Materials from Asia
A striking book that introduces children to written Chinese characters On a beautiful autumn day, Xiao Ming and his friends take a trip to a farm. Xiao Ming can’t wait to show everyone the new Chinese characters he has learned, and his friends are just as excited to see them.Children will be delighted to follow along as Xiao Ming explains how to read ten Chinese characters, and they’ll be pleased as they begin to discover the beauty-and logic-of one of the oldest picture languages in the world.
Antonia gets her wish when her parents return to China to bring home a Mei Mei, or younger sister, for her.
A collection of ancient tales of courage, translated faithfully to the Vietnamese oral tradition, features stories of prowling panthers, brocaded mandarins, hawking merchants, and fairy spirits.
When you’re so skinny people call you Skeleton Boy, how do you find strength for the fight of your life? Twelve-year-old Vonlai knows that soldiers who guard the Mekong River shoot at anything that moves, but in oppressive Communist Laos, there’s nothing left for him, his spirited sister, Dalah, and his desperate parents. Their only hope is a refugee camp in Thailand—on the other side of the river. When they reach the camp, their struggles are far from over. Na Pho is a forgotten place where life consists of squalid huts, stifling heat, and rationed food. Still, Vonlai tries to carry on as if everything is normal. He pays attention in school, a dusty barrack overcrowded with kids too hungry to learn. And, to forget his empty stomach, he plays soccer in a field full of rocks.
When twelve-year-old Seema moves to Iowa City with her parents and younger sister, she leaves friends and family behind in her native India but gradually begins to feel at home in her new country.
Portrait of a man who is a living embodiment of the ideals of peace, democracy and freedom perfect for young readers! The road to Lhasa was lined with people who had gathered to see the new reincarnation. Dressed in finery they thronged the streets waiting for a glimpse of their new ruler. Looking out of his carriage, the Dalai Lama saw people crying with joy. Their Kundun had returned. Born to a family of farmers in a remote corner of Tibet, Lhamo Dhondup, was recognized as the fourteenth reincarnation of the Dalai Lama at the age of two. He took charge of his country in 1950 when the Chinese invaded Tibet.
Being the new kid in school is hard enough, but what about when nobody can pronounce your name? Having just moved from Korea, Unhei is anxious that American kids will like her. So instead of introducing herself on the first day of school, she tells the class that she will choose a name by the following week. Her new classmates are fascinated by this no-name girl and decide to help out by filling a glass jar with names for her to pick from.
Join the discussion of The Name Jar as well as other books centered around relocation on our My Take/Your Take page.
This book has been included in WOW’s Language and Learning: Children’s and Young Adult Fiction Booklist. For our current list, visit our Booklist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.
Featured in Volume VII, Issue 4 of WOW Review.
This series of bilingual books encourages children to ‘imagine words’ and build vocabulary with the aid of pictures in a storytelling setting. By providing words in two language simultaneously, the books create a platform for children to build their own narratives. This helps them use words creatively, and remember them.
Describes the variety of India’s land and people, its cities and villages, agriculture, industry and transportation, the problems of development, and its animal life.
Lily discovers a new path in one of her favorite places, her mother’s exotic garden, and the plants there teach her about the culture, festivals, food, and drink of their homeland, India.