What do you think?
Rate this book
Dragon Parade: A Chinese New Year Story
Examines life as a Chinese immigrant in 1850s San Francisco, and describes the tradition, preparation, and excitement of the Chinese New Year
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
30 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 23, 2023
In the United States, we celebrate with traditions influenced from all over the world. However, we don't often think about how these traditions got started in the US from other countries and influences. Dragon Parade introduces for young readers the way Lunar New Year celebrations were brought to the United States.
Dragon Parade tells the story of Norman Ah Sing, an immigrant who came to the San Francisco, like many other Chinese men, during the Gold Rush. However, upon learning that there was not actually as much gold to be found as the rumors claimed, he decided to open a grocery. As the year went by, he developed a life in Chinatown. As the neighborhood prepared for their small New Year celebration, Norman decided he wanted to invite the whole town to share it with them.
While I like that this story gives a background on the Chinese New Year celebrations that take place in the US today, I don't appreciate the idealist stance it takes on immigration. In the book, Norman wanted to invite all the important people in San Francisco to celebrate in Chinatown, and "everyone in Chinatown... loved his idea." Later, everyone enjoyed the celebrations, and the images depict very stereotypically dressed white and Chinese people feasting at a table.
A quick Google search of Norman Ah-Sing and another search of Chinese New Year US origins tells a different story. The real life Ah-Sing (or Asing or Assing - various Anglicized versions) was a controversial figure in Gold Rush San Francisco who challenged the governor's anti-Chinese stance, had a feud with a brothel owner, and cared primarily about filling his pockets. Nothing is said about him bringing New Year traditions. When looking up the origins of the celebrations in the United States, it is unclear how these started, but the Wikipedia article states that the Chinese New Year celebration we recognize today was an arrangement offered by a white population to placate a growing Chinese or Asian population. The name Norman Ah-Sing is never mentioned in connection with Lunar New Year celebrations
While I recognize that kids don't need to know that story as fully, I wish this was better researched, as it seems (again from the very minimal research that I did) that Steven A. Chin just threw in the name of a person who was of Chinese descent during the right time period, did some research on the holiday, and whitewashed everything about the story.
I also don't appreciate the individualistic stance this book creates around the story of Chinese New Year celebrations. The story's Norman Ah-Sing is depicted as the sole entity who ran the celebration, but there has to be more behind the story. Surely an immigrant who's been there less than a year (another falsehood about Ah-Sing depicted in Dragon Parade) couldn't have this much impact on a city the size of San Francisco, even in the 1840s or 50s. The titular dragon parade features a dragon that "Norman...could see the thirty men who carried its long, silk body." Okay, so where's their story? Where did they come from, and how were they chosen for this? If Ah-Sing was so influential, why wasn't he carrying the dragon? The story offers a very idealist depiction of an individual who, even in the reality of the book, didn't do any of the real work involved.
When I started writing this review I was honestly a lot happier with Dragon Parade than when I finished it. I was going to say three stars, but after finding out what I know, I'm going to say two.
*
Dragon Parade tells the story of Norman Ah Sing, an immigrant who came to the San Francisco, like many other Chinese men, during the Gold Rush. However, upon learning that there was not actually as much gold to be found as the rumors claimed, he decided to open a grocery. As the year went by, he developed a life in Chinatown. As the neighborhood prepared for their small New Year celebration, Norman decided he wanted to invite the whole town to share it with them.
While I like that this story gives a background on the Chinese New Year celebrations that take place in the US today, I don't appreciate the idealist stance it takes on immigration. In the book, Norman wanted to invite all the important people in San Francisco to celebrate in Chinatown, and "everyone in Chinatown... loved his idea." Later, everyone enjoyed the celebrations, and the images depict very stereotypically dressed white and Chinese people feasting at a table.
A quick Google search of Norman Ah-Sing and another search of Chinese New Year US origins tells a different story. The real life Ah-Sing (or Asing or Assing - various Anglicized versions) was a controversial figure in Gold Rush San Francisco who challenged the governor's anti-Chinese stance, had a feud with a brothel owner, and cared primarily about filling his pockets. Nothing is said about him bringing New Year traditions. When looking up the origins of the celebrations in the United States, it is unclear how these started, but the Wikipedia article states that the Chinese New Year celebration we recognize today was an arrangement offered by a white population to placate a growing Chinese or Asian population. The name Norman Ah-Sing is never mentioned in connection with Lunar New Year celebrations
While I recognize that kids don't need to know that story as fully, I wish this was better researched, as it seems (again from the very minimal research that I did) that Steven A. Chin just threw in the name of a person who was of Chinese descent during the right time period, did some research on the holiday, and whitewashed everything about the story.
I also don't appreciate the individualistic stance this book creates around the story of Chinese New Year celebrations. The story's Norman Ah-Sing is depicted as the sole entity who ran the celebration, but there has to be more behind the story. Surely an immigrant who's been there less than a year (another falsehood about Ah-Sing depicted in Dragon Parade) couldn't have this much impact on a city the size of San Francisco, even in the 1840s or 50s. The titular dragon parade features a dragon that "Norman...could see the thirty men who carried its long, silk body." Okay, so where's their story? Where did they come from, and how were they chosen for this? If Ah-Sing was so influential, why wasn't he carrying the dragon? The story offers a very idealist depiction of an individual who, even in the reality of the book, didn't do any of the real work involved.
When I started writing this review I was honestly a lot happier with Dragon Parade than when I finished it. I was going to say three stars, but after finding out what I know, I'm going to say two.
*
Read
February 3, 2021ok
Read
July 29, 2011Nonfiction book but reads like a storybook. Norman came from China to San Francisco, thinking the streets were paved in gold and he would be rich easily. He soon found that he had to work hard to be rich. He opened a grocery store and becomes successful selling to miners who are looking for gold. He talks to other Chinese owners and plans a Chinese New year like they had in China. They invite people from all over San Francisco. It is the start of the famous Chinatown New Year.
April 23, 2011
About a Chinese population in California. Great way to teach children that many different people live in the United States. Also explains how the Chinese New Year is celebrated.
February 13, 2013
This was a little wordy for the kids (6.5 and 3 years old) but they got through it and I think my older one got some interesting facts out of it.
February 11, 2015
Fascinting look at the very first Lunar New Year celebration in San Francisco. Going to share this with the upper grades.
March 25, 2025
I didn't realize that this was nonfiction until I finished the story. While this is a kinder book than reality, it's appropriate for a young audience.
Not memorable.
Not memorable.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews