9 of the Best Kids Books For Lunar New Year |

A Curated Reading List from The Children’s Book Review for Families, Educators & Librarians interested in Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year—also known as Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Seollal (Korean), and Tết (Vietnamese)—is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the world. It’s a time of family reunions, delicious feasts, lion dances, red envelopes, and fresh beginnings. The books on this list offer children a wonderful window into the rich traditions, folklore, and cultural diversity of this joyous celebration. From board books for toddlers to early readers and picture books for elementary students, there’s something here for every young reader to enjoy.

Newbery Honor–winning author Grace Lin returns with a delightful new installment of her beloved early reader series. Twin sisters Ling and Ting are Chinese and American, so they celebrate the new year two times! As they prepare for Lunar New Year, they want everything to be lucky—but what happens when Ting makes a mistake? This charming, culturally rich story is perfect for emerging readers and received starred reviews from School Library Journal and The Horn Book.

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This exuberant picture book follows a Chinese American family as every member lends a hand to prepare for the Lunar New Year—sweeping out the dust of the old year, hanging decorations, and making dumplings. Grace Lin’s bright, gloriously patterned artwork makes this a joyful read-aloud perfect for the youngest listeners.

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The Nian Monster

Written by Andrea Wang

Illustrated by Alina Chau

Ages 4+ | 32 Pages

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company | ISBN-13: 978-0807556450

The legendary Nian monster has returned at Chinese New Year, intent on devouring Shanghai—starting with young Xingling! But Xingling is clever and thinks quickly to outwit the beast using Chinese New Year traditions. A spirited retelling that weaves folklore with modern-day Shanghai and empowers young readers.

With over 140 flaps to lift, this interactive board book is filled with rhyming descriptions of all the things that make Lunar New Year so exciting for kids—from eating a celebratory dinner to receiving gifts from family members and watching the New Year’s parade. A wonderful hands-on introduction to the holiday.

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A delightful Chinese New Year twist on Goldilocks! Goldy Luck’s mother sends her to bring turnip cakes to the Chan family next door—but when they aren’t home, Goldy tries out their rice porridge, their chairs, and their beds with disastrous (and hilarious) results. A fresh, culturally rich retelling that celebrates community and making amends.

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Mina can’t wait to share the customs of Seollal—the Korean Lunar New Year—with her classmates at school. She shows them her colorful hanbok, demonstrates the traditional bow (sebae), and helps everyone make tteokguk. A joyful book about sharing cultural celebrations with new friends, with a glossary and pronunciation guide included.

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Emmy-winning TV host Michelle W. Park shares a heartwarming story of two sisters exploring the Korean traditions of Seollal while learning about the importance of family. This sweet picture book includes the author’s own dumpling recipe and a fun activity—a wonderful way to explore Korean Lunar New Year customs.

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With gorgeous illustrations based on Chinese painting techniques, this is a lively retelling of the legendary animals’ race that led to the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac. An essential companion to any Lunar New Year reading—children love discovering which zodiac animal represents their birth year.

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Sam can hardly wait to spend the leisees (lucky red envelopes) his grandparents gave him for Chinese New Year. But as he and his mother explore the bustling streets of Chinatown, Sam’s excitement fades when he realizes his lucky money won’t buy as much as he’d hoped. Then a chance encounter with a stranger without shoes in the cold helps Sam discover that sometimes the best gifts come from the heart. Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu’s vivid watercolor paintings bring the festive sights and sounds of Chinatown to life in this tender, award-winning story about generosity and compassion.

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Gōngxǐ fācái! Wishing you health and prosperity! The book list—10 of the Best Kids Books For Lunar New Year—was curated by Bianca Schulze. Discover more books like the picture books listed here by following our reviews and articles tagged with Chinese New Year.