My Dragon Boat Festival

This simple, sincere picture book follows a nameless narrator with short black hair and light skin as they and their parents travel “from the city” where they live to their hometown for the annual Dragon Boat Festival, staying with their grandparents. The narrator makes zongzi with their family, learns about related holiday traditions from their grandmother, and witnesses their grandfather serve as a helmsman in the dragon boat race. Ge utilizes conversational prose, offering realistic reactions from the child protagonist: “Grandpa’s dragon boat rowing suit is so cool!” Li offers beguiling, textured illustrations that evoke both modern cartoons and classic Chinese artwork. A solid primer on the Dragon Boat Festival, and a warm depiction of intergenerational relationships. Back matter features a Dragon Boat Festival guide. Ages 4–7. (Nov.)