This seal from the Qing period demonstrates the ancient Chinese art of seal making. Visit The China Room to find dragons, seals, calligraphy and other art.
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[Folktales] [General Nonfiction] [Poetry] [Biography] [Fiction]
- Ai-Ling, Louie. Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China
Illustrated by Ed Young. Philomel, 1982. Ages 7-9.
- Bordewich, Fergus M. & Yang, Ming-yi. Peach
Blossom Spring Green
Tiger, 1994. Bklst.
- A young man breaks his promise not to tell others of the existence of a beautiful valley with sad consequences.
- Chang, Cindy. The Seventh Sister; A Chinese Legend Troll Asian Legends Centers, 1994.. Grades 2-5. Publishers catalog.
- A lonely shepard is saddened when he must let the maiden he loves return to help her sisters weave the tapestry of the night sky.
- Demi. The Stonecutter. Crown, 1995. SLJ.
- A stonecutter wants to be everything he is not and has to learn the hard way that he really wants to be exactly who he is.
- Demi. The Magic Tapestry New York: Holt, c1994. Bklst.
- The youngest of three sons must overcome frightening obstacle to win back his mother's heavenly tapestry.
- Demi. The Empty Pot. Holt, 1990. Easy.
- When Ping admits that he is the only child in China unable to grown flowers from seeds distributed by the emperor, he is rewarded for his honesty.
- Lee, Jeanne. The Song of Mu Lan Front St., 1995.
- Chinese folk poem. A legend about Mu Lan, the Chinese "Joan of Arc." SLJ
- Mosel, Arlene. Tikki Tikki Tembo Illus. by Blair Lent. 1st Owlet ed. New York: H. Holt & Co., 1989.
- Adapted Chinese folktale. When the eldest son fell in the well and most of the time getting help was spent prouncing the name of the one in trouble, the Chinese according to legend decided to give all their children short names.
- Rappaport, Doreen & Yang, Ming-yi. Journey of Meng: A Chinese Legend Dial Books for Young Readers, 1991.
- A woman goes to search for her husband enslaved by a cruel king.
- Rapport, Doreen & Yang, Ming-yi. The Long-Haired Girl Dial Books for Young Readers, 1995.
- Ah-mei challenges the God of Thunder so her parched village will have water for planting crops.
- San Souci, Robert D. Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior. Illustrated by Jean Tseng and Mou-Sien Tseng. Hyperion, 1998. Ages 5-9
- A retelling of the original Chinese poem in which a brave young girl masquerades as a boy and fights the Tartars in the Khan's army. Review at Barnes & Noble
- Timpanelli, Gioia. Tales from the Roof of the World: Folktales of Tibet Illus. by Gloria Lockwood. Viking, 1984.
- A collection of tales, including feminist stories.
- Wyndham, Robert. Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes Illustrated by Ed Young. World Publishing, 1968.
- First line index. Poems are all traditional with some having been translated specifically for this collection.
- Yacowitz, Caryn. The Jade Stone: A Chinese Folktale. Holiday House, 1992. Easy.
- A carver must decide if he will follow the emperor's orders on how to carve a beautiful jade stone.
- Young, Ed. Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood from China Trans. and illustrated by Ed Young. Boston Globe Horn Book Award; Caldecott Award Book. China.
- Three sisters are endangered by a hungry wolf posing as their grandmother.
- Young, Ed. Cat and Rat: The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac Henry Holt, 1995. Grades K-4.
- Introduction to the Chinese zodia and relates how each of the twelve animals was selected by the Jade Emperor.
- Young, Ed. Night Visitors Philomel, 1995. Primary (9).
- A young man learns respect for all life.
China. General Nonfiction
- Charley, Catherine. China Raintree/Steck-Vaughn, 1995. Country Fact Files Series. 45p. Ages 9-12
- Cheong, Colin. China Edited by Elizabeth Berg. Gareth Stevens, 1997. Festivals of the World Series.
