The Legend of Chang’e, a Story of the Mid-Autumn Festival

K-Gr 3–A beautiful bilingual retelling of the Chinese myth of the moon goddess Chang’e and the origins of the Mid-Autumn Festival. According to the myth, the gods gave Hou Yi the pill of immortality, but he didn’t want to leave his wife, Chang’e, behind. When a thief tried to steal the pill, Chang’e swallowed it and floated to the heavens. The closest she could stay to her husband was the moon, so to remember and honor his wife, Hou Yi left her mooncakes and other treats each year during the brightest full moon. Foo’s detailed and textured digital art makes good use of blues for calming night scenes full of moonlight, emphasizing the beauty and togetherness of the holiday. The final two spreads discuss how the moon festival celebrates the harvest and Chang’e. There is just enough information for children who are unfamiliar with the holiday, but the focus on the legend of Chang’e also makes this a great pick for children who already celebrate. All characters are Chinese. Text is displayed in English, Chinese, and transliteration. This version features Mandarin with traditional characters, but the book is also available in simplified characters and Cantonese. A QR code on the cover links to audio files to hear the story read in Chinese.