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Five Faves: Traditional Chinese Festivals

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 The Mid-Autumn festival also known as the Mooncake Festival is the second most important festival in China. It is celebrated when the Harvest moon is at its fullest and most beautiful. This year the three day long celebration started September 10th. This popular festival is a reunion time for families allowing them to gather together and celebrate the abundance of the harvest. It's a little like Thanksgiving. Families gather together to eat food, worship the moon, and light paper lanterns. 

There are many traditional Chinese festivals that are based on the appearance of the full moon. A few of these celebrated festivals in China include the Spring festival, the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, and Winter Solstice. Traditional Chinese festivals are an important part of the Chinese culture. Here is a list of books that talk about some of these popular Chinese festivals that occur during the full moon.


The Shadow in the Moon: A Tale of the Mid-Autumn Festival
Written by Christina Matula
Illustrated by Pearl Law
Charlesbridge, 2018. Picture Book.

A small family celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival by eating Mooncakes, telling stories and enjoying each other's company. As the grandmother tells the story of Hou Yi the two granddaughters are mesmerized and enjoy eating their mooncakes while listening to her story.

 A blend of traditional folklore as well as a glimpse into the modern Chinese culture and the fun traditions of the Mid-Autumn Festival. The narration along with the illustrations are simple but it effectively brings the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival to life. There is also a recipe for red-bean mooncakes in the back that readers could try making. 


Thanking the Moon: Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
Written and Illustrated by Grace Lin
Alfred A. Knopf, 2010. Picture Book.

A story about a Chinese American family who heads to a meadow to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Everyone in the family helps with the evening picnic as they prepare fruit, tea, pomelos, colorful lanterns and the sweet round mooncakes. As the family eats they send their secret wishes to the moon asking it to keep watch over them in the coming year. 


Playing With Lanterns
Written by Wang Yage
Illustrated by Chengliang Zhu
Amazon Crossing Kids, 2021. Picture Book.

It's the new year and Zhao Di and her friends are excited to take their paper lanterns outside and celebrate Chinese New Year. They hold their lanterns high as they all carefully walk through the snow with their lanterns making sure not to slip so their candle won't blow out. 

A sweet telling of childhood memories during the holiday season with information about the observance of the New Year and traditional Chinese customs.


Chinese Kite Festival
Written and Illustrated by Rich Lo
Holiday House, 2021. Picture Book.

Up in the air animals are spotted as they soar across the sky. In this bilingual picture book animals are introduced by name and the significance of each animal is explained on the page in short sentences that explain the role of each animal in Chinese culture.



My Dragon Boat Festival
Written by Ging Be
Illustrated by Li Li
Reycraft Books, 2021. Picture Book.

A boy and his parents always go back to their hometown in China to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. During the festival the boy gets to watch the exciting boat race and learns about family traditions while eating treats and spending time with his grandparents. A wonderful story about the closeness of families and the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival.



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