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Chinese New Year Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers

The start of the Chinese New Year is fast approaching and if you are looking for ways to learn a little about the festivities and celebrate with your kids then a great way to start is with some book inspiration. We’ve been hunting through the shelves and put together our pick of the Best Chinese New Year Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers.

Pinterest image for the best Chinese New Year Board and Picture Books

Our Pick of the Best Chinese New Year Books for Toddlers and Preschoolers

We’ve included a mix of both fiction and non-fiction board and picture books with fantastic illustrations that will make great gifts for kids as well as adding to your book basket this year.

We have included affiliate links to some of the products and resources as an associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Dragon Dance by Joan Holub

All toddlers and preschoolers love lifting the flaps and this accurate book has some fantastic flaps to lift and reveal different aspects of the celebration as you head to Chinatown and celebrate the Lunar new year with the Dragon Dance: A Chinese New Year Lift-the-Flap Book also includes a Chinese Zodiac wheel at the back – I remember colouring in one much like it when I was in primary school.

My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz

Follow along as a child discovers the family traditions of the Chinese New Year in this fact-based tale My First Chinese New Year My First Holiday giving you an ideal opportunity to ask whether you would like to do any of the traditions in your own home as well.

My First Chinese New Year (My First Holiday)
  • Katz, Karen (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 32 Pages – 12/11/2012 (Publication Date) – Square Fish (Publisher)

Celebrate Chinese New Year: With Fireworks, Dragons and Lanterns – National Geographic Kids

The National Geography Series is always a good bet when it comes to books. The pictures are vibrant and they can and will be useful for many years to come. Celebrate Chinese New Year: With Fireworks, Dragons, and Lanterns is my first choice for non-fiction books and if you are only going to get one about the lunar new year then this would be it.

Holidays Around the World: Celebrate Chinese New Year: With Fireworks, Dragons, and Lanterns
  • Otto, Carolyn (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 32 Pages – 12/22/2015 (Publication Date) – National Geographic Kids (Publisher)

Check out our selection of Dragon Books for Kids for more fun stories about the Chinese New Year Dragons as well as Knights of old.

Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin

As well as connecting with the characters children love to learn about family life and Bringing In the New Year by Grace Lin, tells of the whole family readying themselves for the Lunar New Years. It gives an insider look at what families do to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

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Bringing In the New Year (Read to a Child!)
  • Lin, Grace (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 34 Pages – 12/14/2010 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)

Dim Sum for Everyone! by Grace Linn

Learn about the foods and one of the traditions of this festival in the book Dim Sum for Everyone! it inspired us to search for some recipes and raid the supermarket to try some food. One of our favourites to try and make was this Chinese New Year Dumplings recipe it’s perfect to cook with kids.

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Dim Sum for Everyone!
  • Lin, Grace (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 32 Pages – 01/14/2003 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)

Chinese New Year Printable Games

Love printables then check out our selection of Fun Chinese New Year Printable Games for Kids.

Chinese New Year Printable Games

Love printables then check out our selection of Fun Chinese New Year Printable Games for Kids.

Chinese New Year Holidays and Festivals

Unlike many of the books on the list, Chinese New Year Holidays and Festivals is an educational book aimed specifically at Preschoolers with bright colourful real pictures that tell the children all about the festival and the traditions around it. Head to the parade and watch the lion dancers as they go through the different aspects of the celebrations.

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Chinese New Year (Holidays and Festivals)
  • Used Book in Good Condition
  • Dickmann, Nancy (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 24 Pages – 09/01/2010 (Publication Date) – Heinemann (Publisher)

Chelsea’s Chinese New Year by Lisa Bullard

When children can connect with the characters in the story, maybe because they have the same name, they are the same age or they are doing something they really want to do it can help bring the story to life for them. Chelsea in Chelsea’s Chinese New Year is allowed to stay up late one thing that both of my kids always wanted to do.

Chelsea’s Chinese New Year (Cloverleaf Books ™ ― Holidays and Special Days)
  • Bullard, Lisa (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 24 Pages – 01/01/2012 (Publication Date) – Millbrook Press ™ (Publisher)
Favourite books for toddlers and preschoolers to read about the chinese new year together

Happy, Happy Chinese New Year! by Demi

30 days of celebration – did you know I didn’t but this wonderful book Happy, Happy Chinese New Year! by Demi goes through the 15 days of preparation to end the current year and then the 15 days following the start of the New Year. As an adult, I loved finding out these traditions that I hadn’t heard about before.

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Happy, Happy Chinese New Year!
  • Hardcover Book
  • DEMI (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 24 Pages – 11/11/2003 (Publication Date) – Knopf Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

Chinese Zodiac Animals by Sanmu Tang

Tell me you haven’t looked up which Zodiac animal you were born under and then the traits of those! I was born under the sign of the Horse and when my kids learnt about the Chinese New Year they were told which sign they were born under and then the meaning of it – Chinese Zodiac Animals has all of the information and you can see how accurate it is for your children. It includes the story of the great race and is a fantastic way to learn about ordinal numbers as well.

Chinese Zodiac Animals
  • Tang, Sanmu (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 56 Pages – 10/10/2011 (Publication Date) – Shanghai Press (Publisher)
collage showing 4 covers of chinese new year board and pictures books for kids the text read The Best Chinese New Year Books for Tots

PoPo’s Lucky Chinese New Year by Virginia Log-Hagan

For a lot of children, the way that they learn about cultural traditions especially when they live outside of their culture is through older relatives visiting. In PoPos Lucky Chinese New Year a young girl’s grandmother visits and tells tales of traditions and the history of the Chinese New Year.

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PoPo’s Lucky Chinese New Year
  • Hardcover Book
  • Loh-Hagan, Virginia (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 32 Pages – 12/01/2016 (Publication Date) – Sleeping Bear Press (Publisher)

The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale by Ying Chang Compestein

Part of the new year celebrations is about generosity, the red envelope is one way that it is expressed but not the only way, this fun tale The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale is funny and helps to teach about this part of Chinese New Year which with the festivities can sometimes be forgotten.

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The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale
  • Hardcover Book
  • Compestine, Ying Chang (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 32 Pages – 01/06/2011 (Publication Date) – Dutton Books for Young Readers (Publisher)

Chinese New Year Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Looking to combine some activities and crafts with these books for your Chinese New Year Celebrations then check out these simple ideas great for your little ones.

Pinnable Image showing just some of the Books About Chinese New Year for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Author
Cerys Parker

Cerys is a marine biologist, environmental educator, teacher, mum, and home educator from the UK. She loves getting creative, whether it is with simple and easy crafts and ideas, activities to make learning fun, or delicious recipes that you and your kids can cook together you'll find them all shared here on Rainy Day Mum.

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