My First Book of Chinese Words

April 22, 2013
Warm, ornate illustrations bring distinctive style to this abecedarian introduction to Chinese words. Each word is presented in both simplified and traditional characters, as well as phonetic pinyin. Familiar references provide context for English speakers: “G is for gou./ Our dog very dear/ gives a happy ‘wang wang!’/ when friends come near.” The boldly inked images of a Chinese family have the appearance of block prints, and bright jewel tones and strong patterns embellish scenes of the family eating, walking at the seashore, or making hand puppets. Introductory pronunciation notes, brief bits of cultural context on several spreads, and online resources flesh out this useful introduction to the language. Ages 3–5.

June 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 2-Chinese doesn't use an alphabet, but Wu uses the pinyin romanization system to introduce a Chinese character for every letter of the English alphabet. The romanization starts with the same letter, and usually the same sound, as the English letter, for example, "A is for ai." When Chinese lacks a letter or sound (such as "V"), then the author uses an English word and translates it into Chinese. Each page features a Chinese character (shown in both simplified and traditional variations) and a rhyming translation superimposed on a full-color illustration. Many pages also have an explanatory note about Chinese culture. Differing from a traditional "my first words" dictionary-type book, this title works as a read-aloud and would be an easy way to introduce the language into a storytime or unit on China. The rhythm is occasionally awkward. This is a good complement for collections in which picture dictionaries and books such as Roseanne Thong's Round Is a Mooncake (2000) and Red Is a Dragon (2001, both Chronicle) are popular. Web support contains audio for pronunciation guidance.-Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2013
Grades K-2 Starting with A, for ai, a word that means love in Chinese, this picture book uses the English alphabet as a framework to learn Chinese words. Each entry includes the word in Pinyin as well as the traditional and simplified Chinese characters, accompanied by a rhyme that incorporates the term. Some topics, such as the moon, dogs, and grandmothers, are universal; others introduce cultural aspects of Chinese life, such as chopsticks, rice, and dragons. A preface for adults offers guidelines for pronunciation, but the publisher's website, mentioned on the book flap, is more helpful. Colorful illustrations complement the text and clarify a few of the terms. This first book is a good supplement to primary multicultural units, but it does require preliminary practice unless read aloud by someone fluent in Chinese.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2013
With attractive illustrations stylistically recalling traditional woodblock prints, this captivating and informative alphabet book in verse gives a Chinese word--simplified and traditional Chinese characters, Romanized form (Pinyin), and tone--for every letter of the English alphabet. Each poem explains what the Chinese word means, while smaller text gives some cultural background; the words can be heard on the publisher's website.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)