This exuberant story follows a Chinese American family as they prepare for the Lunar New Year. Each member of the family lends a hand as they sweep out the dust of the old year, hang decorations, and make dumplings. Then it’s time to put on new clothes and celebrate with family and friends. There will be fireworks and lion dancers, shining lanterns, and a great, long dragon parade to help bring in the Lunar New Year. And the dragon parade in our book is extra long–on a surprise fold-out page at the end of the story. Grace Lin’s artwork is a bright and gloriously patterned celebration in itself! And her story is tailor-made for reading aloud.
Grace Lin grew up in upstate New York and attended the Rhode Island School of Design. She has written and illustrated several picture books about life in a Chinese American family (based on her own!): Dim Sum for Everyone!, Kite Flying, Fortune Cookie Fortunes, and Thanking the Moon. Her books for older readers include the 2010 Newbery Honor winner Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, The Year of the Rat, and Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!. She lives in Massachusetts. To learn more, visit gracelin.com.