on my desk monday

As you know, I've decided that from now on I'm going to use Chinese New Year as my official holiday deadline. I need that extra time for cards, gifts and resolutions (especially the resolutions). So this year I have until January 31st to get things done!

And very appropriately,  Bringing in the New Year has come out in baby board book! Yes, the perfect format for me to teach Rain Dragon all about the Chinese New Year.  And it looks great, if I do say so myself. I think I might like it better as a board book than a picturebook!

November Kid Review: Bringing in the New Year

This month's Kid Review of Bringing in the New Year:


*If you have a review of one of my books that you would like to share, send it to Gracelin.manager@gmail.com! Multimedia (audio clip, youtube link, etc) is encouraged but not necessary.

Chinese Firecracker Craft

This Chinese Firecracker Craft is safe and fire-free!

Supplies:
-bubble wrap
-toilet paper roll
-pipecleaner
-red and yellow (or gold paint) & paintbrushes
-tape/stapler
-scissors

1. Staple (or tape) the ends of the pipe cleaner to the inside of the roll. Then twist the pipe cleaner together to make it look more like a fuse:

2.Cut a 2x3 inch rectangle of bubble wrap, roll it and put it into the tube. Use a little tape on the top and bottom so it doesn't move around.

3. Paint your tube red. With the yellow paint, paint decorations on the firecracker such as the Chinese word FU (you can use this for reference) or a border of your imagination!


4.Now you can set off your firecracker. Put your fingers or thumbs into the tube and pop the bubble wrap! When the bubble wrap is popped, it sounds like fireworks are going off! (This works best when there is a whole classroom of kids doing this at once!) Happy Lunar New Year!

Chinese New Year Banner Craft

The simplest of crafts to start your year lucky!

Supplies:

1. red square of paper, preferably about 8x8 (8 is a lucky number!) but can be any size
2. gold paint
3. paintbrush

1. Paint a simple single line border about a half inch from the edge of you paper with the gold paint.


2. Turn your paper so it makes a diamond shape, not a square. Copying the character found HERE, paint the Chinese word for luck (FU) in the center.



3. Before New Year's Eve tape your banner right side up on your door to welcome in luck!


After New Year's Eve, turn your banner upside down:

because in Chinese the "reversed fu" is homophonic with "fu dao le" pronounced as "fu comes." The upside down fu becomes a pun that means "good fortune has arrived!"

e-card

Random House just made an e-card with the art from Bringing in the New Year! It is very neat--with an animated dragon and exploding fireworks.
Did you forget to send out Chinese New Year greetings? Because it's perfect for those late wishes, if I do say so myself.