It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George
Join the beloved character Curious George and his friend Mei as they celebrate Chinese New Year. Discover the traditions of this special holiday through rhyming text, colorful art, and illustrated tabs.
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It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George, written by Chinese-American author Maria Wen Adcock, is a fun introduction to a holiday celebrated worldwide. Young children are introduced to the zodiac animals, decorations, foods, and activities associated with the Lunar New Year.
The book begins with George and Mei preparing for the holiday by finding their zodiac animal sign, cleaning the house, cutting their hair, buying new clothes, and decorating the house.
When George and Mei attend the family reunion dinner, we learn about two special foods on the table: noodles (symbolizing a long life) and dumplings (helping wealth and fortune grow).
Receiving lucky money in red envelopes and watching fireworks in the night sky end the New Year’s Eve celebration.
George and Mei wake up on New Year’s Day, wear their lucky red clothes, and head to town for the parade and dragon dance.
The story ends with the pair of friends eating tāng yuán rice balls (symbols of wholeness) and lighting red and gold lanterns for the Lantern Festival, which follows Chinese New Year.
What a fun introduction to global cultures and celebrations!
- Publisher: Clarion Books, an imprint of Harper Collins
- Release Date: January 3, 2023
- Board book: 16 pages
- ISBN-10: 0358683645 ; ISBN-13: 978-0358683643
- Reading age: Baby-4 years
- Grade level: Preschool and up
Purchase the book on Amazon.
About the Author Maria Wen Adcock is the author of It’s Chinese New Year, Curious George published by Clarion Books/Harper Collins. Maria is a first-generation Chinese-American writer and founder of the award-winning multicultural parenting blog www.BiculturalMama.com. She has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Bloomberg News, Newsday, and Huffington Post. Maria is a board member of Multicultural Kid Blogs, an organization supporting diverse parenting bloggers, and co-host of the annual publishing event Multicultural Children’s Book Day. She resides on Long Island with her husband and two children.
Related Resources
Post: Chinese New Year Information & Activities
Product: Chinese New Year Activities for Any Zodiac Year
Country Profile: China