Review
Book : Brandon Goes to Beijing
Author : Eugenia Chu
Illustrated : Eliza Hsu Chen
ISBN-13:978-0-578-47771-8 (Paperback)
Brandon
Goes to Beijing is the first book that I review from MCBD book review.
Firstly
saw the title and cover this book , instanly I’m fall in love with this book.
I’m
proudly being choose to review this special book that dedicated from the author
Ms Eugenia Chu to hers son Brandon. This book is dedicated with love to
Brandon, Sean, Kayla, Connor and all the children who have visited (or plan to
visit) Beijing. For the person who ever goes to Beijing in 2011, for me this
book tells story more than my experience being there. I wish I’ve been read
this book before I’ve come to there.
This
books contains of preface , 6 chapter and 55 pages in bilingual with a few
words and phrases written in Chinese characters (Simplified) and spelled in
Pinyin.
This
story about Brandon- a very smart and adventurous boy. He is a very happy boy,
because he was going to visit his grandparents in Beijing and will being able
to meet up with his cousins from California : Sean, Kayla and Connor.
The
chapter 1 : Arriving in Beijing. Brandon opened his eyes just as the plane
landed in Beijing from Florida. He couldn’t believe it and his heart fluttered
with excitement. The grandparents greeted Brandon and his parents at the
airport with big smiles and open arms. He was very excited to find his cousins
in the apartments and saw the preparation to make Chinese dumplings with his
cousins, they all very happy after ate the dumplings and learn to spoke Chinese
because they are in China. Brandon’s vacation was just beginning. He had no idea
that something mysterious was about to happen.
The
chapter 2 : The Great Wall of China – Changcheng. He and his cousins gobbled a
delicious breakfast- zaofan of wonton noodle soup called yuntun mian, and others
traditional food. After breakfast they are going to visit the Great Wall of
China. The kids decide the gondola up to the wall. From his Popo (grandma) they
learned about the history of The Great Wall. Before lunch, Brandon saw
something small, it was black and white, it was peeking through the doorway one
of the towers. And then they have lunch in the a large restaurant not so far
away from there and enjoy their lunch with special jiaozi made in arainbow of
colours. The adventour started from what Brandon had seen back at the Great Wall.
Chapter
3 : Alleyways-Hutong. Hutong are the little alleys hidden between the main
streets of the city.They are like little mini villages, and they have hired rickshaws
to take around. The rickshaws are three-
wheeled bicycles that have a cover seat for passengers right behind the driver.
How unique! The fist thing the kids saw as they walked through the doors was an
outdoor courtyard with red lantern hanging everywhere. As The family was
leaving to get back in their rickshaws, it happened again! Brandon saw
something, it was furry. He recognized it Xiongmao -Panda.But his grandpa said
that would be strange because in the city , panda would be in the zoo not in
the streets.What a day, the kids fell asleep on the ride back to Gonggong and
Popo’s apartment. Did Brandon really see what he thought he had seen.
Chapter
4: The Forbidden City- Zijincheng. The next day, Gonggong revealed the plan
going to the Forbidden City is the world’s largest palace complex and it was
the seat of government for the Ming Dynasty. The Forbidden City was the home of
China’s emperors from 1420-1911. When They arrived, Sean looked around and
whispered, ‘Wa. This place is much bigger than it looks in the books at school.
Hen Da -So Big” And what Popo’s said is my favourite’s quote :”This is why it
is wonderful to travel. It is important to learn from books , but it is more
exciting to experience new things and new places in person”. The kids learn a
lot about the history. Brandon and Kayla walked around a corner and they saw
xiongmao. Sean and Connor, on the other hands,wholeheartedly believed Brandon
and Kayla. They had no doubt there was indeed a little xiongmao wandering
around. During dinner-wan fan, Brandon and his cousins were quite and a little
sad, so theirs grandpa said tomorrow they are going to the zoo, and maybe they
will seeing the panda .
Chapter
5 : The Zoo – Dongwouyuan. The kids were up early, extremelyanxious for the
day’s excurcion to begin. They saw xiongmao but saw the pet’s thief and they
helped police to catch the thief. Suddenly Brandon thought he saw something, it
was the xiongmao was staring Brandon from around the corner of cave where the
sea otters were housed. He seemed to be motioning with his paw for Brandon to
come over to Him. Was the xiongmao really motioning to Brandon or was Brandon
imagining it?
Chapter
six : A Xiongmao Named Xiao Ming. “ Hi, I’m called Xiao Ming- Ni hao, wo jiao
Xiao Ming.” The kids gasped! “Whoa! You can speak!” Brandon exclaimed. Xiao
Ming explained that he had come a rare breed of pandas, he had inherited from
his great great grandmother to the ability to mimicall sorts of sounds, so he
was able to learn to talk, then he told them his story. When it was time to
leave, Brandon, Sean, Kayla and Connor said a tearful goodbye -zaijian to Xiao
Ming. As they waved goodbye, they promised to come see him every time they
visited Gonggong and Popo in Beijing. The end of the story. I hope someday if
I’ll back to Beijing, I’ll really want to see Xiao Ming. LOL.
Thanks a lot to Ms Eugene Chu for this book, I really enjoy read this book. And I hope everyone who read my reviews looking this book in Amazon's
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.
MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)
Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.
Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls
Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child
MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Poster Artist: Nat Iwata
Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series
MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!
MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!
Check out MCBD's Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!
FREE
RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Diversity Book Lists
& Activities for Teachers and Parents
Homeschool Diverse Kidlit
Booklist & Activity Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom
Activism and Activists Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom
Empathy Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom
Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program
TWITTER
PARTY! Register here!
Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at
9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children's Book Day Twitter Party!