Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie Kingsley , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sweet, colorful story of family Lunar New Year traditions.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Alex is eager to share her family's Lunar New Year celebration with her friend Ethan in ALEX'S GOOD FORTUNE. They make special food, decorate, clean, and help the dragon dance in the parade. With so much food and fun to share, Alex and Ethan have fun with her family and the rest of the community for days, and Ethan learns a lot about their holiday.
Is It Any Good?
The simple happiness of the illustrations perfectly reflects the tone and relationships in this lovely celebration of Lunar New Year. Alex's Good Fortune shows two good friends enjoying Alex's family traditions, and each page shares something new. Readers see what each different part of the meal symbolizes, why she cleans her room, what's so important about the dragon parade, and more. The vocabulary can be challenging but not intimidating to sound out the words. The pages are packed with information, and the Chinese zodiac and English translations at the end are a lot of fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how different families and cultures celebrate, like what Ethan learns in Alex's Good Fortune. What do you know about Lunar New Year?
What are your favorite foods in Alex's Lunar New Year feast?
What family holiday traditions would you like to share with a friend?
Book Details
- Author: Benson Shum
- Genre: Holiday
- Topics: Friendship , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models , Holidays
- Character Strengths: Curiosity , Gratitude
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Penguin Workshop
- Publication date: December 29, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 5 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: January 13, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
What to Read Next
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate