Alex's Good Fortune
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Alex's Good Fortune, by Benson Shum, is a sweet, cheerful story about a family celebrating Lunar New Year that is wonderful for emerging readers. There's a big focus on family traditions and gratitude, and young Alex is excited to share her celebration with a non-Chinese friend. The colorful pages have simple, happy illustrations and one-to-two sentences that are great for early readers, and quite a few challenging words such as "exchanging," "cymbals," and "traditions" that can help readers with their vocabulary. At the end of the book there's an explanation about Lunar New Year, an illustrated Chinese zodiac, and New Year phrases translated into English.
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What's the Story?
Alex is eager to share her family's Lunar New Year celebration with her friend Ethan in ALEX'S GOOD FORTUNE. They make special food, decorate, clean, and help the dragon dance in the parade. With so much food and fun to share, Alex and Ethan have fun with her family and the rest of the community for days, and Ethan learns a lot about their holiday.
Is It Any Good?
The simple happiness of the illustrations perfectly reflects the tone and relationships in this lovely celebration of Lunar New Year. Alex's Good Fortune shows two good friends enjoying Alex's family traditions, and each page shares something new. Readers see what each different part of the meal symbolizes, why she cleans her room, what's so important about the dragon parade, and more. The vocabulary can be challenging but not intimidating to sound out the words. The pages are packed with information, and the Chinese zodiac and English translations at the end are a lot of fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how different families and cultures celebrate, like what Ethan learns in Alex's Good Fortune. What do you know about Lunar New Year?
What are your favorite foods in Alex's Lunar New Year feast?
What family holiday traditions would you like to share with a friend?
Book Details
- Author: Benson Shum
- Genre: Holiday
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models, Holidays
- Character Strengths: Curiosity, Gratitude
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Penguin Workshop
- Publication date: December 29, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 5 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 13, 2023
Our Editors Recommend
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The Runaway Wok
Magic wok changes lives in fun Lunar New Year tale.
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The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes
Clever twist on classic tale adds dimension and great art.
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Katie Woo Series
Relatable stories in short chapters have good life lessons.
For kids who love Lunar New Year stories and Asian characters
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