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 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...
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...
Wish soup : a celebration of Seollal
Park, Junghwa
Paper Book
Celebrate Korean Lunar New Year and join one child's quest to eat enough bowls of soup to become a "big girl!" Sohee's favorite part of Seollal is tteokguk--the special Korean rice cake soup traditionally only enjoyed on New Year's Day. Each bowl is said to make the person who eats it...
Red is a dragon : a book of colors
Thong, Roseanne.
Ebook
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...
Two New Years
Ho, Richard (Children's author)
Paper Book
A Sydney Taylor Gold Medalist  A National Jewish Book Award Winner  This warm and welcoming New Year celebration invites readers to learn about Rosh Hashanah and Lunar New Year traditions and to reflect on the rich blends of cultures...
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...
The tray of togetherness
Leung, Flo
Paper Book
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...
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 Lunar New Year parade
Lee, Lyla
Paper Book
Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in this second novel in an adorable new chapter book series about Mindy Kim, a young Asian American girl who is getting ready to celebrate Lunar New Year! Mindy is excited to celebrate the Lunar New Year! Even though it's the first...

Bridging Fiction (Grade 2-4)

The year of the dog : a novel
Lin, Grace.
Paper Book
This funny and profound debut novel by prolific illustrator Lin tells the story of young Pacy who, as she celebrates the Chinese New Year with her family, discovers this is the year she is supposed to "find herself." Illustrations.

Children's Fiction (Grade 3-5)


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