I’m a big ol’ book nerd, so when I hear there’s a literature festival happening, you already have me hooked. Add to that a children’s reading corner and excellent topics for discussion? Well, I’ll just clear my calendar!

So it was thrilling to hear about the US Embassy’s Literature Festival that’s already in progress! It’s been running since May 20 and goes until Jun 26. Their website describes it as such: “The American Literature Festival’s overarching theme is ‘books as a bridge,’ under which diversity and inclusion, youth outreach, and people-to-people connections and cultural exchange will feature prominently. With virtual and in-person events across China, this celebration of American literature highlights the ability of books to build bridges of communication between people, increase mutual understanding, and inspire human curiosity to imagine worlds known and unknown.”

You can check out their website here for all the details, however, these events will probably appeal to families of differing ages the most!

Children’s Reading Corner

When: Saturday, Jun 5 and Jun 26, 10 am
Location: Beijing American Center
Language: English with consecutive interpretation in Chinese
Ages: 7 and up

In honor of International Children’s Day, a 12-year-old international Braille reading champion will read two beloved American children’s books, Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, and introduce young children, their parents, and educators to both traditional and electronic Braille technology. Following the reading, the audience will have a chance to explore the technology firsthand and learn more about how the US incorporates equal access to education for children with disabilities.

Diversity and Inclusion in Young Adult Sci-Fi and Fantasy Literature

When: Wednesday, Jun 9, 6.30pm
Where: Beijing American Center
Language: English
Ages: 15 and up

When was the last time that you picked up a book and got lost in a world of endless possibilities? Worlds where magic is real, space is home, time travel is an option for your next vacation (but let’s skip 2020…), or so many other variations of possibility. Now, how often have you been able to picture yourself in that world? How often have you been able to see yourself as the main character? Join us as we jump into another world, drawing from Tracy Deonn’s Legendborn, to explore why diversity and inclusion is important in sci-fi and fantasy literature.

American Classics

When: Wednesday, Jun 23, 6.30pm
Where: Beijing American Center
Language: Chinese
Ages: 15 and up

An educator and a podcast host with years of experience in US education and cultural immersion, Mengfei Li will dive into the beauty of reading American literary classics, and how doing so can contribute to academic success and understanding of American culture.

For more information, visit www.americanliteraturefestival.com or scan the QR code below.

KEEP READING: In Search of Treasure at the Roundabout Retail Store

Images: Courtesy of the American Literature Festival

Amélie Wen Zhao grew up in Beijing, and attended the International School of Beijing (ISB). She always dreamed of being a writer, and after moving to New York to work in the financial sector spent years working on her novel Blood Heir. When she was offered a major contract with Penguin Random House, it was a dream come true.

Unfortunately the book made headlines for the wrong reasons, before it was even published. Another author accused Blood Heir of racism, provoking a Twitterstorm. Wen Zhao voluntarily withdrew her novel from publication. However the backlash itself triggered a backlash, as it was apparent that many of those attacking the book had not even read it. The controversy caused soul-searching in the world of Young Adult (YA) fiction, with people asking whether well-meaning attempts to ensure diversity in publishing were actually silencing important voices. Following some thought and some revisions to the text, Wen Zhao is now proudly celebrating the worldwide publication of Blood Heir. She spoke to beijingkids about her writing, and her experience of growing up in Beijing.

Amélie Wen Zhao

Do you have any memorable experiences, related to the literary arts, from your time at ISB? Any faculty members who really inspired, mentored, or advocated for you?
Thanks to my beloved and practical-minded Chinese parents, I was actually on track to study economics/finance for my college years – I knew I had to be able to feed myself and pay my bills first. So, at ISB, I took the IB Diploma with subjects of Higher Level Economics, Higher Level English, and Higher Level Biology; Standard Level Chinese, Math, and Psychology. The courses I enjoyed most were, no doubt, English and Economics (which speaks to the two careers I currently hold in publishing and finance). Michael Green was my economics teacher throughout high school and we are still in touch today; he truly was one of the best teachers of my high school years, and continues to inspire me today with his travel, volunteer work, and involvement with the ISB community. He is organizing a New York alumni reunion early next year, which I look forward to attending.

All of the English teachers that I have studied with were so inspirational to me (in particular, Ms. Cole, Mr. Roberts, and Ms. Carlson), and gave me the foundations to critical thinking, examining work through multiple, global perspectives, and weaving literary devices into writing to drive home important themes through art. English was always my favorite class to attend and I remember always looking forward to the next book we were going to read, and learning about different cultures and histories and current events through them.

