New Year Surprise! (Christopher Cheng, illus by Di Wu, NLA)

The whole family is excited about the New Year Spring Festival. Everybody has their special jobs, and Little Brother is anxious to know what his will be. He knows he won’t be hanging lanterns or choosing treats or lighting fireworks, but what? When he finally finds out there is great excitement and he proudly joins in the festivities. What is special about this story is that it is set in a rural Chinese village. It depicts simple but rich village life, the family’s complicated preparations for the upcoming festivities and their respect for longstanding traditions. Following this satisfying and entertaining story are several pages of fascinating information about numerous customs and festivals in China, plus background notes from the author and illustrator. The impressive traditional Chinese-style paintings—Di Wu used rice paper, Chinese brushes and traditional methods to create the illustrations—capture the characters in the family and the festival atmosphere perfectly. The excitement mounts until the splendid Dragon Dance. This is recommended for children aged six and up.

Margaret Hamilton is a former children’s book publisher. She is now the proprietor of Pinerolo, the  Children’s Book Cottage in Blackheath, NSW 

Category: Reviews