Janet Wong has a great post on the Multicultural Children’s Book Day blog on Lunar Year Traditions that span many Asian countries, not just Chinese New Year! But if you are thinking of doing it up for Chinese New Year but need some ideas, I’ve rounded up my posts.
If you need a picture book or two specifically on Chinese New Year …
Top 10: Best Chinese New Year Books for Kids (created during Year of the Dragon, my year)
If you want to hand out Red Chinese Envelopes (craft included to make your own) and wondered what the meaning is …
Red Envelope Crafts for 2nd Grade China Unit (created during Year of the Snake)
If you need Chinese New Year Crafts for kids and teens…
Chinese New Year Crafts (created during Year of the Horse)
My daughter’s Middle School Chinese teacher is throwing a great Chinese New Year’s party for all her students — 60 of them plus their siblings! She is planning crafts, games, cooking demonstrations, and a potluck. Here’s what they planned:
If you want books to learn more about China …
12 Books to Explore China (created during Year of the Sheep)
If you want Chinese New Year Craft Books …
Chinese New Year Crafts and a Book (created during Year of the Horse)
If you want to learn about the Cultural Revolution (a kid-friendly version) …
China for Kids with Children’s Books, Culture, and Design (my father’s own Joy Luck Club story)
If you want books featuring Chinese American characters …
Top 10: Chinese American Children’s Books (ages 2-14)
If you or your kids are learning Chinese…
How To: Pronounce Mandarin Chinese Pinyin (cheat sheet)
Learn Chinese Words and Culture Through Books for Kids
Teach Kids Mandarin Chinese (and make it fun!)
Chinese Words Are Easy to Learn. Really!
Learning Mandarin Chinese Words, 40 Most Common Characters
Teach Kids Mandarin Chinese in a Fun Way
Introducing Foreign Languages to Your Kids (Spanish and Chinese)
Preschoolers: Learn Chinese Through Nursery Rhyme Book & CD
Learn Chinese Words with Bingo Game
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Children’s Book Activities on Pinterest.
My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Gold Award
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
- ⭐ Starred review from Kirkus
- ⭐ Starred review from Publishers Weekly
- Kirkus: The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
The Traveling Taco:
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Silver Award
- Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
- ALSC Notable Children’s Book
- 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree
- Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- 2024 Julia Ward Howe Prize for Children’s Literature Winner
- California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
- Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025
- Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025 (International Literacy Association)
- Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
- Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Wow! This is such a wonderful selections of Chinese books with suggested activities! Love your suggestions for helping kids learn Chinese.
Thanks so much Pat! I have two kids trying to learn Chinese so I’m always looking for ways to expose them.
I was born in the year of the monkey, so we should really do some fun things to celebrate this year!
Hi MaryAnne,
My son was born in the year of the Monkey too!!! I hope it is a great year for you!!
LOVE this post! My daughter will soon be reading IN THE YEAR OF THE BOAR and JACKIE ROBINSON (which is one of m all-time favorite MG novels) and we will be popping over here to explore extension activities. Thank you!
Hi Laura,
I do love In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson too!! I hope she likes it too! (and the extension activities!).
We have a lot of these books! I imagine we’ll add even more of them as the years go by.
Hi Shecki,
You must have a great collection! I need a few more myself!
Chinese new year or the year of the monkey isn’t something that is totally new to my ears but I haven’t really given much attention to learning it or knowing what it involves, or how different it is. Thanks a lot for sharing the collection of books too, I guess some of this will be perfect for our 8 year old.
Cindy
Hi Cindy,
I’m so glad your 8 year old might enjoy some of these Chinese New Year books! Happy Chinese New Year (belated!)!