Two charming Lunar New Year books for kids that introduce little ones to holiday traditions, one through Sesame Street friends, the other through the Chinese zodiac.
Happy Lunar New Year!
By Sonali Fry
If you’re looking for Lunar New Year books for kids, start here. Introduce your little ones to Lunar New Year with familiar friends. Elmo learns about different celebrations and traditions from Ji-Young, who shares the Korean Soellal (Seol-nahl) tradition, including special clothing and food. Lily the tiger introduces Chinese Lunar New Year festivities, also called the Spring Festival — her traditions include clothing, games like Mah Jong, and the end-of-day Lantern Festival. The colorful illustrations and clear descriptive text help young children understand that the same holiday can be celebrated in different ways across cultures. It’s a sweet, festive read, and a wonderful way for grandparents to open a conversation about traditions around the world. I loved sharing this one, and I think you and your grandkids will too. Happy Lunar Festival, everyone!
Happy Chinese New Year: A Festive Counting Story
by Jannie Ho
This unique take on the Chinese New Year takes you deeper into the traditions of this wonderful festival. Little ones learn to count to twelve as each zodiac animal prepares for the celebration — Rat sweeps away bad luck, Ox shops for new outfits, and Tiger brings flowers. Each page features Chinese characters for the numbers, and a pronunciation guide helps children (and grandparents!) say the words out loud. The back of the book explains each tradition in detail, from cleaning the house to hanging lanterns to making dumplings. The illustrations are vibrant, the red-and-gold foil cover is gorgeous, and the combination of counting, culture, and celebration makes this one of the richest board books I’ve come across.
If the Sesame Street Lunar New Year board book opens the door, this one walks you all the way through it, making it one of the best Chinese New Year board books for young readers. I enjoyed it, and your grandkids will too.
More about Lunar New Year board books for kids
What are the best books to teach kids about the Lunar New Year?
What are the best books to teach kids about the Lunar New Year? Board books like Sesame Street Happy Lunar New Year! And Happy Chinese New Year: A Festive Counting Story by Jannie Ho is a great starting point. The Sesame Street book introduces the holiday through familiar characters, while the counting book delves deeper into Chinese traditions and zodiac animals and includes Chinese characters and a pronunciation guide.
What age are Lunar New Year board books for?
Most Lunar New Year board books are designed for children ages 0-3, though the counting and cultural content in books like Happy Chinese New Year can engage children up to age 5. They’re ideal for grandparents and parents to read aloud to little ones.
Is Lunar New Year the same as Chinese New Year?
Lunar New Year is the broader term — it’s celebrated across many Asian cultures, including Korean, Vietnamese, and Chinese. Chinese New Year refers specifically to the Chinese celebration, also known as the Spring Festival. Both the Sesame Street book and Janine Ho’s counting book help children understand these traditions.
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