Chinese Children's Favorite Stories
Kindergarten-Grade 2–A collection of 13 traditional "thousand-year-old" stories. In her introduction, Yip fondly acknowledges her father's role as family storyteller as the inspiration for this book. Some stories will be familiar, such as "The Mouse Bride," though this version is a little different from Lida Dijkstra'sLittle Mouse(Front St, 2004) and Ed Young'sMouse Match(Harcourt, 1997). Other selections include traditional Chinese elements such as dragons and the mischievous monkey king. Like fables, these tales have morsels of wisdom to impart, and almost all have a close connection with the natural world. Explanations of cultural elements are nicely incorporated into the text, such as the qin, a musical instrument. Yip's writing is clear and accessible to children, and the bright pastel illustrations are appealing. An attractive addition for larger collections.–Robin L. Gibson, formerly at Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH