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A is for Asia Named as one of the Best 100 American Children's Books of the Century by Ruminator Review
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"A is for Asia, one-third of the earth," begins this fact-filled, fun alphabet book, which introduces readers to the vast and varied cultures of that continent--Chinese, Japanese, Tibetan, Indian, Mongolian and more... Chin-Lee's graceful language and descriptions, Heo's illustrations make turning every page an adventure into contemporary and historical Asia.
--Publishers Weekly magazine
Excerpts from A is for Asia
A is for Asia, one-third of the earth. Asia has the highest mountains in the world, the Himalayas, and the lowest basin, the Dead Sea. It includes not only China, Japan, Korea, and India, but also a large part of Russia, most of the Middle East, and many of the island nations of the Pacific. Asia is home to more than half of the people in the world and birthplace to some of the world's oldest cultures.
H is for Holi, a holiday of chills and thrills. A Hindu festival in India, Holi celebrates the colors of spring. During this holiday, children sneak up on their friends and drench them with colored water.
K is for kites, fluttering in the wind. Dragon wings, bats and butterflies dance in the skies where everyone flies prized kites. Kite-flying is a national pastime in Korea, but it is also popular in other Asian countries.
L is for lotus, slowly unfolding its petals. Throughout East Asia, this simple pink-and-white water lily is a symbol of hope and peace. Even in thick and ugly mud, the lotus blossom shoots up pure and unspoiled.
N is for New Year, firecrackers bursting! During this Chinese holiday, dragon dancers romp through the streets.
O is for origami, the art of paper folding. Japanese children transform brightly colored squares of paper into flying cranes, blinking owls, and hopping frogs.
Q is for Qur'an, the Muslim holy book. All over the Muslim world, both children and adults compete in singing and poetry of the Qur'an. Singing praises to Allah, a childs voice pure and clear, rises to heaven.
S is for sled races on rivers of ice. In the extremely cold winters of Siberia, people use reindeer to pull their sleighs and sleds and race them on the frozen rivers.
More Information
Orchard Books, NY
illustrated by Yumi Heo
http:/www2.scholastic.com
800-621-1115
$16.95 (hard cover) $5.95 (paperback)