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New Year. New Start! With the way 2020 went, there is so much excitement to begin 2021. Celebrating the New Year can be new and unknown to many students, so ringing in the New Year together can be a great way to spend some time after returning from break. Students can learn what it means to start a New Year in addition to the fresh start it creates with picture books.
Utilizing picture books to celebrate the New Year is the perfect way to help students see all that the new start offers. Books are an amazing way to get them off the screen and learning about life lessons! These 5 books will help students reflect on their previous year, make new resolutions, and transition back to school after a long break.
Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport
Shante Keys loves to celebrate New Year’s Day with her family traditions. Her Grandma loves to make chitlins, baked ham, greens, cornbread, and black-eyed peas. However, Grandma forgot the peas and Shante knows it will be bad luck without them. Shante does not want to start the New Year on a bad note, so she finds a solution: borrow ingredients from the neighbors. Shante knows how important it is to ask for help and find a solution to any problem that arises!
The Nian Monster by Andrea Wang
Xingling and her family are ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Their apartment is decorated and traditional food is being made. Unfortunately, the legendary Nian monster, who has horns, scales, and wide, wicked jaws, has arrived. Nian is determined to devour Shanghai and wants to start with Xingling! She thought she was safe with the old tricks to keep the Nian monster away, such as hanging red lanterns, but the traditional tricks no longer work. Xingling is determined, clever, and smart and refuses to give up. Students will be on the edge of their seats while they anticipate whether or not Xingling will save their city.
Bringing in the New Year by Grace Lin
This board book follows a Chinese American family preparing for the Lunar New Year. The family works together with Jie-Jie sweeping the house, Ba-Ba hanging the spring happiness poems, Ma-Ma making the get-rich dumplings, and Mei-Mei getting a haircut. After all the hard work, the celebration is set to begin. The family cannot wait for the fireworks, lion dancers, shining lanterns, and a dragon parade. Students will be so excited to celebrate the New Year while learning about the traditions of another family!
As one family makes their traditional New Year’s soup, students will learn how Haitian independence happened. Ti Gran is going to teach Belle how to make this traditional soup, which involves mashing garlicky herbs to the kompa beat, shaking maracas, and feet tap-tapping to the rhythm. Students will love exploring the incredible illustrations of Ti Gran and Belle clapping and dancing. Additionally, students will learn the history of Freedom Soup and how Haiti gained independence. This is a great story to use while focusing on cultural traditions being passed down in a family!
Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution by Pat Miller
Squirrel’s Nut-of-the-Month calendar tells her it is January 1st and time to make a resolution. However, she does not know what it means to actually make a resolution. As Squirrel visits with other animals in the forest, she learns what a resolution is and how to help friends stick to their own goals. Squirrel may struggle with thinking of her resolution, but she learns the true meaning of a New Year.
These 5 picture books are the perfect way to implement New Years in the classroom. They will teach students about the cultures of other people, why it is important to make resolutions, and how the New Year means a fresh start. By including some of these books, students are going to be in the best mindset to continue the academic year.
For more picture book unit support, check out my amazing resources here!