The Lucky Red Envelope: A Lift-the-Flap Lunar New Year Celebration

Big sister Yue teaches baby brother Ru all about Lunar New Year in this picture book primer studded with 144 flaps that hint at the tradition of opening red envelopes and eagerly anticipating their contents. With help from the whole family (“Yes, even you little Ru!”), the house is cleaned and decorated to invite good luck. As offerings are made to ancestors and family gathers for the feast, readers can marvel at the many details included throughout Wang’s nostalgic, richly observed illustrations. In hues of gold and red, art that appears informed by traditional Chinese painting shows various objects and their symbolic meanings: one spread of the family decorating the house reveals a blue carnation symbolizing peace under a “Fu” banner, and readers can even lift Baba’s pocket for a lucky surprise. Interactive and informative, Zhang’s lift-the-flap narrative enriches the reader with newfound knowledge of the holiday. Ages 3–7. (Dec.)