We Are Lion Dancers

September 15, 2024
Preschool-Grade 1 In order to be ready to celebrate Lunar New Year, the children at the kung fu club are practicing moves for the upcoming parade. Siblings Noah and Lily are entranced by the lion costume as they learn the meaning behind the fierce-looking, life-sized puppet. Its purpose is to frighten off evil spirits and bring "good luck and happiness to everyone for the New Year." Finding the lion costume too heavy for them, the small brother and sister decide to play instruments, a gong and cymbals, which enables them to still participate in the annual festival. Back at home, the excited children play in their own lightweight lion costume, made out of cardboard and material, just for fun, until their big moment arrives. Shum's adorable watercolor-and-ink illustrations are bright and cheery. Information about lion dancers and the various celebrations in which they take part is explained throughout the simple tale. Back matter adds "The Story of Nian,"" teaching readers the legend behind the lion dancers.

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November 1, 2024
Two kids learn about the Chinese lion dance and try their hand at it themselves. Lily and her brother, Noah, both cued Chinese and tan-skinned with black hair, encounter adult lion dancers at their kung fu club. Curious about the soft and colorful costume, they discover that the dance "scares away evil spirits" and "brings good luck and happiness to everyone for the New Year." They also learn about other festivities where the dance is commonly performed as well as the different dance styles (the Northern and Southern Lion). The performers show them how one dancer controls the lion's head while another controls the tail; each must master different movements to bring the lion to life. Lily and Noah even get a chance to try the costume on--but it's too big and heavy. Instead, they play the cymbals and gong as the adults practice. When they get home, however, they create their own lion out of cardboard, bed sheets, and other household items, then "LIFT AND SHAKE. LIFT AND SHAKE." On the day of the Lunar New Year parade, Lily and Noah play their instruments, take a bow, and receive a wonderful gift. Many stories about Lunar New Year feature lion dancing, but few delve into the meanings and mechanics behind the dance. Shum once again skillfully explains a Chinese tradition in accessible and engaging language filled with a wealth of information. Cute cartoon characters and bright colors create an inviting entree into a significant custom. Fun, informative, and festive. (more information on the lion dance)(Picture book. 3-7)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2024

Toddler-K-It's Lunar New Year and siblings Lily and Noah are ready to learn more about the lion dance that scares away evil and brings good luck. The lion dance is performed at weddings, the openings of new shops, Lunar New Year, and other festivities. The siblings learn that it takes teamwork to pull the strings in the lion's head, wiggle its tail, and play the instruments. When the costume gets too heavy, Lily and Noah must find other ways to stay involved. They make a cardboard lion at home. Then, during the Lunar New Year parade, they bang the gong and crash the cymbals. Young readers will enjoy the simple prose layered with sound and movement words, as well as the gentle way in which the book teaches. Cartoonlike characters and the limited palette, with pages awash in pinks, blues, and yellows, add to the youthful effect. VERDICT This simple story about lion dances makes a great read-aloud.-Mateal Ishihara

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 30, 2024
At their kung fu club, siblings Lily and Noah spot a colorful lion dance costume—the dancers, who “use kicks and other kung fu moves in their dancing,” have arrived to practice for the upcoming Lunar New Year parade. While the kids marvel at the costume’s soft fur and bright colors, a performer explains in straightforward text how the dance “scares away evil spirits” and “brings good luck and happiness,” and outlines details about the how the lion dance proceeds. After a successful practice, with Lily on the gong and Noah picking up the cymbals, the kids head home to create their own costume before, at the parade, receiving a special surprise. With easy-to-read text and energetic illustrations, Shum creates an informative lion-dance primer that emphasizes community and teamwork. A note on the dance’s origins concludes. Ages 5–7.

July 1, 2024
Two young siblings learn more about Lunar New Year celebrations in this ebullient early reader. A team of lion dancers is practicing at Lily and Noah's kung fu club; the older dancers are eager to share the meaning behind the festive tradition as well as how the dancers move their bodies and manipulate the lion costume. Shum's dynamic ink and watercolor illustrations are full of movement and expression -- especially spreads that feature dancing lions in action -- and symbolic tones of yellow, red, green, and blue are used throughout. This is an informative, accessible introduction to a joyful cultural tradition.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)