How do you think your experience at an international school in Beijing informed your writing?
The international education at ISB was formative to not only my writing, but to my upbringing as a person. The international education is a one-of-a-kind experience with a global-minded student body comprising children and young adults from many places around the world, and that is one of the international community’s greatest assets. As well, the curriculum of international courses and histories is foundational to opening the students’ eyes and minds to many aspects and perspectives of the world. It is thanks to the diverse ecosystem of thought instilled into me at ISB that I continue to seek new cultures to understand and new perspectives to explore. I think that’s what makes me strongest, as both a writer and a human being.

You’ve clearly traveled quite extensively, and have called many places home. How has that formed the person that you are today?
For a long time throughout my childhood and teenage years, I struggled with the notion of fitting in. Growing up straddling multiple countries and cultures, it felt like a constant balancing act – that if I leaned in too heavily in one direction, I would lose other parts of my cultural heritage. In some ways, Blood Heir explores this theme of the “Other” (a concept which I remember learning first from tenth grade English, reading Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala). The protagonist of my book, Anastacya, has a terrifying power to control blood – and each of the characters have their secrets and parts of their identity that they wish to hide.

Blood Heir is about learning to accept that which makes you different. In the same way, I’ve learned to love the strange cultural puzzle that I am as a result of my international upbringing, and I’ve come to view it as a strength of mine instead of something to hide.

Blood Heir is also about royalty, palace intrigue, corruption, and conspiracy. Where did these themes come from? Why did you think it important to explore them?
These were all themes that I read or wanted to read as a teen in high school! When I set out to write Blood Heir, I wanted to write a book that was entertaining, but one that also mattered. And thus, I wove in the scheme of corruption that Anastacya uncovers across her empire: the rings of human trafficking and indentured labor that thrived between the cracks of the laws. These are topics relevant to today’s world as well as my heritage and history that I hadn’t seen explored in young adult literature, and I wanted to introduce something new from my unique perspective as a Chinese woman raised in an international community living in the United States.

Working in the financial sector during the day, where and when do you find the time to write?
It can be hard to find the blocks of time needed to write novels while working in the financial sector. I wrote most of Blood Heir between the hours of 9pm – 1am and during the weekends. It took me three years to write and rewrite, and another two to revise with my editor throughout the publishing process. I thrive on being as productive as I can, and I love perfecting my time management skills to be able to squeeze as much time out of my day as possible!

Can you give us any hints about your next book?
I’m currently contracted to finish writing the Blood Heir Trilogy, but I’ve been sitting on a fantasy story idea that is basically an analogy to my life: a girl, from multiple worlds, trying to find where she fits in and where she’s from. If I do get to write it (fingers crossed!) it’ll be truly special.

Anything else you’d like to share?
I’m truly honored and excited to be featured in a magazine in my home community! I was shy and trying to find out where I fit in throughout high school, and brimming with the basket of dreams and insecurities that come with being a teenager. I hope the children and young adults chasing their dreams in our community won’t give up. Just yesterday, it seems I was writing fantasy stories on my computer at home in Beijing, lost and wondering if I’d ever achieve my dream of being an author; today, my book is being published by Penguin Random House and across eight foreign territories. Dreams do come true.

Interview by Drew Pittock

Photos: www.instagram.com/p/B2UXNcmgjUO/

Do you have an upcoming family-friendly event that you want to be included in our listings? Maximize the reach of your event and promote it on beijingkids’ social platforms!

Let us know by leaving your message in the comments section below or by emailing us at webeditor@beijing-kids.com. Follow us on WeChat (ID: beijing-kids) or join our family events WeChat group by sending us your WeChat QR code. Please note that readers should confirm with each organizer if events are canceled or scheduled as planned. For more events that may not be included in this list, please check our Events page. 

Beijing Burger Festival, Jun 22-23

Beijing’s juiciest weekend is back! This year’s festival will be bigger and better than ever, with 15,000 burger fiends scouring 50 booths for the best burgers, booze, and bites as well as two full days of music, entertainment, competitions, as well as the launch of the first ever Best Buns Contest, where contestants will battle it out with nothing else but their brawn and chiseled buns. It will also be the most vegan and vegetarian-friendly festival yet so that you can come and gorge on burgers no matter your dietary persuasion. On top of those veggie options, there’ll be at least 10 new burger vendors that have never attended before. And the children’s area offers games and fun for families. All ages. RMB 20 advance, RMB 60 on the day. 11am-8pm. 2 Nanzhugan Hutong, Chaoyangmennei Dajie, Dongcheng District. www.thebeijinger.com/events/2019/may/beijing-burger-festival-2019. 东城区朝阳门内大街南竹杆胡同2号

The Brickyard: Readings in The Garden, Jun 23

If you’re looking for something different to do on a Sunday afternoon, then the Brickyard’s “Readings in the Garden” is the event for you. Amid the peaceful setting of the Brickyard Inn and Retreat Center by the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, listen to some of Beijing’s finest writers, as they share poetry, fiction, and conversation.

