An ABC Rhyming Book

Warm, ornate illustrations bring distinctive style to this abecedarian introduction to Chinese words. Each word is presented in both simplified and traditional characters, as well as phonetic pinyin. Familiar references provide context for English speakers: “G is for gou./ Our dog very dear/ gives a happy ‘wang wang!’/ when friends come near.” The boldly inked images of a Chinese family have the appearance of block prints, and bright jewel tones and strong patterns embellish scenes of the family eating, walking at the seashore, or making hand puppets. Introductory pronunciation notes, brief bits of cultural context on several spreads, and online resources flesh out this useful introduction to the language. Ages 3–5. (Apr.)