Children's Book Suggestions | Lunar New Year

Books about Lunar New Year for all ages! Unless otherwise noted, the books on this list are picture books (readers age 4-8).

Updated January 9, 2024
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Lunar new year
Eliot, Hannah
Paper Book
Learn all about the traditions of Lunar New Year--also known as Chinese New Year--with this fourth board book in the Celebrate the World series, which highlights special occasions and holidays across the globe. After the winter solstice each year, it's time for a celebration with...

Board Book (Age 0-2)

The runaway wok : a Chinese New Year tale
Compestine, Ying Chang.
Paper Book
When a boy goes to the market to buy food and comes home with an old wok instead, his parents wonder what they'll eat for dinner. But then the wok rolls out of the poor family's house with a skippity-hoppity-ho! and returns from the rich man's home with a feast in tow! With...
The animals of Chinese New Year
Lee, Jen Sookfong
Paper Book
Drawing on the myth of the Chinese zodiac, The Animals of Chinese New Yearfollows twelve animals as they speed across a river, competing to represent the imminent new year in a race held by the Jade Emperor, the most powerful Chinese god. Each animal competes in its own unique way. The ox...

Board Book (Age 0-2)

Dragon noodle party : a story of Chinese zodiac animals
Compestine, Ying Chang
Paper Book
Join the animals of the zodiac as they make noodles for a party in this festive book from an award-winning author and food editor. 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...
The great race : story of the Chinese zodiac
Corr, Christopher
Paper Book
Celebrate Chinese New Year and learn how every animal earned its place in the Chinese zodiac by taking part in the Great Race! Discover who will come first to win the ultimate prize, and find out why Cat will never forgive his friend Rat in this ancient folk tale that has been passed from...
Chloe's Lunar New Year
LaMotte, Lily
Paper Book
Lily LaMotte, brilliant author of the graphic novel Measuring Up, an ALA Top Ten, has written her debut picture book about a special Lunar New Year feast. Perfect for fans of Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin and I Am Golden by Eva Chen. "Themes of love and family...
Boys don't fry
Lee, Kimberly
Paper Book
Jin wishes his family would ask him to help prepare the Lunar New Year feast. But boys, or Babas, never get asked--only Nyonyas, the girls. It's the eve of Lunar New Year, and Jin can't wait for the big family reunion dinner. He loves the aromas and the bubbly chatter coming...
The little pigs and the sweet rice cakes : a story told in English and Chinese
Li, Jian (Art teacher)
Paper Book
In America, every child knows the story of the three little pigs and the big, bad wolf, so they'll love reading about the pigs' Chinese counterparts. Told in a bilingual Chinese and English edition, this is the story of three little pigs whose appetites initially get the...
Ruby's Chinese New Year
Lee, Vickie
Paper Book
In this picture book by Vickie Lee celebrating Chinese New Year, animals from the Chinese zodiac help a little girl deliver a gift to her grandmother. Ruby has a special card to give to her grandmother for Chinese New Year. But who will help her get to grandmother's house to...
Chinese kite festival
Lo, Rich
Paper Book
Children can learn animal names in both English and Chinese with this beautifully illustrated book! A tiger pounces across the sky. A ladybug takes flight from a leaf. Animal names and their significance in Chinese culture is beautifully...
Red is a dragon : a book of colors
Thong, Roseanne.
Paper Book
Younger children will be engaged by Red Is a Dragon, as a young girl finds a rainbow of colors in her everyday life.
The night before Lunar New Year
Wing, Natasha
Paper Book
Discover all the celebratory traditions surrounding Lunar New Year in this festive addition to the Night Before series. 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...
Tomorrow is New Year's Day : Seollal, a Korean celebration of the Lunar New Year
Kim, Aram
Paper Book
From Korean American author-illustrator Aram Kim, Tomorrow is New Year's Day follows a little girl sharing the fun customs of Seollal--the Korean Lunar New Year--with her classmates. Seollal, the Korean Lunar New Year, is Mina's favorite day of the year. ...
A sweet new year for Ren
Sterling, Michelle
Paper Book
Celebrate the Lunar New Year through a young girl's family traditions in this charming picture book featuring illustrations by New York Times bestselling artist Dung Ho that also includes a recipe for pineapple cakes! Little Ren looks forward to the preparation for...
When you trap a tiger
Keller, Tae
Paper Book
WINNER OF THE NEWBERY MEDAL . WINNER OF THE ASIAN/PACIFIC AMERICAN AWARD FOR CHILDREN'S LITERATURE . #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Would you make a deal with a magical tiger? This uplifting story brings Korean folklore to life as a girl goes on a quest to unlock the power of...

Young Teen Fiction (Grade 5-7)

Lunar New Year
Yim, Natasha.
Paper Book
Mindy Kim and the yummy seaweed business
Lee, Lyla
Paper Book
Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this first novel in an adorable new chapter book series about Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl who is starting a snack business! Mindy Kim just wants three things: 1. A puppy! 2. To fit in at her new school ...

Bridging Fiction (Grade 2-4)

The year of the dog : a novel
Lin, Grace.
Paper Book
The Year of the Dog is a humorous and poignant middle grade novel based on the author's true childhood adventures, interwoven with funny and often profound stories from her mother's life. Whimsical black and white illustrations by the author accompany the text. Universal themes of friendship,...

Children's Fiction (Grade 3-5)


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