All ages. Free. 1.30-4.30pm. The Brickyard Inn and Retreat Center at Mutianyu Great Wall 瓦厂 – 100m South of Yingbeigou Cun, Huairou District (6162 6506) 怀柔区怀柔区营北沟村南100米 

Beijing Women’s Network Spotlight Dinner, Jun 17

Irene Hong first came to Beijing from the US as a mechanical engineer, and over the course of two decades found herself leading one of China’s leading healthcare banking industry groups. How did she make the transition from being an engineer into banking? How did she manage difficult choices during challenging personal times and male-dominated industries? How does she balance being a single mom to two kids and a big job? Come have dinner with Irene and hear her China story.

Romeo et Juliette, Jun 9 to Jun 23

This musical version of Shakespeare’s classic tale of love and loss is brought to life in French. Audiences have raved about the beautiful score, luxurious set design, and powerful performances. All ages. RMB 180-480 (buy tickets here). 2.30pm, or 7.30pm. Century Theater.

The Wizard of Oz, Jun 13 to 30

“We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz…” And you could be too, if you get down to the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center later this month. This is a revived and refreshed version of the stage musical, sure to delight all who love the classic film, and youngsters who are new to the story. Performed in English with Chinese subtitles. All ages. RMB 280-1080. 7.30pm, Sat-Sun 2.30pm matinee. Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. Bldg 9, Tianqiao South Street, Xicheng District. (400-635-3355) www.247tickets.com/t/broadway-classic-musical-the-wizard-of-oz. 西城区天桥南大街9号楼.

Shape Up for Charity, Jun 22

Beijing Women’s Network Healthy Living Series is partnering with Superlife Gym for the first ever Shape Up For Charity event, featuring Sculpt Yoga & Meditation.

Women only. RMB 55 for yoga, RMB 85 for full event. 10.15am-1pm. Superlife Gym – No 50, Workers’ Stadium, West Road, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区工体西路50号

National Geographic: A New Age of Exploration 2.0, until Jun 23
All ages. This is the final week of this exhibition, which showcases classic images of China and includes a new display called “China Memory”, which allows visitors to rediscover the grand beauty and cultural heritage of Chinese rivers and mountains, from the perspective of award-winning international photographers. RMB 70-100. 9am- 5pm. Beijing World Art Museum. For more information or tickets, go to www.247tickets.com

TONG Production Children’s Play “Panda’s Home”, Jun 22 to 23

Photos: courtesy of event organizers

We love kids’ books and literature here at beijingkids, but sourcing quality English books in Beijing is hard. Of course several bookstores have a section with English children’s books, but they are usually very expensive. We have looked and asked around to source decent priced books that will boggle your kids mind.

Teachers House

Teachers House aims to support teachers and parents. I have ordered books from here and they always deliver. If you have a specific need, or book you are looking for, they are happy to help and see what they have in stock. I needed a book for my daughter about hitting, and Teacher’s House found me a suitable book in a few minutes explaining my toddler not to hit her friends. Contact on WeChat: teachershousehelper

Diana

Diana stocks many kids’ books, and she has good deals on sets and sticker books. She shares what she has in stock on her WeChat Moments. I have ordered from her many times and have always been happy with the service and delivery speed. Usborne sticker books were my daughter’s favorites. WeChat: dianayi2009

Metro Store

In a quite unexpected corner of this mall is a little toy store with a array of English books up for grabs. I have found super-cute Osborne books, and other book sets which will entertain your kid and your own inner child. Stop by the Metro to stock up on groceries, and then head for this cute little corner of childhood favorites. Find out more here.

Live to Read

I found this market stall at Farms to Neighbors and was surprised with the quantity and quality of these books: small books, big books, old classics and new favorites. Check with the market to see if she will be there, or find her on WeChat. The books are priced very reasonably and we found our new favorite Christmas book from her. Add on WeChat: dumulan001

Photos: Vendors and Pixabay

This book is one of my favorite books in children’s literature. I know I have said this before, but it looks like I can’t make a real choice, and I don’t have to. I read a minimum of three stories each night to my daughter, and this is one of her favorites.

I find it so astonishing how much children remember. Every Christmas one of her presents is always a book, and we gave her this book two years ago, when she was only 2 years old. Yet she told me the other day: “I got this book for Christmas, do you remember mommy?” Well, yes I do. I bought it.

