WELCOMING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR

When Ren’s New Year dragon costume needs to be repaired, he and his mother visit various shopkeepers who celebrate the Lunar New Year in their own ways.

Ren’s multigenerational family, cued Chinese and ranging in complexion from pale to medium brown skin, is preparing for the holiday. Ren finds his dragon dance costume but is afraid he’s ruined the upcoming celebration when he trips and rips the costume. His mother assures him all is not lost. They visit a flower shop for marigolds sold by a Vietnamese shop owner who also shares some mứt, or candied fruit, and describes how it relates to her family’s celebration of Tết. Then they stop by a fabric store, where the shopkeeper sells them cloth and offers Ren kue lapis legit, an Indonesian cake, and explains its significance to Imlek, the Indonesian New Year. They also visit a lantern shop and receive sesame cookies from the owner, who tells them that they’re a symbol of happiness in China. Now armed with everything they need to fix the dragon, Ren and his mother return home to complete their preparations and celebrate. Joyful and lively illustrations full of color and detail pop off every page in this unique exploration of how different cultures observe the holiday.

A vibrant Lunar New Year story that celebrates community and culture.