Lit we Like: Teaching your kids Hindi

Cantonese was my first language, although you'd never know it considering I'm only functional when ordering dim sum or reciting phrases that were common in our house growing up, such as "take off your shoes," "be quiet," don't waste food," and "wah, so expensive!" All kidding aside, I regret not maintaining my native language and am looking forward to re-learning it with my daughter when she's old enough for lessons.

I could also take a cue from Paridhi and Dinesh Verma, a couple who have two children and are committed to teaching them Hindi - in a fun way. I know Paridhi personally and was psyched when I found out about her family's endeavors. Here's what she had to say:

As many first generation Americans before us, we tried to persuade our children to learn our native language -- Hindi. Maybe you have faced the same hurdles we did with limited language learning resources. When our attempts to find books and resources that would make learning Hindi fun failed, we decided as a family to write these materials ourselves. We were inspired by our son who developed a transliteration scheme that he used to self-teach the basics of the Hindi language. We applied the techniques he used, combined them with funny stories that our daughter seemed to enjoy, and created this set of books. We believe these books teach Hindi using entertaining stories, cute and colorful characters, and a variety of activities. The goal is to make learning Hindi a fun-filled experience and not a tedious chore. We hope you and your children will enjoy the benefits of these books.





For more information about these books and the Verma family, check out their site: Chanda Books.

How are you teaching your kids different languages? Any tips?

Lit we like: the Chinese Zodiac, and sushi too!

Since Ivy and I have started this blog, I've learned a lot, and I guess you can say re-discovered the "Chinese" in me. Over the weekend, a friend of mine actually commented that I've become a lot more Chinese since we met about 5+ years ago. I'll take that as a compliment!

One thing that I've been focused on is populating my kiddie's bookshelf with an assortment of Chinese, and other popular Asian-inspired tales. I owe my Irish-Italian sister-in-law and Korean co-worker for the following two finds:

The Great Race: The Story of the Chinese Zodiac shares one version of how the Chinese calendar came to be. It starts with the Jade Emperor, who recognizes a need for a calendar to tell one year from the next. The answer? Challenge the animals to race across a river, and the order in which they finish will dictate the order of the years. The extras at the end - a more in-depth look at the Chinese calendar and the characteristics of each animal, as well as background on the Dragon Boat Festival and the Moon Festival - make this hardcover all the more appealing. I'm no artist by any means, but the illustrations are different than your usual kiddie style book. Simply put, the whole package is pretty cool.



First Book of Sushi is part of a "world snacks" series that includes my favorite Yum Yum Dim Sum, as well as Hola Jalapeno, Mangia Mangia and a Little Bit of Soul Food. Told in short, catchy rhymes, this book educates readers on the sushi basics - learn about tekka, ebi, miso and more, and influence/convince your little ones (or your stubborn friend/family member/colleague who still believes that raw fish is gross) to love these bite sized treats as much as the rest of us do.



What are your favorite Asian tales?

Fun Friday Reading: Seven Chinese Brothers

I had a storied childhood. Literally. My parents were fine artists, but later in their careers also illustrated children's books. The house was always filled with doodles and sketches...and lots of energy, creativity, and color (both literally and figuratively)!

In 1990, my parents illustrated their first book in the United States - "The Seven Chinese Brothers" (published by Scholastic). It was a retelling of an old tale that I'd read as a child, the Five Chinese Brothers (by Claire Hutchet Bishop). The new version, updated by Margaret Mahy, also got a refresh with my parent's colorful artwork - instead of the original black, white, and brown cartoon-like illustrations (which are admittedly quite cute and charming in their own way), the characters got the full royal treatment in a spectrum of rainbow colors.

I never thought the book was a big deal until my friends starting having reading-age kids. "What?!?! Your parents did *that* book? It's junior's favorite!" Lest you think I'm exaggerating, you can read some raving reviews from the New York Times Book Review, Publisher's Weekly, and the School Library Journal (click on this Google Books link and read the back cover page).

Yes, I am mighty proud of my parents. No, I didn't inherit any of their artistic talent. Maybe it skips a generation? Let's hope!

Regardless, the books are a fantastic way to introduce your little one to the stories and colors of Asia. Do you have any books to recommend?

Yum Yum Dim Sum!

Mother's Day is around the corner, and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with my family over dim sum and a pot of hot tea. Dim sum, which literally means "touch the heart" and pronounced deem sum in Cantonese, consists of a dizzying array of bite sized treats that are steamed, fried, grilled or baked. You can order off menus, but I prefer the dim sum palaces, where waitresses push carts full of steamy delights to each table and allow you to check out the goods before making your selections. Typically served in round bamboo steamers, dishes range from steamed pork buns (cha siu bao) to Chinese rice porridge (jook) to steamed shrimp dumplings (har gow) to one of my personal favorites, chicken feet (feng zhao). Check out Yum Yum Dim Sum, a clever book by Amy Wilson Sanger, that's sure to give dim sum rookies of all ages a quick primer on these special treats.

I'll be headed to New York's Evergreen for my Sunday Mother's Day brunch. It's very family friendly, and I suggest making reservations for big groups. Other NYC Chinatown favorites include Dim Sum Go Go, Triple Eight Palace, Mandarin Court, and Golden Unicorn. My advice...get to any of these places by noon to avoid long waits.

During my time in Boston, I spent many Saturday and Sunday afternoons at China Pearl, and when in San Francisco, I usually end up at Yank Sing, although it's pricier than your usual Chinatown fare. If you've got other dim sum recommendations in your area that you'd like to share, let us know...and Happy Mother's Day to all!