Elements of the traditional two-week observance of the Chinese New Year are interpreted and shown in a photo-essay featuring ten-year-old Ryan Leong and his family. General information about families with a Chinese heritage in San Francisco as well as details about Leong family preparations and activities are part of the mix. The Leong's shopping list and New Year's menu are pictured, there is a glimpse of the Chinatown Flower Festival, and readers can see a calligrapher at work painting a poetic saying for the Leong home. While reading how ancestors are honored during this time, readers also learn that Ryan's grandfather was the first Asian American to receive a Purple Heart for bravery during World War I. Ryan attends public school and also Chinese school on a regular basis. The animals of the Chinese Zodiac are pictured with their dates and special qualities, and the Chinese calendar is briefly explained. There are photos of the Lion Dance and parade, and the role of the red envelopes of money is clarified. A glossary and index are helpful. Gung hay fat choy = May you prosper! (Ages 7-10)

Depicts a San Francisco boy and his family preparing for and enjoying their celebration of the Chinese New Year, their most important holiday.