, and the pronunciation guide will help them say the words out loud.

In the back of the book, each of the Chinese New Year traditions mentioned in the story is explained in further detail—from the customs of cleaning the house and wearing new clothes to hanging lanterns and making dumplings.

Happy Chinese New Year!: A Festive Counting Story was written and illustrated by Jannie Ho and published by Crown Books for Young Readers.

Happy Lunar New Year, Baby Rabbit!

Baby Rabbit is kind, smart, funny, and generous. They love to share and make their loved ones happy. Welcome the new year by celebrating all the wonderful, positive traits that make the rabbit zodiac special. This sweet board book will get babies and toddlers excited about their very own zodiac sign!

It’s Your Year, Baby Rabbit was illustrated by Ariel Hsu and published by Little Bee Books.

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.
Except for snake, that is. It’s his birthday! All of his friends have prepared long noodles to celebrate his long and happy life. 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.
A kid-friendly recipe for how to make Dragon Beard Noodles, a dish popular in Northern China, is included as well as a note on the Chinese Zodiac.

Dragon Noodle Party was written by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Paula Pang and published by Holiday House. Its scheduled publication date is December 13, 2022.

It's the night before Lunar New Year, and a little girl is excited for all of the celebrations to come. She's prepared dumplings with her mom, bought a new dress in Chinatown, and even helped scare mythical beast Nian away with her cousins and brother. There's only one problem: she's a bit nervous about all of the loud noises at the upcoming Lunar New Year Parade. Will she overcome her fears? Find out in the latest installment of the Night Before series, told in the style of Clement C. Moore's classic tale.

The Night Before Lunar New Year was written by Natasha Wing, Lingfeng Ho, illustrated by Amy Wummer and published by Grosset & Dunlap. Its scheduled publication date is December 27, 2022.

Curious George joins his friend Mei and her family as they prepare for and celebrate Chinese New Year! From cleaning the house and finding red clothes to wear, to hanging decorations and enjoying a family feast, to fireworks and a dragon dance, George and readers will enjoy learning about many Chinese New Year traditions. With a rhyming text, colorful illustrations, and sturdy tabbed pages for the littlest hands, this playful board book makes a great read for all fans of Curious George—those who celebrate Chinese New Year, and those who are learning about it for the first time!

It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George was written by H. A. Rey and Maria Wen Adcock, and published by Clarion Books. Its scheduled publication date is January 3, 2023.

“On a snowy Lunar New Year’s Eve in Northeastern China, it’s Dandan’s last night with Yueyue. Tomorrow, she moves to America. The two best friends have a favorite wintertime tradition: crafting paper-cut snowflakes, freezing them outside, and hanging them as ornaments. As they say goodbye, Yueyue presses red paper and a spool of thread into Dandan’s hands so that she can carry on their tradition. But in her new home, Dandan has no one to enjoy the gift with―until a friend comes along. A picture book based on the author's own immigration story, the infinite impact of friendship, and passing on love and kindness around the world.”

Friends are Friends, Forever was written by Dane Liu, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield and published by Henry Holt and Co. Books for Young Readers.

“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.

At a time when so many families are unable to gather together, readers will relate to the universal message of missing our loved ones and dreaming of being together again.”

New Year was written by Mei Zihan, illustrated by Qin Leng and published by Greystone Kids.

MY BOOKS

RECENT POSTS

SEARCH BY TAG

ARCHIVES