classics – Beijing Kids

Chinese Kid Lit Recommendation: Fengshen Yanyi

Sisi_Chen

If you want your kids to learn Chinese, it’s crucial to provide them with good literature tailored to their needs. While people often talk about classics such as Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Journey to the West, your kids might have a hard time engaging with them. I certainly did.

As a kid, I was more into the story of Bilbo Baggins and his adventures than tales of Chinese lords and strategists playing politics during the Han Dynasty. I was fascinated by all forms of myths and magic – stories of gods, demons, warlords and dragons.

When I was having a hard time convincing myself to read Chinese stories, I happened to spot Fengshen Yanyi (often translated as “The Investiture of the Gods”) in the bookstore next door. It changed my childhood.

This Ming Dynasty fantasy novel is very loosely based on King Wu of Zhou’s overthrow of the Shang. The book is available in versions adapted specifically for kids. It may not be as literarily acclaimed as Journey to the West or Dream of the Red Chamber, but it is much more kid-friendly. After all, which kid doesn’t want to read about battles between gods and dragons?

Written in the 16th century, The Investiture of the Gods combines elements of history, folklore, mythology, and legends. The main storylines concern the bewitching of the tyrannical Shang emperor by his concubine Da Ji, who is in fact a fox spirit disguised as a beautiful woman, and the rallying of an army by Lord Ji Fa to overthrow the emperor.

Numerous battles are waged between the Shang emperor and the rebel lords, with both sides calling gods, immortals, demons, spirits, mages and ancient warriors to fight for their side. As Lord Ji Fa defeats the Shang tyrant, peace and order are finally restored.

It is probably the most “high fantasy” novel I’ve ever read in Chinese literature, comparable to the Lord of the Rings and the Indian classic Mahabharata. I still remember how I was enchanted by the novel as a kid, especially the gods, lords and warriors with all different kinds of magical abilities. I highly recommend The Investiture of the Gods as summer reading, especially if your kids are tired of other Chinese books.

Kids’ versions of this classic can be found in any major bookstore and online. Some versions include simplified language with pinyin and lots of pictures, which is accessible to those with limited Chinese ability. Check out these versions available online:

Tmall.com, RMB 8

Taobao.com, RMB 14

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Movie Night Special: 8 Animated Classics (Part 2)

Nimo_Wanjau

Last time we looked at four classical animations to have withstood the test of technology advancement and time. The movies are a generational hand me down that gets people to fall in love with them. The first part looked at animations that were released before 2000. In this second part we give you four more to watch for movie night that were released after 2000.

Monsters, Inc. (2001)
So the stories about the boogie man is told through the use of big, totally lovable fur balls doing their job of sourcing their energy source from screaming children. This animation makes it easier for parents to try distorting the conception of monsters lurking in the closet. The characters Sully and Boo bring the story to life through the display of affection scenes. Boo wreaking havoc is sure to have people chuckling. This movie is rated G.

Chicken Run (2000)
The adults are sure to enjoy this movie since it has puns galore, "It’s raining hen," that can be translated back to everyday use. With a gang of chicken dreaming to escape before they become chicken pie (note: if you like chicken pies this might not be the movie for you). The use of rubber chickens instead of the sketches gives this movie that extra special feel and difference from animations that humanize animals. This movie is rated G.

Finding Nemo (2003)
For years on end, the press comes alive with news of a sequel to this classic hitting the cinemas till then get your fill of this timeless animation. This animated underwater adventure is a genuinely funny and touching as a father and son try to get back to each other. Father and son get separated in the Great Barrier Reef with son- Nemo finding himself in a dentist’s office. The timeless animation revolves around a father’s epic journey to find his son with the help of a friend. This movie is rated G.

Shrek I and II (2001 and 2004)
This movies turns the notion of fairy-tale princesses and happily ever after on its head. The movie has loads to farting humor, burping for the kids to enjoy and teaching lesson that inner beauty can triumph over outer beauty. Donkey, keeps the story going as he blurts all his thoughts and feelings. Shrek joins the exclusive club of having sequels become instant classic despite the last one leaving us begging not to have a fourth made. These movies are rated PG.

Photos courtesy of cloudfront.net, movieposter.com, rogererbert.com and sau56.org

Building Your Baby’s Library with These Timeless Books (Part 2)

Nimo_Wanjau

In the first part of this series, we looked at classic bedtime books to help build your baby’s library or that of a loved one. The baby books chosen have withstood the test of time and are still loved by many. These books can be found in douban.com under the books section with the only drawback being that the site is in Chinese. But searching for the titles in English will still yield the book results. Here is a look at another five classic books.

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Poor Corduroy! Why won’t anyone buy him? Could it be because his overalls are missing a button? Late at night the teddy bear searches the store for his button. He never finds it, but he does find a girl who loves him and gives him a home.

Heartwarming and humorous, this is a picture-book classic. The illustrations are bold, bright, and highly appealing. The story speaks to many themes, including friendship, courage, and hope.

Review sourced from Common Sense Media

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow

This book is a fun, amusing story about the bedtime rituals of five monkeys and their mama. The monkeys diligently complete ordinary bedtime tasks such as taking a bath, brushing their teeth and putting on their pajamas. At this point, one may be led to believe that the “obedient” monkeys are ready to go to sleep, but these five little monkeys have plans of their own.

