Children’s books are the best place to begin when planning a field trip. They are usually clear, concise and filled with illustrations. They can give an overview or introduce specific people and places. Children’s books are all about the story and that is one of my main reasons for traveling. I want to know the stories of people and places. I recently was able to travel to China with Holt international Children’s Services. The purpose was to visit Holt’s child welfare projects in Northeast China. I realized that I knew very little about China so I began reading to prepare for my trip.
Chinese Feasts & Festivals, a cookbook was a gift from my friend Lisa who travels frequently to China. Food is a great way to discover a country or culture. This book explains Chinese festivals and the foods and stories associated with them. The author includes history and tradition. The recipes are very detailed. A lot of work goes into making a Chines meal! The soft illustrations are absolutely beautiful. (written and illustrated by S.C Moey published by Periplus Editions)
China (DK Eyewitness Books) is the perfect book to foster an understanding of the people, geography and customs of modern China. The book is filled with hundreds of photographs showing all aspects of life in this vast country. The book includes numerous topics such as food, family life, school, transportation, and sports. Important facts are included – did you know that all of China has only one time zone? This is a fascinating book and a quick way to learn a lot about this vast country. The book has an excellent glossary and index. (written by Hugh Sebag-Montefiore published by DK Children for ages 8-12)
Little White Duck, a childhood in China is a moving story about two girls raised in modern China. Written as a graphic novel memoir by Na Liu and illustrated by her husband Andres Vera Martinez, it tells of life in China after the death of Mao and the move from a totalitarian-ruled country that has changed tremendously over the past decades. Told from a child’s viewpoint, China’s recent history becomes real.