The Book Selection Committee is always drawn to books that explore how cultural traditions connect and overlap. This book, by the Jewish and Chinese author Richard Ho, is a gorgeous example. Two New Years describes the many ways Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is similar to the Chinese celebration of Lunar New Year. (The illustrations incorporate a folk art common in both cultures: papercutting!) For some families, this book will be a window into practices that are new and unfamiliar; for others, it will be a mirror of households that incorporate more than one set of traditions into their celebrations. Learning about other cultures can be an excellent way of thinking more deeply about our own, and this book will prompt families to do exactly that.
August 26, 2024