The Tiger who Came to Tea is a lovely simple story about a tiger who visits a family around dinnertime, and drinks all their drink and eats all their food. He even drinks all the water from the taps, so the child can’t even take a bath after he leaves. The only thing he does not eat is the people in the story. Which I find remarkable.

Now there is a theatrical adaptation of this story? I could hardly contain my excitement, especially when a colleague told me that his sons still remember this show, having seen it when very young. I’ll be taking my daughter. The show will run from September 6 till 9; for more information look here.

“This English-language play for kids is based on the picture book by Judith Kerr and was nominated for 2012 Olivier Award for Best Family Entertainment. The action kicks off when the doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger!”

Photos: www.readandcreate.co.uk, manvspink.com, independent.co.uk

For our new column, Ask an Educator, we turn to educators, whether teachers, tutors, or principals, to answer frequently asked questions from parents. To send in your question, email jessicasuotmaa@beijing-kids.com.

This week, our question is:

“How can I help my child read Literature more effectively?”

Answering for us is Kelly McNerney, Content Developer and Educational Consultant at Shang Learning.

I often begin Literature or “Novel Reading” classes by asking students about how and when they learned to read.  Most often, they reply that they learned to read when they were between 4-6 years old, by sounding out words, learning phonics and spelling, and so on, and have received no reading instruction since then.

Having worked primarily with High School and University Students, I believe reading instruction and guidance should continue all the way through their university years, particularly when it comes to reading and writing about Literature.

Literature, like all academic subjects, has its own vocabulary, conventions, and expectations, and the point where most students hit roadblocks is when they are asked to write critically about a Literary Text they have read.  Nevertheless, I find that the root of the difficulty with assignments such as these actually lies in reading.

Analytical writing requires critical reading.  Obviously, one cannot write well about something he or she does not understand fully—more specifically, if one does not have the practice of reading and responding to literary texts in line with the expectations of the discipline.  Maybe our students understand what they’ve read on a surface level, but how do they start to develop the vocabulary of literary analysis?

To begin developing these skills, there are plenty of relatively simple and concrete tools and actions that students can take, both during and after their reading, that will improve their ability to effectively read, process, discuss, and write about literary texts.  Below is a list of a few tried and true reading practices you can suggest that your student(s) experiment with in order improve their understanding of literary texts:

1. Annotation: This is term that simply means “marking” a text while reading. There are a million ways to annotate!  Underlining or highlighting words, drawing, writing questions, adding punctuation (?, !), bracketing, circling, and so on, and those are just a few of the many ways to annotate.  It doesn’t matter exactly how a student chooses to annotate, rather that they begin to develop their own individualized system for communicating with themselves about what they are reading, while they are reading.

They must write in their books!  Annotation guarantees active and engaged reading, and implicitly teaches students to pay attention to their own reactions to whatever it is that they are reading—whether it’d be confusion, anger or humor.  Annotation leaves a map for students to follow when they return to the text for class discussion, or in preparation for an essay.

2. Reading Logs + Sustained Silent Reading: Reading is a habit, and hopefully a joyful one! Many students don’t have the experience or practice of setting aside a fixed time (free of distraction) dedicated solely to reading.  A reading log can help students develop a sense of routine, and the awareness of the practice of reading as a skill, just as they might practice for piano or soccer.  In a reading log, the student makes note of what time they began reading, how long they read for, and how many pages they read.  Remember, no distraction means no phones, no music, no one else in the room talking to them.  Another great aspect of reading logs is that students have a visible record of their improvement over time, which is further encouragement to keep reading.

3. Dialectical Journals/Reading Response Journals: Although students may resist Dialectical Journals for the effort and time they require, they tend to make an enormous difference in the comprehension of literary texts. These types of “Reading Response” Journals typically have a number of columns for different categories for the student to make notes and reflect on, after reading a particular section or chapter of a text.

It is easy to make your own dialectical journal by using a ruler to vertically divide pages in a notebook into 4 or 5 columns (depending on how many areas you’ve chosen to take notes on.)

There are a lot of categories or possible columns you could include in a dialectical journal.  For example, for a novel, I would generally suggest beginning with the following columns:

1. Events (Plot): Brief notes or a short summary about the major occurrences that took place in the chapter or section of the text.
2. Character: Notes about anything and everything pertaining to the characters in the book: Physical descriptions, impressions, attitudes, dialogue, personality traits, etc.
3. Quotations: 2 or 3 quotations from the chapter that the student found particularly interesting, insightful, or even confusing.
4. Questions: Asking questions about the text is imperative! Why would this character want to do x, y or z? Why would the author make x decision? What will happen next?

