New Releases by Sanmu Tang

Through beautiful illustrations, Celebrating Chinese Festivals presents the most important and celebrated festivals of China, and explains the traditions, the delicious foods, the exciting activities and special customs that go with them! Readers will experience many Chinese festivities together with Little Mei and her family as they celebrate: Chinese New Year. Fireworks at midnight, lion dancing and visiting with family members. The Lantern Festival. A parade of lanterns to celebrate the first full moon. Qingming Festival. Paying respects to departed loved ones by sweeping and tending to their graves. The Dragon Boat Festival. Eating zongzi and dragon boat racing. Festival of the Cow Herder and the Weaving Maiden. A Romantic story of the origin of Chinese Valentine's Day. The Mid-autumn Festival. Families get together to make sweet mooncakes! Double Ninth Festival. An autumn tradition where people climb mountains and drink a special tea to protect against danger, and visit elders to pay their respects. The classic Chinese legends and poems in this colorful book will help children understand Chinese culture, and the recipes for tasty festival treats will delight those who love Chinese food.

Children will love to learn all about their Chinese zodiac animal with this great multicultural book for kids. Which Chinese zodiac animal are you? A clever rat? A brave tiger? A hardworking ox? Or an energetic dragon? In ancient China, each sign marked a different year in a 12-year calendar. Over time, people believed that a person's character and destiny were somehow decided by his or her zodiac animal. Chinese Zodiac Animals explains the traits of each animal sign and what luck the future might hold for the person born under that sign. Chinese Zodiac Animals is a fun and informative way to learn about an important part of Chinese traditional culture.

This colorfully illustrated children's book tells a Chinese fairy tale about the monkey king and his attempt to capture the moon. One night, the monkey king saw the moon in the night sky and desired to have it for himself. He ordered all the monkeys to climb to the top of the mountain and form a monkey ladder, standing on one another's shoulders. The smallest monkey was on top, trying to pluck the moon from the sky. The little monkey tried hard but simply could not reach it. The king, looking down in disappointment, saw the moon in a pool down below. Jumping up into a tree, the king clasped hold of a sturdy branch with his legs and hung downwards. Then, one by one, the monkeys held one another's feet until the long line of hanging monkeys reached the surface of the water. The little monkey reached into the water to scoop up the shining moon, but all he got was…a few drops of water.

In these charming volumes, Little Mei asks her grandfather about each of the four different Chinese celebrations represented. He tells her the stories of Nian and the monster Xi (Chinese New Year); Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet who loved his kingdom (Dragon Boat Festival); the Jade Emperor of Heaven who ordered the earth to be destroyed by fire (Lantern Festival); and Hou Yi who shot down the suns (Mid-Autumn Festival). In Celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival Little Mei wants to know why her family members have all come together this evening. Grandpa tells her the story of Hou Yi who shot down the suns and his wife, Chang'e, who floats to the moon. Includes a quick recipe for moon cakes.

In these charming volumes, Little Mei asks her grandfather about each of the four different Chinese celebrations represented. He tells her the stories of Nian and the monster Xi (Chinese New Year); Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet who loved his kingdom (Dragon Boat Festival); the Jade Emperor of Heaven who ordered the earth to be destroyed by fire (Lantern Festival); and Hou Yi who shot down the suns (Mid-Autumn Festival). In Celebrating the Lantern Festival Little Mei wants to know why her grandpa is making a paper lantern. Grandpa tells her the story of the Jade Emperor of Heaven and how he ordered the earth to be destroyed by fire. The story also includes a quick recipe for yuanxiao, sticky rice dumplings.

In these charming volumes, Little Mei asks her grandfather about each of the four different Chinese celebrations represented. He tells her the stories of Nian and the monster Xi (Chinese New Year); Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet who loved his kingdom (Dragon Boat Festival); the Jade Emperor of Heaven who ordered the earth to be destroyed by fire (Lantern Festival); and Hou Yi who shot down the suns (Mid-Autumn Festival). In Celebrating the Dragon Boat FestivalLittle Mei wants to know why she must wear a special scented pouch to ward off the evil spirits. Grandpa tells her the story of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet who loved his kingdom. Includes a quick recipe for zongzi, sticky rice balls wrapped in reed leaves.

In these charming volumes, Little Mei asks her grandfather about each of the four different Chinese celebrations represented. He tells her the stories of Nian and the monster Xi (Chinese New Year); Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet who loved his kingdom (Dragon Boat Festival); the Jade Emperor of Heaven who ordered the earth to be destroyed by fire (Lantern Festival); and Hou Yi who shot down the suns (Mid-Autumn Festival). In Celebrating the Chinese New Year, Little Mei wants to know why her family celebrates the Chinese New Year. All her family members have their own reasons, but it is Grandpa who tells her the story of Nian and monster Xi.

This fun multicultural children's story tells a Chinese parable. One monk shoulders two buckets of water. Two monks lift one bucket of water. Three monks have no water! This is a story told generation after generation, and has much in common with the western saying "too many cooks spoil the broth." When there is one monk in the temple, he fetches water for himself. When there are two, they share the duty. But as the third comes, it's hard to divide the responsibilities. Everyone thinks for himself and nobody fetches water any more. At last, a fire in the temple teaches them the importance of cooperation. From then on, they cooperate and have water every day.

This series of popular Chinese stories have been taken from their original movie format by Shanghai Animation and Film Studio and adapted to book form by Sammu Tang. Gorgeously illustrated, all six of these tales are sure to delight, regardless of age or cultural background.

This Chinese myth for Children tells the story of Nezha. One day, Nezha encounters a patrolling Yasha demon, stealing children to feed his master, the Dragon King. Nezha wounds the Yasha demon with his Firmament Ring. In a rage, the Dragon King sends his third son to capture Nezha, but the son is killed instead. Now completely infuriated, the Dragon King unleashes a raging storm, wreaking havoc on Chentang Pass and demanding Nezha's magic weapons. Nezha transforms his spirit into an exact duplicate of himself, and, with his newly acquired fire-tipped spear, Nezha heads straight for the Dragon Palace. In a final fury, he turns the palace upside down and beards the Dragon King.