Christina Matula’s The Beat of the Dragon Boat (9781534113206, $18.99) enjoys vivid, impressive illustrations by Nicole Wong as it follows a young boy’s education about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.

As he attends his first festival, his grandfather tells him of an underlying legend behind how the first dragon boat races began, offering colorful history to accompany equally vivid first-person insights as the boy observes festival preparations and the creation of outstanding boats.

Libraries seeking additions to collections that include ethnic history and Chinese experience will especially welcome this early introduction to an iconic tradition.

Christina Matula’s The Beat of the Dragon Boat (9781534113206, $18.99) enjoys vivid, impressive illustrations by Nicole Wong as it follows a young boy’s education about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.

As he attends his first festival, his grandfather tells him of an underlying legend behind how the first dragon boat races began, offering colorful history to accompany equally vivid first-person insights as the boy observes festival preparations and the creation of outstanding boats.

Libraries seeking additions to collections that include ethnic history and Chinese experience will especially welcome this early introduction to an iconic tradition.

Magnificently illustrated with museum quality artwork by illustrator Nicole Wong in full support of author/storyteller’s picture book story “The Beat of the Dragon Boat”, this hardcover edition from Sleeping Bear Press will prove to be of immense and enduring popularity for family, elementary school, and community library Asian mythology/festival/holiday collections for children ages 5-8. It should be noted for personal reading lists that “The Beat of the Dragon Boat” is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $18.04, Amazon).

K-Gr 3–A young child asks at bedtime, “Tell me again about the dragons, Yeye,” and so begins this story. Grandfather tells the boy a bedtime tale that is equal parts family tradition and exhilarating adventure. The boy awakens the next day ready to begin the festivities of the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, from the preparation of delicious zongzi to helping with final touches on the boat. Matula beautifully links the rich cultural story to the excitement of the race itself, weaving details from the tale to the festival of the present. The story cascades as a river with the excitement at the start suddenly dropping to sadness as their boat falls to last place. Emotions swell again at the final whoosh of winning. Wong’s vivid, detailed images brimming with emotion lend a notable tender feel to the story. Wong takes readers from dragons that flow across the page in all their power and glory, to the most tender image of a grandpa sharing moments with his grandson. Back matter includes more information about the Dragon Boat Festival, Dragon King, and Qu Yuan, as well as a recipe for red bean zongzi.VERDICT A vibrant, joyful ride from start to finish! Perfect for collections with patrons looking to dive into the Dragon Boat Festival tradition.

A Chinese grandfather enthralls his grandson in this lightly fantastical work about a traditional celebration…Wong’s finely detailed illustrations gesture at deep intergenerational affection while combining the detailed wonders of the dragon story with the day-of thrill of the race.