Sam can hardly wait to go shopping with his mom. It's Chinese New Year's day and his grandparents have given him the traditional gift of lucky money-red envelopes called leisees (lay-sees). This year Sam is finally old enough to spend it any way he chooses. Best of all, he gets to spend his lucky money in his favorite place - Chinatown!
But when Sam realizes that his grandparents' gift is not enough to get the things he wants, his excitement turns to disappointment. Even though his mother reminds him that he should appreciate the gift, Sam is not convinced - until a surprise encounter with a stranger.
With vivid watercolor paintings, artists Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu celebrate the sights and sounds of festive Chinatown streets. In her picture book debut, author Karen Chinn tells the affecting story of a child who discovers that sometimes the best gifts come from the heart.
Awards
Chidren's Books of the Year
Outstanding Merit
Bank Street College
Marion Vannett Ridgway Award Honoree
"Story Pick"
Storytime, PBS
"Pick of the Lists"
American Bookseller
Notable Books for a Global Society
International Reading Association
Interest Level
Grades K - 3
Reading Level
Grade 3
Themes
Sharing & Giving, Home, Holidays & Celebrations, Asian/Asian American Interest
Accelerated Reader
Level: 3.6
Points: .5
"The traditional message that it is better to give than to receive is handled in a genuine, thoughtful manner that will be realistic to children. Detailed descriptions of the sights and sounds of the New Year celebration build in contrast to Sam's growing introspection, becoming even more dramatic and adding to the depth of the story. The illustrators masterfully combine Chinatown's exotic setting with the universal emotions of childhood through expressive portraits of the characters."
School Library Journal
"A beautifully told story for all ages about the gift of giving."
Creative Classroom
"(Pick of the Lists, American Bookseller Magazine) The subtle blending of cultures in both the illustrations and text engross the reader in the dilemma of a young Chinese-American boy faced with spending his New Year's gift money. On a shopping spree with his mother, he discovers that the ultimate value is giving. The artists' vibrant watercolors embellish this story, which reaches across ethnic boundaries to reaffirm a universal truth."
American Bookseller
Ying-Hwa Hu and Cornelius Van Wright have illustrated many award-winning books for Lee & Low, including Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree and Sam and the Lucky Money. Van Wright, a native New Yorker, and Hu, who was born in Taiwan, are a husband and wife team living in New York City.
Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu have illustrated many award-winning books for Lee & Low, including Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree and Sam and the Lucky Money. Van Wright, a native New Yorker, and Hu, who was born in Taiwan, are a husband and wife team living in New York City.
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