FICTION

All About China: Stories, Songs, Crafts and More for Kids

by Allison BRANSCOMBE
illus. by Lin Wang. 64p. chron. diag. further reading. glossary. index. maps. photos. score. websites. Tuttle. 2014. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9780804841214.
COPY ISBN
Gr 1–3—This wide-ranging introduction to China covers everything from history and geography to etiquette and music, with recipes, games, art projects, and traditional folktales. Large watercolor paintings with informative captions break up the text, and topics frequently shift, making this one ideal for browsers. However, complicated points are overly simplified. For instance, the text claims that Taiwan was originally part of China and implies that it didn't separate until 1949, which ignores Taiwan's complicated colonial history and that it was ruled by Japan from 1895 to 1945. Making the recipes kid-friendly results in loss of authenticity for many, such as one for mooncakes (which ends up being a jelly-filled crescent roll).
VERDICT Despite the drawbacks, this volume fills a collection hole in many libraries, as interest in China continues to grow and many comparable titles for this age group, such as China (DK, 2007), Discovering Cultures: China (Cavendish Square, 2002), and China (Children's Pr., 2008), are out of date. Purchase where needed.
Reviewed by Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA , Feb 01, 2015

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