D is for Dancing Dragon: A China Alphabet (Discover the World)
Grade 1–4—A fascinating glimpse into Chinese culture. Two rhyming sentences for each letter of the alphabet highlight people, places, and things commonly associated with the country, including the Great Wall, pandas, Chinese New Year, kites, and the Himalayan Mountains. Both the illustrated rhymes and the expository sidebars feature information about calligraphy, inventions, the importance of the color yellow, wheelbarrows, dough figurines, jasmine tea, an instrument called anehru, and more. The couplets, chalk-pastel illustrations, and additional facts together create a comprehensive, nonlinear overview from geography and history to art and science. Although the meter of the text and the detailed pictures may not work for a group read-aloud, the title still has broad appeal. The alphabet portion could be shared one-on-one with younger students, while the additional facts keep the book relevant for independent readers and researchers. The wealth of information and the richness of the realistic drawings allow readers to savor a few letters at a time or to pore over the entire work again and again.—Julie R. Ranelli, Kent Island Branch Library, Stevensville, MDCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.