As the mother of a bilingual family, I have a soft spot for bilingual kidlit. Add that I've been dabbling in learning Mandarin (it's a slow dabble), today's series caught my attention. These two books should read as gentle bedtime stories with just enough of a twist to lure young readers in. I reviewed another work from this author a few weeks ago (Here), so I already am pretty sure the tales will flow wonderfully well. Also, I'm curious to see how she handles the two languages.
So, let's take a peek at both of them and see.
BECAUSE DRAGONS LOVE MILK
by Marie Chow
Illustrated by Miki Tharp
Picture Book
English / Mandarin
28 pages
ages 2 to 5
A slightly different take on the traditional bedtime story. See how Tycho's father helps to soothe the monsters in his room... bilingual translation makes the book read smoothly in either Mandarin (with traditional Chinese characters) or English.
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TO THE MOON
by Marie Chow
Illustrated by Miki Tharp
Picture Book
English / Mandarin
26 pages
ages 2 to 5
A young girl plans all the adventures she plans on having on her day off: from going to the moon to exploring the tropical forests. Her mother encourages her daughter's adventurous spirit by providing helpful suggestions as to what type of equipment will be necessary for each of her adventures.
MY TIDBITS
With a sense of playfulness and parent-child warmth, these reads present lovely tales in both Mandarin and English offering language goodness, too.
Both books are wonderful bedtime reads. To The Moon presents a little girl, who is tying to decide what she wants to do for the weekend, and each of her ideas is huge (like going to the moon). Her mother considers various things which the little girl might need on her imaginative adventure, which makes the girl hesitate just enough that she comes up with another fantastic idea. Because Dragons Love Milk revolves around a little boy's fear of monsters under his bed, With each one he mentions, the father thinks of ways to placate the monster. Each book offers a hint of fantasy while sticking to familiar themes for the intended age group and radiating family warmth and a dab of humor. The stories flow very well with very natural dialogue. I'm especially impressed with how the parents interact with their children. They take them seriously and engage in a way that shows care, understanding, playfulness, and wisdom. It's more natural than in many picture books I've run across.
These stories are short and sweet. The author understands her craft and brings in what is needed at a steady pacing without adding more than necessary. Yet, the stories don't feel clipped, either, and offer well-rounded bedtime reads. Especially impatient or tired listeners will enjoy this aspect. Add the nice illustrations, which makes the moments and situations clear while offering enjoyable scenes, and these make ideal read-alouds.
Then, there's the language aspect. These are written in English and Mandarin. The English text is presented first. Right below flows the Mandarin. So, it can be read seamlessly in either language. Also, placing one right below the other offers easy comparison for language learners. The author adds a note at the end of each book explaining that the languages are, of course, not direct translations. Rather, both flow with the naturalness of the corresponding language. At the end of both books is a glossary of certain terms and definitions to assist language learners. To The Moon adds a couple pages of terms with pronunciation keys and images (like a tree is illustrated, presented in English and Mandarin and also with the Mandarin pronunciation), which I also found helpful for learners.
It's a nice pair of books, and I hope there will be more to join them in the future.
And here she is...
Marie Chow is a former teacher, education evaluator, and engineer. A lifelong student, she has degrees in degrees in chemical engineering, teaching, an MFA in writing, and a doctorate in educational leadership. Her writing focuses on bilingual and English-only children's books that feature mixed families, as well as literary and contemporary fiction focused on Asian and Asian American characters.
You can reach her at career.student.productions@gmail.com
You can reach her at career.student.productions@gmail.com
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