Copyright 2008
Mingmei Yip

Click to Enlarge

Mingmei entertaining children from Xinjiang, the famous Silk Road in China

Illustrations

Chinese Children's Favorite Stories
Tuttle Publishing

THE STORIES:

In this book, the playful Monkey King turns heaven upside down, the Moon Goddess takes immortality pills and flies to live in the moon, and a frog who lives in a small well thinks his well is the whole world. Other unforgettable stories include the undying love of the Cow Herd and Spinning Girl, the wisdom and compassion of the Fish Basket Goddess, and the courage of the good ghost. In this book, altogether 13 traditional Chinese stories are re-told by Mingmei Yip, accompanied by her 64 full-color illustrations.

Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories has become a ...bestseller with 30,000 copies sold.

MINGMEI’S MANY STORY TELLING VENUES FOR CHILDREN HAVE INCLUDED:

Families of Children from China (FFC),
China Institute, New York City
Brooklyn Museum of Art
Book Culture, New York City
Museum of Chinese in the Americas, New York City
Chinese Scholars’ Garden, Staten Island, New York

For upcoming events, click here.

Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories is also a favorite item in these
museum book shops:

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Brooklyn Museum
Honolulu Academy of Art, Hawaii
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
Asia Society, New York City
China Institute, New York City

Click here to read one of the stories.

Reviews and Praise

Book List: “Like fables, these tales have morsels of wisdom to impart, and almost all have a close connection with the natural world. Explanations of cultural elements are nicely incorporated into the text, such as the qin, a musical instrument. Yip's writing is clear and accessible to children, and the bright pastel illustrations are appealing. An attractive addition for larger collections.” Robin L. Gibson, formerly at Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH

School Library Journal:
These 13 stories feature talking animals, a ghost catcher, a trickster fox, the River Dragon King, and the mischievous monkey Wu Kong, as well as cowherds, scholars, musicians, and emperors. Some tales have morals; others explain customs or traditions….The art has a traditional Chinese look, with conventional landscapes, animals, and roly-poly, cherubic children. A small ghost peeks out from the binding after one ghost story. Children will be drawn by the
abundant colorful illustrations and the short, straightforward retellings. Linda Perkins

Harvard Book Store:
This volume of beloved Chinese stories contains a delightful selection from the rich store of Chinese folklore and legend. Discover the many delightful animal characters as well as Chang-E, the famous Eight Immortals, and Guan Yin, goddess of compassion. Retold for an international audience, the beautifully illustrated stories will give children aged six to ten a glimpse into both the tradition and culture of China.

Some Amazon readers’ reviews:
 Something I'd want to have for my own collection, Jennifer Timmons, August 17, 2007

Mingmei Yip is an excellent writer--very engaging. And her illustrations are very colorful and eye-catching as well. I was looking for books to introduce Chinese culture to my young nieces, nephews, and cousins, and I can definitely recommend this one. I couldn't put it down myself, late one night! I had checked out a slew of books from the library, but only some met my criteria of excellent writing and good pictures. Some had one or the other: this one had BOTH. I don't give anything I wouldn't want myself...I sure wish I had this when I was growing up! Adults can enjoy this, too.

*****Beautiful Tales for Children and Adults, L. Graham, June 28, 2007

 I buy a lot of books for my daughter about many different cultures and this is one of our favorites. Well written and entertaining for adults and children. L. Graham, June 28, 2007