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by Susanna Goho-Quek
Bilingual: English/ChineseThis book is rated 4.67 on Goodreads
Have you ever been to a Chinese opera? The colourful characters with their graceful dance movements complementing the drama being played out on stage is an amazing sight to behold. Sadly, modern kids these days do not have a chance to experience these dramatic roadside shows. Sometimes you catch glimpses of it in movie theaters in short scenes which include a Chinese opera but that is it.
This book gives you a chance to introduce this form of art to children by telling it from a children's point of view. It tells the story of a family of kids preparing for an exiting night out to watch their Ah Khor (elder brother) perform at the Chinese Opera.
They wash the car, dress up in their best clothes and sit with Por Por to watch the opera. They even get to go backstage to try on the costumes. What fun! The illustrations are done in colourful watercolour, just right to depict the vividness and vibrancy of the opera.
At the end of the book, real behind the scenes photos are included to showcase an actual real life Chinese opera.
What we like about the book is the fact that it is bilingual. Our kids have to learn 2 or 3 languages in school. So any book that is bilingual or even better trilingual is a positive for us. Kids can read the English version at home when they are younger and re read them in Chinese when their Chinese vocabulary improves after starting primary school or the other way around depending on which is their first spoken language at home.
Here's a short preview of the book.
This book is currently available for our members at a discount this month together with The Castle Library and Hello Cyber Grannie. Click here for more details of this offer. Read The Castle Library Review here.