As their mama shuts their bedroom door, the silly monkeys start jumping on their bed. Wouldn’t you know it – one monkey falls down and bumps his head. Mama is forced to call the doctor, who instructs the monkeys, “No more monkeys jumping on the bed.” Will the remaining monkeys listen to the doctor’s order? The catchy tale repeats itself as the number of monkeys left in bed dwindles and the doctors orders become more adamant: “NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED.” Before you know it, all five monkeys are injured, and they finally decide to settle down for the evening. Now mama can finally go to sleep herself…or perhaps, she decides, have some fun of her own.

Adults and children alike will look forward to reading this board book over and over again. The illustrations brilliantly bring the story to life. The expressions on the monkeys’ faces make readers laugh out loud as they change from innocent to silly and mischievous. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself joining in on the fun by jumping on your own bed. The one thing this book is missing is a warning: This book will not encourage children to settle down for bedtime!

Review sourced from Curled Up With a Good Kids Book

Gossie byOlivier Dunrea

Gossie is a little golden yellow gosling who “likes to wear bright red boots.” Gossie loves her boots so much that she wears them all the time. Whether she is eating, sleeping, playing, or walking, Gossie always wears her beloved boots.

Then, one morning, she wakes up to discover that her boots are missing. They are not under the hens, or in the barn, or under her bed. They are nowhere to be found and Gossie is quite “heartbroken” at her loss. Then she sees something quite extraordinary and Gossie’s world changes a great deal – for the better.

There is no doubt that Gossie the gosling is one of the funniest and sweetest bird characters around. Even though she is very small, Olivier Dunrea manages to give Gossie a surprising amount of character and expression. With minimal backgrounds and delicate touches of color and detail, Olivier Dunrea puts his wonderful gosling in the limelight – which is just where she should be.

Little children will grow to love this little bird, and will certainly want to read more of her books in the future.

Review sourced from Through The Looking Glass Children’s Book Reviews

In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming

If you were a fuzzy caterpillar crawling through the tall, tall grass on a sunny afternoon, what would you see? Beginning, as the sun is high in the sky and ending as fireflies blink and the moon rises above, this backyard tour is one no child will want to miss.

Singling out the "array of vibrant verbs and boisterous onomatopeia" and the "kaleidoscope effect" of the textured paper collages, PW called Caldecott Honor artist Fleming’s caterpillar safari "ideal for sharing with young explorers."

Description and editorial review sourced from amazon

Are You My Mother? By P.D. Eastman

I want my mother! Will the gritty determination of a very tiny bird win the day? Readers love the suspense and the hilarious conclusion, as a newly hatched baby bird begins a quest to find his mother. Uproarious illustrations complement the comical tale, providing giggles galore for young readers.

Parents need to know that readers eagerly anticipate the baby bird’s next move. Basic language and humorous illustrations keep the tale’s tone light.

Description and review sourced from Common Sense Media

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia commons

Building Your Baby’s Library with These Timeless Books (Part 1)

Nimo_Wanjau

It’s never too early to start building up a child’s library. Books also make the best baby shower or birthday gifts when you’re unsure of what to give. Here are some recommendations for a baby’s first library. These books are available through Amazon, Blue Fountain, Lanree via the Douban books.

Douban gives you the option of ordering books from individual sites such as Blue Fountain, but you have to register for an account first. The other option is to buy the book from Douban directly after registering with a Weibo account or phone number. The prices are in Chinese Yuan and US Dollars. There are various languages available for some of these books, including French and Spanish. The reviews below were sourced from Amazon and Douban.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
"With its lovely, humorous illustrations and wonderful story about a hungry caterpillar growing up to be a beautiful butterfly, Eric Carle’s story touches anyone who still has some growing to do. Along with reassuring repetition ("He was still hungry"), the book includes some wonderful interactive moments. What youngster can resist sticking a finger through that hole in the page as his ravenous friend makes his way through various delicacies?"

Close Your Eyes by Kate Banks
"Alternating between real-life scenes with the baby tiger and his mother and enchanted dream scenes of sleep’s possibilities, Kate Banks’s simple, comforting text and Georg Hallensleben’s bright, colorful illustrations make this a charming bedtime story for small children a must read. "Close Your Eyes" is a 2002 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a 2003 Bank Street – Best Children’s Book of the Year."

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
"In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room – to the picture of the three little bears sitting in chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one – he says goodnight. In this classic of modern children’s literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day."

Guess How Much I Love You All Year Round by Sam McBratney
"This is a lovely collection of four sweet stories about the Nutbrown Hares from spring to summer to fall to winter and back. The little Nutbrown Hare has lots of questions when growing things start to sprout in the spring—and wonders what he will turn into one day. By summer, he notices colors everywhere, but there’s one that he’s sure he likes best. The autumn wind inspires hiding and chasing—and a funny surprise for Big Nutbrown Hare. And when wintertime comes, playing "I Spy" games is especially fun in the snow. These simple, endearing tales starring two of the world’s most beloved characters are perfect for sharing with little hares any time of year."

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell
"Children will love this book of zoo animals with its eight color flaps. "Big print and spacious pages are the setting of a series of flap-covered pictures, each of which is tidily centered on the page which makes it just right for the ready-to-read."– Bulletin, Center for Children’s Books. There are many variations available of this book on Douban with even a noisy version with 8 interactive sound buttons to listen to the different sounds zoo animals make."

This blog is part of a two part series with part two looking at Corduroy, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Gossie, In the Tall, Tall Grass and Are You My Mother?

Photo by Katerha (Flickr)