fun to do kids china   Travel for Kids
   
     
   

China

chinese new year dragon
China is a vast country, both in population and the span of history, the oldest continuous civilization in the world. China also has bunches of "earliest" and "firsts" – earliest writing and code of laws, first to use paper money, first to make silk, kites, gunpowder, paper and fireworks, first to print books. Poetry, painting, music and theater are highly developed arts, astronomy and medicine have always been important in Chinese life. Traveling with kids in China, there's so many directions to go, and here's some great places to start.
    BeijingThe Great Wall
  Xi'an
    Shanghai
    Around Guilin
    Hong Kong
    Tip: Read our blog post: Marco Polo's Favorite City in China
kids books china
     
the  monkey king  
The Monkey King
David Seow, L.K. Tay-Audouard

Retelling of a Chinese classic, Tripitaka, a revered monk, embarks on a journey to find the words of peace and harmony, aided by quick-tempered Monkey, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, who can transform himself in a thousand and one ways. Fabulously illustrated! (Picture book)

Also, chapter book The Magical Monkey King.

 

     
Where Is the Great Wall?
Patricia Brennan Demuth, Jerry Hoare

Illustrated history of the Great Wall, 4,000 miles long and the largest man-made structure in the world. How the First Emperor built the first wall with towers, packed earth and towers, and a thousand years later, an improved wall was constructed with brick and stone, which has lasted to this day. (Chapter book)

 

 
where is the great wall
     
ancient china  
Ancient China (Eyewitness books)
Arthur Cotterell

Excellent overview of ancient China – the first emperor, lifestyles of the rich and powerful, peasants and farmers, secrets of silk and paper, calligraphy, poetry and painting, food, clothing, festivals, medicine and inventions. Rich, detailed historical illustrations. (Picture book)

 

     
Brush of the Gods
Lenore Look & Meilo So

Fabulous story of Wu Daozi, the great T'ang dynasty painter. Daozi trains in the classical style, but soon he's painting flying Buddhas, dancing peonies, galloping horses on teahouse and temple walls. His paintings are so real, they come to life! Luminous illustrations, this is a gem. (Picture book)

 

 
brush of the gods
     
day of the dragon king
 
Day of the Dragon King
Mary Pope Osborne

Jack and Annie are whirled back to China over 2,000 years ago, when Emperor Qin Shi Huang is the "Dragon King." They have to find the a bamboo book before it's burned, and escape the emperor's soldiers, but a ball of silk may save the day. (Easy reader)

Also, a non-fiction companion book: China: Land of the Emperor's Great Wall

 

     
The Great Race
Christopher Corr

In the Chinese lunar calendar, each year is named after twelve different animals – rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig. This is a delightful retelling of how the Chinese zodiac was created, and why there is no year of the cat. (Picture book)

 

 
the great race
     
chinese celebrations for children  
Chinese Celebrations for Children
Susan Miho Nunes, Patrick Yee

Celebrate major Chinese festivals – Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Laba Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, plus holiday tales, recipes for moon cakes, sweet dumpling, and zongzi, lucky symbols, activities. (Picture book)

 

     

A girl helps her grandmother prepare for the Moon Festival (Mid Autumn Festival) – decorate the house, make mooncakes, visit the temple, then enjoy a delicious dinner and light the lanterns. Plus legend of the goddess in the moon. Fun for younger kids. (Picture book)

 

 
moon festival wishes
     
Dim Sum for Everyone! food childrens books chinatown san francisco  

"Little dishes on carts, little dishes on tables," dim sum is fun for everyone in the family – Ma-Ma likes pork buns, Ba-Ba eats fried shrimp, Mei-Mei picks sweet tofu. A charming story, plus a picture glossary of dim sum dishes. (Picture book)

 

     
Who Was Marco Polo?
Joan Holub, John O’Brien

Illustrated biography of Marco Polo, leaving Italy with his father and uncle to travel to China, crossing the Gobi Desert, years with Kublai Khan, perilous sea voyage home. (Chapter book)

 

 
     
absolute expert pandas  

Everything about pandas head to toe, how to moms take care of cubs, what they eat, where they live in the misty mountains where bamboo grows, and find out panda reserves in China. (Illustrated chpater books)

 

     
Welcome to China (DK Readers)
Caryn Jenner

Fun facts about China today, the most populous country on earth – city and country life, history, school, food, sports, arts and music, wildlife, and festivals. (Easy reader)

 

 
Welcome to China country facts easy reader kids
     
angel in beijing  
Angel in Beijing
Belle Yang

Take a bike trip around Beijing to Beihi Park (people play music, vendors sells candied haw fruits), enormous kites fly in Tiananmen Square for the Dragon Boat Festival, climb up Jingsan to look down at the Forbidden City, stand in the Temple of Heaven. Where has kitty gone? Charming illustrations! (Picture book)

 

     
China
Songju Ma Daemicke, Jam Dong

Spend the day in China. Ni hao - Good morning, for breakfast eat congee nd dumplings, fly kites in the square, at the market, sweet lychee is the fruit treat, go pedal boating on the lake, for dinner steamed fish and egg rolls, at the end of the day, silver clouds drift like water lilies, it's time to say good night -Wan an! (Board book)

 

 
china barefoot books
     
all about china  
All About China
Allison Branscombe, Lin Wang

Get to know people, history, and culture of China – geography, famous historic places, family traditions and customs, language, games, food, arts, festivals, religions, plus stories, songs, crafts to make. (Illustrated chaper book)

 

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