E3TripCraftTripOrganizer: MCBD Review Books Brandon Goes to Beijing , Author Eugenia Chu

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 8^th 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.

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