Book Review: THIS NEXT NEW YEAR

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Wong, Janet S. 2000. THIS NEXT NEW YEAR. New York: Frances Foster. ISBN 0374355037.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
The story is about a family celebrating the Lunar New Year and preparing luck ornaments and mascots for having luck and fortune, happiness and health in whole coming year. The protagonist, a Chinese-Korean boy, not only introduces how he and his families celebrate the Chinese New Year, but also identifies the Lunar New Year and depicts the things of other races do as well as their perspectives of the traditional rituals in Chinese New Year.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Being an insider author, Janet’s story provides great cultural markers that connect to Chinese-Korean culture in the text and illustrations. Although the traditional rituals and customs of Chinese New Year spontaneously involves many cultural markers, such as the dragon dance and tiger dance, red envelopes and lanterns, Janet depicts the deeper meanings of these customs from other racial perspectives. Janet also provides clear and realistic portrayals of food and clothing in this holiday focusing on her original culture which present other cultural markers. It is help readers explore their own formulates of deeper meanings in this holiday.

Even though no Chinese or Korean dialects are used in the text, language is one element to make this book successful. Janet organizes simple sentences with rhymes and rhythm as well as compares these sentences with vivid illustrations on each page to enhance interests for reading and allure readers complete reading at one time. It's a vivid and beautiful, and well-written book which provides information for readers an authentic understanding of the Lunar New Year.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Children's Literature: “Through a young boy's eves we experience the joys and anticipation leading up to the lunar New Year, the Chinese New Year. Lunar New Year is celebrated at a different time each year because it depends on when the new moon occurs. It is a time for hope and a second chance. A time to reach for your dreams. Yangsook Choi brings the celebration vividly to life with her bright, vibrant pictures.”

School Library Journal: “Wong carefully and clearly presents the reasons behind the rituals in a manner understandable to young children. She explains in an appended note about her own confusion as a child about the timing and meaning of the holiday. Choi's vibrant, somewhat primitive paintings realistically capture the details of and preparations for this hopeful time of year. Youngsters will enjoy the bright colors and the sense of motion and activity conveyed as the boy helps his mother clean, flosses his teeth, and cringes from the noise of the firecrackers. A good choice for anyone getting ready to celebrate Chinese New Year.”
Kirkus Reviews: “ Wong's (Night Garden, 1999, etc.) poetic voice creates art from the ordinary. Choi's (Nim and the War Effort, 1996, etc.) lively, two page spreads in bright colors, perfectly complement the energetic text, adding visual reinforcement to the scenes described by the narrator.”

Hom Book: "The concepts of renewal, starting over, and luck, which inform many of the rituals, will resonate with young readers, and the narrator's personal impression of the celebration makes this a refreshing departure from the standard nonfiction holiday-introduction fare."
Comments from the Author: “For me, the Lunar New Year is truly a time of hope. Once I have failed all the crazy new year's resolutions I routinely make on January 1st, here it is—I have a second chance, a fresh start. I hate cleaning house but I love a clean house, and each Lunar New Year's Eve, I madly rush around dusting and mopping and clearing my desk, making room for some good luck to settle. And then, on Lunar New Year's Day, I feel great. I eat well for a few extra weeks. I walk. Why couldn't this happen at any other time of the year? It could—and should! Teachers and librarians might want to read this book at the beginning of the "real" new year for most of us—the beginning of the school year, in September!”

E. CONNECTIONS
Official website for Janet S. Wong
http://www.janetwong.com/index.cfm

Awards and Honors
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award
Nick Jr. "Best Holiday Book[s] of 2000"

Other picture books related to Chinese New Year
· My First Chinese New Year by Karen Katz.
· D is for Dragon Dance by Ying Chang.
· The Runway Rice Cake by Ying Chang.
· Chinatown by William Low.
· Bring in the New Year by Grace Lin.
· Long-Long’s New Year: A Story about the Chinese spring Festival by Catherine Gower.
· My Chinatown: One Year in Poems by Kam Mak.
· Chinese New Year by David F. Max.
· Chinese New Year by Judith Jango-Cohen.
· Celebrating Chinese New Year by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith.
· Chinese New Year: Festival of New Beginnings by Terri Sievert.
· My Chinese New Year by Monica Hughes.
· Chinese New Year by Julie Murray.
· Chinese New Year Crafts by Karen E. Bledsoe.
· Chinese New Year by Dianne M. MacMillan.
· Dragon Parade: A Chinese New Year Story by Steven A. Chin.
· Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan’s Chinese New Year by Kate Waters and Madeline Slovenz-Low.
· The Dragon New Year: A Chinese Legend by David Bouchard.
· Happy New Year!: Kung-his Fa-ts’ai! by Demi.
· Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats : A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities
& Recipes by Simonds, Nina.