Happy 2024! Lunar New Year is on February 10th...and it's the Year of the Dragon!

The Dragon is an important part of Chinese culture. It symbolizes good luck, bravery, nobility and honor as well as power, success and leadership.This will be the year that will have opportunities and changes that we must meet with the qualities of the Dragon! It's a good year for making life changes for the better--as the Dragon will help you through those challenges.

Are you ready? Have you made your dumplings? Decorated your door? Let's make this year a good one by welcoming the Dragon in together!

Good Fortune: A Monthly Art Auction to benefit We Need Diverse Books

This original painting can be yours!

15 years ago, I created a year-long charity project where I would auction off an original painting once a month for a good cause. Well, since it's been 15 years, I felt like it was time to do it again!

So in coordination with We Need Diverse Book's 10 year anniversary, I'm doing Good Fortune: A Painting a Month by Grace Lin for 2024! Every month, I will create an original work of art inspired by a fortune cookie fortune and WNDB will auction it off HERE.

The auction will go live at noon on the first of the month and allow bidding for 5 days, concluding at noon on the 5th of the month. So this original painting will be on auction from Feb 1- 5th! Start out Lunar New Year on a good note by bidding!

Please bid! And don't forget to bookmark for next month and EVERY Month in 2024! And spread the word!

All proceeds will benefit We Need Diverse Books, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Please note: auction is to win a physical piece of original art. All rights, including copyright, reproduction, and digital rights are retained by Grace Lin.

2024 is Year of the DRAGON!

Make a DRAGON Paper Cut

Here it is! This year's Dragon Paper cut template!! Cut this out and hang it on your door or window to welcome in the Dragon this year!

The Dragon design is not difficult, but it is more detailed then past designs. I highly recommend using small, pointed scissors (like these) to cut this. If you use large or blunt scissors, this will feel much more difficult to cut than it should be--please don't make kids cut this with child scissors! They will get frustrated!

•Download the Dragon Template

•Printable directions (just substitute with Dragon Template)

If you would like more specific tips and verbal instructions, you can watch this video where my daughter and I demonstrate the Ox paper cut.

See below for other animal paper cut templates:

Click here for the Rabbit template

Click here for the Tiger template

Click here for the Ox template

How to draw a dragon VIDEO!

And if the paper cut is too complicated--you can simply draw a dragon for good luck! Follow my drawing instructions from this video. Tip: draw it on a piece of red paper for extra luck!

NEW One Minute Myth Video: New Year Cake

You can learn about Lunar New Year foods like dumplings and Buddha's Delight from the One Minute Myth videos I made for my book Chinese Menu!

And for the Lunar New Year, I made a new one! One of the foods we eat at Lunar New Year is a rice cake called Nian Gao. You can learn about the legend behind this rice cake in this new One Minute Myth Video! I hope all my videos give you a small taste of Chinese Menu and make you want more!

Chinese Menu Print Pack is back!

Looking for a Lunar New Year gift? After being sold out over the holidays, the Chinese Menu Print Pack is back in stock at High Five Books!

This High Five Books exclusive includes:

a limited edition signed print: "My Chinese Takeout Order"
autographed copy of Chinese Menu
two recipe cards
fortune cookie

Get it now before it sells out again!

Upcoming Events!

•Saturday, Feb 10th, 10 am, Florence, MA: Come celebrate the Year of the Dragon! Families are invited to join High Five Books at this all-ages Lunar New Year celebration as Grace reads from her latest book Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods. Students will help enact a Reader's Theater performance from the book!

Grace will be joined by fellow author/illustrator Jannie Ho, who will read her book Happy Chinese New Year!: A Festive Counting Story. Kids are invited to stay and craft, browse both creators' books, and have copies signed:

https://bombyx.live/events/highfivebooks-familylunarnewyear/

•Sunday, Feb 11th at 10:30 am, Philadelphia, PA: Wonton Project x Grace Lin Lunar New Year Brunch: Enjoy a special four course Wonton Project menu, Lunar New Year cocktails and mocktails for attendees of all ages, Traditional Dragon Dancer and each adult ticket includes a copy of Grace Lin’s book at High Street. Purchase your tickets:

https://resy.com/cities/pha/venues/high-street/events/wonton-project-x-grace-lin-lunar-new-year-brunch-2024-02-11?seats=2&date=2024-01-15

•Monday, Feb 12 at 7:30pm, Philadelphia, PA: Grace Lin in conversation with Ellen Yin at the Free Library of Philadelphia at the Parkway Central Library. Register:

https://libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/authorevents?id=131347

•Sunday, February 18th, Atlanta, GA: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Performance, Synchronicity Theatre--Grace will be attending the 2pm show and there will be a book signing afterwards!

https://synchrotheatre.com/plays-events/season/where-the-mountain-meets-the-moon/

•Monday, Feb 19 at 6pm, Atlanta, GA: Grace will be doing a reading and booksigning at Little Shop of Stories! Get free tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grace-lin-live-at-little-shop-tickets-811540879617?aff=oddtdtcreator

•Tuesday, Feb 27 at 6pm, Sacramento, CA : Sacramento Public Library. The free event at the Tsakopolous Library Galleria features a conversation with award-winning authors Thanhhà Lại, Pam Muñoz Ryan and Grace Lin, moderated by Dr. JaNay Brown-Wood.

https://www.saclibrary.org/Event/Special-Events/WordsTakeWing

•Friday, March 1 at 12 pm, San Francisco, CA: San Francisco Public Library

https://sfpl.org/events/2024/03/01/author-grace-lin

•Sunday, March 3rd 2pm, Broomfield CO: One Book Broomfield Author event! Sign up:

https://www.broomfield.org/947/One-Book-Junior

•Thursday, April 4, Maine Reading Round up: more information TK

Order your Girlscout Cookies!

My daughter Hazel's girl scout troop is selling cookies with vigor because they are fundraising for troop trip to Puerto Rico! Such great opportunity (if they can manage it) and it's a big troop wide effort. If you love Girl Scout cookies (and how can you not???), please purchase your cookies from Hazel!

Lisa Ling wins an Odyssey for narrating Chinese Menu!

Did you know that Lisa Ling (yes, that Lisa Ling!) was the voice narrator for the Chinese Menu audio book?

I had listened to many lovely voice actors but none seemed quite right—and I remember saying, “It would be a dream if we could get Lisa Ling!” And my editor said, “Well, can’t hurt to ask!” So we did and she said yes!!! She was absolutely perfect as I knew she would be and I wasn't the only one who thought that! Because the Chinese Menu audio book was just recently awarded the Odyssey Honor by the ALA! Don't miss hearing Chinese Menu (and feel free to read a hard copy of the book along with it!)

Winter & Lunar New Year Books!

You can get personalized autographed copies of my books from my local indie book store High Five Books or from the Carle Museum! I truly hope my books become part of your winter traditions!