Most importantly, although students will have assigned texts for school, encourage them to find and read novels that they enjoy.  The more joy they discover in reading, the more they will naturally develop the reading skills they can later apply to a wide variety of texts!

Photo courtesy of Kelly McNerney

In a tiny hutong north of Wangfujing lies the former residence of one of Beijing’s most beloved literary figures of the 20th century. The modern cult of playwright, novelist, and satirist Lao She (1899-1966) belies his mysterious suicide after being persecuted by the Red Guards. The preserved courtyard home at 19 Fengfu Hutong was where the writer and his wife, painter Hu Xieqing, raised their four children.

I first heard about the Lao She Museum through Nelly Alix of Beijing by Heart, an independent tour operator whose Literary Revolution Tour stops at the former residence. A couple of weeks ago, I finally stopped by to have a peek.

Heading south on Wangfujing Dajie, we turned right on Dengshikou Xidajie and right again on Fengfu Hutong. The entrance to the Lao She Museum would’ve been easy to miss if not for the identifying plaques.

Upon entering the courtyard, the most striking feature was the pair of persimmon trees that Lao She planted in 1954, prompting his wife to name the residence “Red Persimmon Courtyard” (丹柿小院, danshi xiaoyuan). The trees still flourish today, bearing fruit every fall.

Because most of the displays are in Chinese, it helps to know a bit about Lao She’s life and work before visiting.

Lao She was born Shu Qingchun in 1899 to an impoverished Manchu family in Beijing. When the writer was still a baby, his father – who was a soldier – died in battle with foreign forces during the Boxer Rebellion.

Despite his family often lacking enough money to send him to school, Lao She was admitted to Beijing Normal University and graduated at the age of 19. He taught for several years at different elementary and secondary schools in Beijing and Tianjin.

In 1919, the populist May Fourth Movement cemented his decision to become a writer and document the struggles of a nation emerging from the plague of imperialism.

From 1924 to 1929, Lao She lectured at what is now the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. During this time, he discovered the writing of Charles Dickens, whose style directly influenced Lao She’s first novel, The Philosophy of Lao Zhang (1926).

The museum contains a picture of a blue commemorative plaque outside the house in St. James’ Gardens where Lao She lived from 1925-1928.

Lao She would go on to teach in Singapore and Qingdao from 1930-1937. In 1936, he published one of his most famous works: Camel Xiangzi (骆驼祥子, luotuo xiangzi), also known as Rickshaw Boy.

By then, he had established a reputation for creating satirical works that made vivid use of Beijing vernacular – the everyday language of the people. The prescient Cat Country (1932) was a thinly-veiled science fiction satire that still resonates today. The book was re-released in English two years ago as part of Penguin China’s Modern Classics series.

From 1946-1947, Lao She visited the US on a cultural grant sponsored by the State Department to lecture and oversee the translation of several of his novels.

In 1950, he and Hu Xieqing (whom he married in 1931) moved into the house on Fengfu Hutong. According to a plaque, all of Lao She’s works from 1950-1966 were written here.

The modest displays bring together old photographs, newspaper clippings, literary journals, and early editions of the author’s books to tell the story of Lao She’s life. The calendar in the author’s study is still open to August 24, 1966, the day of his death.

That morning, Lao She was ordered to report to the Beijing Writers’ Association with a sign identifying him as an “active counter-revolutionary.” The day before, he had been rounded up with other intellectuals and brought to the Confucius Temple for a struggle session in which he and 28 other people were made to kneel in front of a bonfire for three hours and then beaten.

Instead of reporting for duty, Lao She walked to Beijing’s Taiping Lake (which no longer exists) and either drowned himself right away or hesitated for a day before committing the final act, according to different sources.

Lao She’s death remains a sensitive topic, especially given his public rehabilitation as “the people’s writer” after the Cultural Revolution. In 2013, Midnight in Peking author Paul French wrote a scathing essay for the LA Review of Books arguing that Lao She should’ve received the Nobel Prize for Literature:

A prize just might have also allowed Lao She to avoid the final controlling gesture he ultimately chose. Surely his suicide by drowning was uncharacteristic of both the writer and his creations, but was characteristic of being on the wrong side of history at a time of madness.

Apart from an old black and white picture of Taiping Lake and the date of Lao She’s death, the museum makes little mention of the author’s untimely end.

The Beijing Bucket List documents the author’s attempts to see as many Beijing landmarks and historic sites as possible before her anticipated departure in the summer of 2016. Click here for the first post on the Poly Art Museum.

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer who has covered travel, tech, culture, parenting, and the environment. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, The Independent, the Beijinger, Midnight Poutine, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Photos: Sijia 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