- Describes how culture of China is reflected in its many festivals.
- Dahl, Michael. China Bridgestone Books, 1997. Countries of the World Series.
- Dawson, Zoe. China Raintree/Steck Vaughn, 1996. Postcards From Series. 32p Ages 4-8
- Description and travel book on China.
- Dramer, Kim. China Children's Press, 1997. Games People Play Series 64p. Ages 9-12.
- Discusses games and other activities both modern and ancient by which Chinese children have amused themselves. Ex. paperfolding, Chinese checkers, martial arts, ping pong.
- Fisher, Leonard Everett. The Great Wall of China Macmillan, 1986.
- Story of the making of the Great Wall of China. Grades 3-5.
- Flint, David. China Raintree/Steck Vaughn, 1994. On the Map Series.
- People, geography, family life, sports, industry and famous landmarks of China.
- Heinrichs, Ann. China Children's Press, 1997. True Books-Countries Series. 48p Ages 4-8
- Introduction to history, geography, economy, people and culture of China.
- Kalman, Bobbie. China: the Land Crabtree, 1989.
- Part of a series China in the Lands, Peoples and Cultures Series. Grades 4-8. Excellent photographs. Much emphasis on the traditional in culture, etc.
- Kent, Deborah. Beijing Children's Press, 1996. Cities of the World Series. 64p. Ages 9-12
- Describes city, life and customs of the people.
- Knight, Margy Burns & O'Brien, Anne. Talking Walls Tilbury House, 1992. SLJ.
- Introduction to cultures through the theme of walls: Great Wall of China; Berlin Wall; Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- So, Sungwan. C Is for China Silver Press, 1997. 32p. Ages 4-8.
- Arranged as an alphabet book with photos. People, customs, history, beliefs
- Steele, Philip. China Crestwood House, 1994. Discovering Series. Ages 9-12
- Full color photographs. A journey through China and its history; describes regions, politics, economics
- Waterlow, Julia. China Raintree/Steck Vaughn, 1997. Country Insights Series. 48p. Ages 9-12
- How geography has influenced the development of China and the Chinese people.
- Zhang, Song Nan. The Children of China: An Artist's Journey.Tundra Books, 1995. 32p. Ages 4-8
- Features many children of China from various subcultures. Midwest Book Review calls it "a wonderful armchair tour."
- Zhensun, Zheng and Alice Low. A Young Painter: The Life and Paintings of Wang Yani. Scholastic, 1991.
- Reproductions of paintings by the gifted Chinese teenager Wang Yani, who had her first exhibition at age four.
- Ho, Minfong. Maples in the Mist; Children's Poems from the Tang Dynasty. Translated by Minfong Ho. Illus. by Jean and Mou-sient Tseng. William Morrow & Co., 1995?. Grades K - up.
- Classical poems from the Tang Dynasty memorized by Chinese children for generations.
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Biography
- Demi. Chingis Khan. Holt, 1991. Grades 4-8.
- Biography of the Mongol leader and conqueror of China.
- Jiang, Ji-Li. Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution. Illustrated by David Henry Hwang. HarperTrophy, 1998. Young Adult biography
- A coming-of-age story of a high school student caught up in the Cultural Revolution. Review at Amazon
- Raimondo, Lois. The Little Lama of Tibet Scholastic, 1994.
- Biography of Rinpoche Ling, believed to the reincarnation of a great teacher.
Fiction
Dolphin, Laurie. Our Journey from Tibet: Based on a True Story. Photographs by Nancy Jo Johnson. Dutton, 1998. Ages 4 to 8- Photo-essay on the life of a nine-year-old gril who escaped from Tibet. Booklist recommends for grades 3-6; reviews at Amazon
Multicultural Literature
Children's Literature
Young Adult Literature
- A young man breaks his promise not to tell others of the existence of a beautiful valley with sad consequences.