D is for Dancing Dragon

March 1, 2007
Gr 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 an "ehru", 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, MD"

Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2007
For each letter of the alphabet, a clunky rhyme introduces an aspect of China or Chinese culture. Prose paragraphs offer facts about each item and related topics. Unfortunately, the awkward writing doesn't do justice to the information or to the generally pleasing paintings. There's also an error on the [cf2]E[cf1] page: the erhu, a musical instrument, is spelled "ehru."

(Copyright 2007 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)