D is for Dragon Dance by Ying Chang Compestine ill YongSheng Xuan
Originally published in 2006, Compestine’s celebration of Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is a vibrant compendium of Chinese culture. Presented in an alphabetical format, readers observe youngsters as they prepare for and participate in this annual fifteen-day traditional festival. Children anticipate New Year by crafting messages on red paper and getting haircuts. Enjoy mouth-watering traditional foods: noodles, oranges, roast duck, and dumplings. Join in the celebrating with kites, lanterns, incense, and firecrackers. Xuan’s illustrations are replete with gorgeous jewel colors. Soft yellow backgrounds play up the vibrant reds. He seamlessly blends images across the gutter, skillfully joining two distinct concepts into one image. Objects such as the imposing dragon figure span an entire two-page spread. This creature is magnificent! |
Background
The holiday is observed in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Mauritius, and in countries with a large Chinese community.
A Chinese calendar is not like the Gregorian calendar. It is based on the phases of the moon. The first day of Chinese New Year starts with the new moon. The last day, known as Lantern Festival is celebrated with night lantern displays.