I do not speak a second language. As an adult, I regret not working harder on that, but I take solace in the fact that there are bilingual books out there and I can read the English part and admire the second language. Usually this is French or Spanish, but I have noticed that Chinese is taking its place. I’m not sure if the Chinese in these four books is Mandarin or Cantonese, so please let me know if you know! All will be available and all were read via online readers.
First I would like to tell you about Grandpa’s Magic Mask: A Story of Growth and Bravery in English and Chinese by Siping Wu. The grandfather and grandchild of the story have a lovely relationship with each other. They work on the masks the grandfather makes for special performances, and he not only tells about making the masks, but the stories behind them. Still, when the grandchild stays over, the masks can be scary in the dark. It is not until they encounter a special event that makes them understand the importance of them, and the richness of their culture. The illustrations are delightfully easy. They are not lacking, nor are they too crowded. Good colors to these details allow things to pop and to compliment the story.
The second book is A House Just for Mommy: A Bedtime Story Told in English and Chinese by Dayong Gan. This takes on a more fairy tale/bedtime story aspect. The young bunny in the story tells their mother how they will hold a special place in their heart for her, while the mother gives examples of when she wouldn’t want to live there. But, with child innocence, they tell her all the ways they will protect her. Of course, the adult reader is understanding the ideas presented (the bunny will grow, marry, have children, get a job, and the emotions that are attached to that). The art is whimsical and lightly colored. The details can be busy but not crowded.
Then there was an unusual story, but closer to what I am familiar with when it comes to Chinese stories and legends. The Boy, the Deer, and the King: A Legend Retold in English and Chinese by Xiaochun Tang does not really seem to have a message like I am used to. But it does speak of love and respect for all creatures in a not too subtle, but maybe not obvious at first read. This time things are seeped in deeply traditional feeling images and story arcs. The young boy cares for his parents and the deer of the forest and he bonds. Of course, there is an ‘evil king’ and while not graphic, images and talk of death. We also get a look into the legends of the area. While done for kids, this one lends itself to older listeners and/or readers.
Last but not least we have Little Malan’s Debut: A Story of Courage Told in English and Chinese by Lumin Qian. This story is both classic and modern with the tone of things. The young child of the story finds that the performers of her village have a strange hold on her, despite her classmates and friends teasing her. But she is so taken by their performances she hides and mimics the movements and songs. Until one day a surprise is on the windowsill of where she watches from. A costume that is like the one the heroine of the story wears. Eventually the whole costume is put together and she dreams of maybe now she could some day be on the stage. This wish will come sooner than later as she quickly learns. This story is more obvious with the theme of bravering, being yourself and perseverance. It is illustrated with a more classical look, but that also is accessible to modern audiences. As with the others, the colors are lovely and bright. It tends to be lighter than the others in the illustrations, but still captures the feeling of everything.