As a kid I remember checking out several folktale books from the school library. As an adult I learned to appreciate them in a way I never could have as a kid. One thing was how similar stories can pop up in different cultures, or how stories can be adapted for another setting. The other is you can learn about a country as well. And while I am not sure if the two books in this review will fit any of the above categories, or have its own, these two books taught me things about language and how stories can really pull you into them.
The first book is This Is How I Say I Love You: Little Bunny’s Bedtime Story Told in English and Chinese by Dayong Gan. I was unable to read the Mandarin Chinese words, but if you are able to, you are given the opportunity to do so. This book is about a Bunny who worries about things that all children worry about. And of course, it is the mother’s job to reinsure her child. Guess How Much I Love You and Goodnight Moon vibes come alive on the pages. The final result is a cute and sweet story about love that feels classically inspired. The clever illustrations and being bilingual is a nice touch. The story kept me reading, seeing the backdrop of the country, but feeling I was in my own backyard. This is supposed by the illustrations that are sweet, soft, and feel as if they could be found on an art scroll.
And speaking of a scroll, The Most Beautiful Painting: Discover the Mystery of Chinese Script (English and Mandarin Chinese Edition) by Yajuan Lu and illustrator Jian Li talks about how a very plain on the outside scroll represents a sweet story about family and tradition. The young child of the story loves color and thinks that the beloved scroll painting in their living room is dull. She cannot understand why it is important. That is, not until she and her family fly to China and learn the history about it, and how it represents love. I was nervous that something might happen to the scroll as the child is a bit precocious, but in the end the author works out a way so both the past and present and even the future can come together. I loved how it showed family, culture and traditions in text and lovely illustrations that use color well. Extras are included so you and your family or classroom can participate in the ideas presented.
Both books are for multiple ages, though they are a bit on the longer side and do not have a fast pace making active children perhaps a bit less interesting. They are great for gifts for children and adults alike. Both books were read via an online reader copy and due mid to late April 2026.
