(Book Cover Source: Worldcat at:http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=Moonbeams%2C+dumplings+%26+dragon+boats&=Search&qt=owc_search, accessed September 28, 2008)
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Simonds, Nina, Swartz, Leslie, The Children's Museum, Boston. 2002. Moonbeams, dumplings, & dragon boats: A treasury of Chinese holiday tales, activities & recipes. Ill. by Meilo So. New York: Gulliver Books - Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152019839
2. PLOT SUMMARY:
Respected Asian cookbook author Nina Simonds has joined with Leslie Swartz of the Children's Museum in Boston and illustrator Meilo So to create a comprehensive children's guide to celebrating five major Chinese holidays. The five targeted holidays include Chinese New Year, The Lantern Festival, The Cold Foods Festival, The Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. The book begins with an explanation of the lunar calendar, which all Chinese festivals follow. Each holiday section begins with a description of the history of the festival and the customs associated with it. This is followed by a folktale, which often explains the reason certain foods and customs are associated with the festival. Next, the authors include several craft activities and recipes, which are traditionally made in preparation for celebrating the festival. Traditional games are often included in this section as well. Following the festival segments is a resource section divided into sources for adults, children, and those found on the Internet. The book concludes with a helpful Guide to Chinese Pronunciation. Throughout the book, Meilo So's colorful illustrations not only bring the festivals to life, but often offer step-by-step assistance in the creation of the activities and recipes.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
The scope of this book is very ambitious. In a search for other books of its kind, most simply stressed the Chinese New Year. Only a few books mentioned other holidays, and only one of those also included a small number of recipes and activities. Thus, Moonbeams is truly a comprehensive endeavor.
The folktale portions of the book are entertaining, but a bit challenging to follow. The introductory portions for each festival offer only the briefest explanation of the religious beliefs on which these folktales are based. Without an understanding of the bigger picture from which these spiritual beliefs spring, a concern is that concepts like the Kitchen God and ancestry worship might be mocked or dismissed out of ignorance of their larger significance to the culture.
That being said, each tale contains a lesson, a moral, or an explanation. For example, "The Story of the Kitchen God" deals with honesty, greed, and explanations for the causes of hardships from nature. Mystical events are a motif that runs throughout all of the tales. Gods and Goddesses come among the people rendering judgments. People also have mystical qualities. For example, in "Dongfang and the Festival of Lanterns," Dongfang's ability to divine the future is a main element of the story. Suffering and its avoidance is a theme that also runs throughout most of the folktales, with the "Tale of Jie Zitui" particularly focusing on it. Loyalty is a value that is repeatedly held in the highest regard. In contrast, the price of being greedy is a theme that is hammered home in most of the tales.
Although most of the tales contain rather dark elements, Meilo So's bright, colorful illustrations bring a light, celebratory feel to the book. The two-page illustrations, which introduce each of the festivals are beautifully detailed watercolors that leap off the page. Bright oranges, reds, pinks, yellows, and blues give a cheerful, happy feel to the pages.
Amid the stories, recipes, and activities, white space is liberally used to highlight So's informative and often amusing illustrations. While the illustrations which accompany the folktales have a more traditional Asian style, others throughout the book are much more multicultural. Children's faces have both Eastern and Western features. Watercolors depicting nature, people, and objects are whimsically done in colorful, casual fashions.
The book is probably more suitable for older children and adults. Recipes are rather complex and include risky steps like cooking with open skillets or woks. The folktales include a great deal of suffering, and several characters choose to kill themselves. These themes might be disturbing to younger children and raise challenging questions among upper elementary children.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS:
Booklist: "Brightly illustrated . . . attractively designed . . . fun for young people."
Education World - Best Books: "Filled with delectable recipes, hands-on family activities, and traditional tales to read aloud, this extraordinary collection will inspire families everywhere to re-create the magic of Chinese holidays in their own homes."
School Library Journal: "Moonbeams is a useful, visually appealing addition to any holiday collection."
5. CONNECTIONS:
*As stated above, this book is probably more appropriate for older children and adults. It could serve as an excellent resource for launching a multicultural discussion among students, or as a resource for creating a multicultural celebration for students and families. Other titles describing festivals from diverse cultures might include:
Gilbert, Jean. European festivals: Songs, dances, and customs from around Europe. ISBN 0193212862
Jones, Lynda. Kids around the world celebrate!: The best feasts and festivals from many lands. ISBN 0471345270
Kindersley, Anabel and Barnabus. Children just like me: Celebrations! ISBN 0789420279
*Focusing more upon the folktale aspect of Moonbeams, one could collect other Asian folktales, or look at folktales that are the basis of festivals in other cultures. Asian titles might include:
Conger, David, Yee, Patrick, Toth, Marian Davies, and Lyons, Kay.
Asian children's favorite stories: A treasury of folktales from
China, Japan, Korea, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia,
and Malaysia. ISBN: 0804836698
Junne, I.K. Floating clouds, floating dreams: Favorite Asian Folktales. ISBN 0385052049
Kurita, Miwa. China tells how the world began! (Asian folktales retold). ISBN 0893469440
Titles with folktales or religious stories that serve as the basis for festivals in other cultures might include:
dePaola, Tomie. The Legend of the Pointsettia (Mexican Folktale). ISBN 0399216928
Zucker, Johnny. Eight candles to light: A Chanukah story. ISBN 0764122665
Zucker, Johnny. Fasting and dates: A Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr Story (Festival Time). ISBN 0764126717
Zucker, Johnny. Lighting a lamp: A Diwali story (Festival Time). ISBN 0764126709
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