Hey diddle diddle! It's no wonder that nursery rhymes appeal to us as children and stay with us throughout our lives: as Mother Goose has known for centuries, rhythm and rhyme are fun. And what could be a more enjoyable way for children and their parents to learn about a different culture and language, than through familiar rhymes and songs? These rhymes are put in pairs - a favourite from China, next to a favourite from the English-speaking world - to show how the themes kids love are the same, no matter where in the world they live. From animals to trains to playing together, there's plenty here to enjoy. You may know Hickory, dickory, dock...The mouse went up the clock. But do you know The little mouse climbed up the lamp...To find some oil to nibble? Do you know Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop...and Rocking the boat to grandma's house? Oh do you know the muffin man? If you do, then how about meeting Doughnuts for sale, along the streets? The playful, colourful illustrations bring the world of childhood sweetly to life for all ages.
The English rhymes are given in English, and the Chinese rhymes are given in Chinese characters (simplified version) along with romanized pronunciations to help English speakers say them. They also include helpful English translations.
Author Biography
Faye-Lynn Wu was born and raised in Taiwan. Her experiences in raising her children in the U.S. and managing language programs for early education have led to her focus on introducing kids to language in the most positive way possible. Wu is the admissions officer at an independent school in Berkeley, serves as a board member of a Chinese language school, and teaches weekend Mandarin classes. Kieren Dutcher is an artist, graphic designer, and elementary school teacher who figured out early on that if she switched to teaching art, she wouldn't have to grade papers. She currently is an art teacher at an elementary school in the Oakland area, and also works as an illustrator and graphic designer. She lives in Oakland with her husband, two kids and a very crafty dog.
