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Ten Blocks to the Big Wok

A Chinatown Counting Book

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

This charming bilingual English/Mandarin counting book uses a stroll through Chinatown to introduce readers to the numbers one through ten in Chinese ... and will leave you hungry besides!

As Mia and her uncle Eddie travel the ten blocks from their apartment to the Big Wok restaurant, Mia spies one giant panda ride, two lion statues, three swimming turtles, four bonsai trees, five tai chi practitioners ... There are so many things to see in Chinatown! And when they reach the Big Wok, they find ten yummy dim sum dishes to eat. But what route should they take back home?

This sweet story about a girl, her uncle, and a little cat they meet on the way accomplishes multiple fun and useful aims: It's a fully bilingual counting book that teaches readers the numbers one through ten in both simplified Mandarin and English. It provides a fun tour of a typical Chinatown—a beloved neighborhood in many cities around the world. Children will enjoy spotting the kitten in every illustration as it trails Mia and Uncle Eddie through the streets. And with each item that Mia encounters on her walk, the book introduces some fascinating new aspect of Chinese culture or myth, as explained in the friendly backmatter. Join Mia and Uncle Eddie as they wander Ten Blocks to the Big Wok!

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  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 31, 2022
      In her solo debut, Hu (Jingle Dancer) presents an immersive bilingual counting tale as young Mia is escorted by her bespectacled uncle Eddie, both presumably of Chinese descent, to dim sum at the Big Wok. As the duo travels 10 blocks through Chinatown streets with strong similarities to Manhattan’s, observational English text follows (“On the sixth block, six bundles of sweet Emperor lychee hang from Uncle Chuck’s fruit stand”), interspersed with friendly dialogue; Mandarin translations appear beneath, and relevant numbers in both languages adorn each spread’s bottom right corner. The softly textured, warm-hued watercolor and pastel artwork, manipulated digitally, provides sunny accompaniment to the duo’s outing, with recognizable contemporary touches such as signs for boba as well as steamed custard buns in the shape of pigs and pandas. Young readers will also enjoy spotting a cat throughout the pages as delighted Mia’s clear enthusiasm for her community and food shines through. Back matter includes an author’s note with more information on each counted item, as well as a guide to numbers one to 10 in English and Chinese, including phonetic pronunciations for each. Ages 3–5.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read

Languages

  • English
  • Chinese

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