Roseanne Thong

Author Roseanne Thong and illustrator Grace Lin explore the world of shapes in this engaging concept book with a Chinese-American cultural background. A young girl describes the things around her that are round - mooncakes, her goldfish's bowl - and asks the reader to look for round things on the page. Then she does the same for square and rectangle things. The book concludes with a glossary of some of the words used in the book...

The first of three such concept books from Thong and Lin - show more the other two are Red is a Dragon: A Book of Colors and One Is a Drummer: A Book of Numbers - Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes is a title I sought out because I am currently reading books about the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, and I thought that that was what this was. As it happens the content related to the festival consists of the single page about mooncakes. While not what I was expecting, this was still an appealing concept book, pairing an engaging text that gets the child reader involved and bright, colorful artwork. Recommended to anyone seeking concept books about shapes for younger children, and to picture-book readers seeking titles with a Chinese-American cultural background. show less

This delightful picture-book compendium of the diverse wishing traditions of the world profiles the customs and practices of fifteen different nations, from Guatemala to Thailand. The Brazilian New Year's celebration, in which flowers and combs are offered to Yemanja, the goddess of the sea; the tossing of coins into the Trevi Fountain, in Rome; the stirring of the Christmas pudding in Australia; the blowing out of birthday cake candle in the United States - all are actions that are taken in show more the belief that wishes will be granted. Sometimes the belief is that wishes will be granted if a particular object is found, or an animal seen. In India, peacock feathers, stuck carefully in the pages of books, are said to bring wishes to schoolchildren; while the Zulu of South Africa believe that the sight of a single striped weasel (an uncommon occurrence, since these animals usually appear in groups) is lucky, and that the person who sees a solitary weasel must make a wish.

Whatever the belief or practice, however, each of the fifteen wonderful examples in Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World emphasizes both the diversity of the human family, and its unity. We may wish in different ways, and in different tongues, but the wishing itself - the desire, and the belief that somehow we can bring that desire to fruition, if we only do things a certain way - is everywhere to be found. Informative and entertaining, this lovely book also boasts the wonderfully colorful and imaginative collage artwork of talented illustrator Elisa Kleven. Young folklore enthusiasts, children interested in the diverse customs of the wide world around them, and fans of Elisa Kleven's art will all find something to appeal to them here! show less

Author Roseanne Thong and illustrator Carles Ballesteros here present a winsome picture-book celebration of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday observed in Mexico and other Latin American countries, in which the spirits of the dead are welcomed back by their families and friends. The rhyming text describes how the day is celebrated, from the special foods and treats that are made to the decorations for the home altars and the cemeteries. The occasion concludes with a dance, show more which the children attend in costume...

Día de los Muertos is the third picture-book I have read from Thong, following upon her Wish: Wishing Traditions Around the World and Round is a Mooncake: A Book of Shapes, but it is the first I have encountered from Ballesteros, an expatriate Spanish illustrator now living in Chile. I found it an enjoyable, upbeat exploration of a holiday that is becoming more well-known, here in the states. The rhyming text reads well, and makes use of various Spanish words, which are defined in the glossary at the rear, while the cartoon-style artwork captures the joy and happiness of this occasion. I particularly liked the skull-decorated endpapers! Recommended to picture-book readers looking for Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead titles. show less

A spinoff of Clement Moore's The Night Before Christmas, this tale, replete with Latino traditions, tells the story of a family as they prepare for navidad. "Twas Nochebuena/ and all through our casa,/ every creature was kneading tamale masa/ For one of our holiday tradiciones,/ is making tamales- not one but montones!" Likely to be enjoyed by Latinos and non-Latinos alike, the text is sprinkled with Spanish words but they are not defined in the text but in a glossary. I love that. No one show more who speaks Spanish needs the words translated, and many of them are cognates and young non-speaking readers could glean the meaning. Great rollicking rhythm stays true to its mentor text. Delightful busy illustrations show the traditions and the many shades of the cast of characters of the town. The cultural take away is kids are kids; celebrations are celebrations -- more alike than different, and we're all richer for the differences. show less