Book picks similar to
Little Rat and the Golden Seed: A Story Told in English and Chinese by Jian Li
picture-book
china
cultural
animals
Kitten's First Full Moon
Kevin Henkes - 2004
It is Kitten's first full moon, and when she sees it she thinks it is a bowl of milk in the sky. And she wants it. Does she get it? Well, no . . . and yes. What a night!A brief text, large type, and luminescent pictures play second fiddle to the star of this classic picture book—brave, sweet and lucky Kitten! "Henkes's text, reminiscent of Margaret Wise Brown's work in the elemental words, rhythms, and appealing sounds, tells a warm, humorous story that's beautifully extended in his shimmering, gray-toned artwork."—ALA BooklistWinner of the Caldecott Medal, an ALA Notable Book, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, and winner of the Charlotte Zolotow AwardSupports the Common Core State Standards
How to Catch An Elephant
Amy Schwartz - 1999
Follow your uncle's advice and take to the jungle "3 cakes, 2 raisins, 1 telescope, and a pair of tweezers." Find a tree and wait for an elephant. If the elephant is angry, obstreperous, and hungry...hold on, be brave--things are not always what they seem.
The Emperor and the Kite
Jane Yolen - 1967
But when the Emperor is imprisoned in a high tower, only the Princess can save the day, flying her kite high up into the sky to rescue her father.
The Way to the Zoo
John Burningham - 2014
and beyond that door she finds a passage … and beyond the passage she discovers ... the ZOO! Where Sylvie finds LOTS of animals, looking at her! So she decides to bring a few small ones, like a little bear, into her bedroom at night time, just for a cuddle. And then she takes the penguins back for a splashy bath. Once, she even brings back the monkeys but, really, they were too messy. No matter what Sylvie does though, she always makes sure to close the door in her bedroom wall. Until, one day, she forgets...
Ugly Fish
Kara LaReau - 2006
And that means the wimpy little fish who keep showing up in his tank have got to go. But then one day someone bigger and uglier and maybe even meaner arrives . . . and suddenly Ugly Fish isn't feeling quite so confident anymore. From Kara LaReau, author of the Rocko and Spanky series, here is an irreverent and terrifically funny book about a bully who at last gets his comeuppance.
Mouse Went Out to Get a Snack
Lyn Rossiter McFarland - 2005
He prepares an enormous platter filled with everything from chicken legs to tacos to cupcakes - and of course there's cheese, too. However, the cat is onto him, and a chase ensues as the mouse desperately shoulders his smorgasbord back to his hole - but it's too small! All the food flies up, up, up, landing on the unfortunate feline. All except the cheese, that is, which bounces safely into the mousehole.In addition to being a happy adventure with the simplest of texts and hilarious pictures, there is the bonus of counting the items of food the mouse piles on - and later loses - from the single cheese portion up to the ten slices of chocolate cake.
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote
Duncan Tonatiuh - 2013
Papa Rabbit traveled north two years ago to find work in the great carrot and lettuce fields to earn money for his family. When Papa does not return, Pancho sets out to find him. He packs Papa’s favorite meal—mole, rice and beans, a heap of warm tortillas, and a jug of aguamiel—and heads north. He meets a coyote, who offers to help Pancho in exchange for some of Papa’s food. They travel together until the food is gone and the coyote decides he is still hungry . . . for Pancho!Duncan Tonatiuh brings to light the hardship and struggles faced by thousands of families who seek to make better lives for themselves and their children by illegally crossing the border.
Praise for Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote
STARRED REVIEWS"Tonatiuh’s great strength is in the text. No word is wasted, as each emotion is clearly and poignantly expressed. The rabbits’ future is unknown, but their love and faith in each other sustains them through it all. Accessible for young readers, who may be drawn to it as they would a classic fable; perfect for mature readers and the classroom, where its layers of truth and meaning can be peeled back to be examined and discussed. An incandescent, humane and terribly necessary addition to the immigrant-story shelf."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review"In both prose and art, Tonatiuh expertly balances folkloric elements with stark, modern realities; Pancho Rabbit’s trip has the feel of a classic fable or fairy tale, with the untrustworthy coyote demanding more and more of him."—Publishers Weekly, starred review"The book shows the fragility of making a living, the desperation that many migrants experience, and the deep family ties that bind the characters. Classrooms studying the migrant experience will find plenty to discuss here."—School Library Journal“This will spark strong responses and needed discussion.”—Booklist"Tonatiuh is so careful in weaving his allegory that his empathetic contemporary tale feels like age-old folklore, with simple but compelling text and a step-by-step escalation of the story through gripping, kid-understandable challenges."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books AwardsPura Belpré Author and Illustrator Honor book 2014New York Public Library’s annual Children’s Books list: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing 2013Kirkus Best Books of 2013Best Multicultural Children's Books 2013 (Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature)Notable Children's Books from ALSC 2014Notable Books for a Global Society Book Award 2014
Pig-Boy: A Trickster Tale from Hawai'i
Gerald McDermott - 2009
Kamapua'a is a shape-shifter. In human form, he is a handsome warrior. In his pig form, he is a trickster who provokes the powerful.Sometimes he is a wild piglet, sometimes a voracious hog, rooting in the dark, moist earth. Sometimes he's a monstrous boar with eight eyes and four tusks curled like the crescent moon. Ever changing, this mischief-maker is a lunar animal that can escape pursuers by transforming into the pig-nosed fish (humu-humu-nuku-nuku-āpua'a) or the kukui tree or the elegant 'ama'u fern (singed red, it is said, by the fiery wrath of the goddess Pele).Hawaiian mythology, the ancient tales that celebrate the many deities of the islands, was oral lore until the nineteenth century, when it began to be transcribed, most notably by G. W. Kahiolo in 1861. In 1891 the Kamapua'a epic was first published in Ka Leo o ka Lahui, a Hawaiian-language newspaper.
Stone Soup
Jon J. Muth - 2003
Embittered and suspicious from the war, the people hide their food and close their windows tight. That is, until the clever strangers suggest making a soup from stones. Intrigued by the idea, everyone brings what they have until-- together, they have made a feast fit for a king! In this inspiring story about the strength people possess when they work together, Muth takes a simple, beloved tale and adds his own fresh twist.
The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred
Samantha R. Vamos - 2011
Key English words change to Spanish as the cumulative verse builds. Includes a glossary and a recipe for arroz con leche.
Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter
Jamie Michalak - 2021
As the clock in the great museum tick-toocks pas midnight, a little mouse with a sack and a treasure map scurries past the guards. Plucky and intrepid Dakota Crumb scours the museum for artifacts, including the rare purple jewel of Cairo (a gumdrop stashed in an exhibit). By day, the little mouse shares her carefully curated finds with fellow tiny creatures that flock to Miss Crumb’s tiny Mousehole Museum. A feast for sharp-eyed readers—who’ll delight in circling back after the story to pore over the illustrations in search of treasure—this gently suspenseful tale, splashed with soft, dusky hues, evokes a world of wonders after dark.
Lunch
Denise Fleming - 1992
He sinks his teeth into a crisp white turnip, gobbles up some orange carrots, devours an ear of yellow corn, then tosses back some tender green peas. He's full, but this mouse keeps on munching until his bulging belly won't hold another bite.Parents will see their own toddlers in this perky tale, and toddlers won't get enough of the gregarious little mouse. They'll proudly identify the colors of his (and their) favorite foods, and enjoy guessing what fruit or vegetable he'll eat next. Color-savvy readers are sure to spot the rainbow contained in the background pages-- and almost everyone will agree that this is one book about colors that makes the plain old primaries look positively pale!An ALA Notable Book
Skippyjon Jones and the Big Bones
Judy Schachner - 2007
When a T-Mex threatens the pack, it's El Skippito, the great sword fighter, to the rescue. With yips and yowls, he drives the big baddie away, so all the dino-dudes can rattle their bones another day. This fourth entry in a series that "Kirkus Reviews" called ?ay caramba, mucho fun, ? will win even more fans for the Siamese cat with oversize ears and an imagination to match.
How the Queen Found the Perfect Cup of Tea
Kate Hosford - 2017
But when she grows dissatisfied with her brew, the Queen and James set out in search of the perfect cup. With each stop on their hot-air balloon journey, the Queen encounters new friends who expand her horizonsin the kitchen and beyond.
Grandpa Across the Ocean
Hyewon Yum - 2021
He takes naps all the time. He eats different foods. He speaks an unfamiliar language. His house is the most boring place on Earth! Or is it? A little time together just might reveal that Grandpa is also a great singer, an energetic sandcastle builder, and a troublemaker . . . just like his grandson!