This warm, often charming, but not entirely successful ABC book comes from the creators of The Story of Chopsticks (2001), The Story of Noodles (2002), and other fiction titles about aspects of Chinese culture. This, too, gives some intriguing glimpses into Chinese traditions, in particular New Year's customs. Occasionally the examples are a bit cryptic for kids: "V is for veneration. Families venerate their ancestors during New Year's." The artwork, however, is cheerful and bright, rather stylistic, with appealing repetitive details that will draw kids right in--a little boy and girl preparing for the celebration can be found on nearly every page, as can a small, scampering yellow cat. Traditional cultural symbols, architectural backdrops, and clothing give a sense of both community and ordinary life during a special time of year, and it's hard to miss the textured backdrops behind the pictures, which, as an endnote explains, replicate Chinese characters in four different calligraphic styles. A tempting recipe for dumplings concludes this attractive addition to the multicultural shelves. Stephanie Zvirin Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved