A young Chinese North American girl describes her first time staying up to celebrate the autumn Moon Festival. There are round mooncakes to eat. "They make a circle for me and Mama and Baba. They make a circle for my family." There are round paper lanterns to light. And there is the circle of Mama and Baba's arms. The night also includes storytelling as the parents share three Chinese legends about the moon with the little girl. They are the perfect length for stories parents would tell a small child, and so integrate seamlessly into the narrative of this picture book that is full of warmth. It's in the simple, beautiful language, and in the loving depiction of family. The story's cozy feel is echoed in the illustrations' warm tones. Discovering that the three legends are reflected in the decorations on the family's teapot adds to the pleasure. (Ages 3-7)

Mooncakes is the lyrical story of a young girl who shares the special celebration of the Chinese Moon Festival with her parents. As they eat mooncakes, drink tea and watch the night sky together, Mama and Baba tell ancient tales of a magical tree that can never be cut down, the Jade Rabbit who came to live on the moon and one brave woman's journey to eternal life. With a gentle focus on the importance of family, Mooncakes is a perfect book for parent and child to read together, while its educational aspect makes it ideal for school libraries that wish to provide an insight into a unique cultural holiday.