Bringing in the new year

Bringing in the New Year Written by: Grace Lin
Bringing in the New Year is not only a picture book with text but is also a multicultural book. The book centers on a huge family in China getting ready for the New Year. The children of the family get new haircuts, decorate the house with spring poems, sweep the New Year off the floors, and bake special deserts for their big family gathering. The story centers on all types of things being done in preparation for the New Year to come as If the New Year were a person by the main character who is never named asking “Is the new year coming?” As we get closer to the end, the festivities start and finally we welcome the New Year with a huge Chinese celebration including a colorful dragon and fireworks. Also after the story is done there is an insert on the Chinese New Year and its traditions that have been carried on for many generations.
I would defiantly use this book in the classroom. It can be used as read aloud or a beginning reader picture book. There are very few words on every page and brightly, mostly red colored pictures that fill every page completely. The strength to this book is the pictures of course. They are cultural pictures and show many things that children in American may not see that often such a dragons in a festival, Chinese writing on the walls, and unique clothing. Each picture of the book reinforces the small amount of text provided; giving the child a clear picture of the events that happen in preparation for the New Year. The folk art in this story also helps establish a happy and joyful mood which most likely will rub off on the children who read it. I could use this in a classroom during the holiday season before school lets out for break as an impromptu for the children to share how they celebrate the holidays with their families. This could also be used to make comparisons between cultures and therefore broaden their horizon and appreciate difference in culture.