The Story of (book series) facts for kids
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| Author | Ying Chang Compestine |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English, Chinese |
| Genre | Children's books, Cultural studies |
| Publisher | Holiday House |
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Publication date
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September 2001 |
| ISBN | 0823415260 |
The Story of series is a fun collection of picture books. These books are written by Ying Chang Compestine and have cool illustrations by Yongsheng Xuan. Each book tells an exciting story about how different everyday things were invented in Chinese culture.
You'll learn about the history of things like chopsticks, noodles, kites, and even paper! At the end of each book, there's a special note from the author. You'll also find a yummy recipe or instructions for a fun activity. The first book, The Story of Chopsticks, came out in English in 2001. Later, in 2016, a special edition was printed in both English and Chinese. The pictures in the books look like traditional Chinese paper cutouts.
Contents
The Story of Series: Fun Inventions!
Discovering Chopsticks
The Story of Chopsticks is the first book in the series. It tells a funny tale about how chopsticks might have been invented.
How Kuai Invented Chopsticks
In this story, a boy named Kuai has a big problem at mealtime. He has two older brothers, and getting food is always a fight! The food is often too hot to grab with bare hands. One day, Kuai is super hungry and clever. He uses two sticks to reach for the hot food. He doesn't know it, but he's just started the tradition of using chopsticks! After the story, you can read a note from the author. There are also instructions to make your own chopsticks. Plus, you get a recipe for "Sweet Eight Treasures Rice Pudding".
Meet the Chopsticks Characters
- Pan Kang - One of the older brothers.
- Ting Kang - Another older brother.
- Kùai Kang - The smart younger brother who invents chopsticks.
- Mama - The mother of the Kang brothers.
- Papa - The father of the Kang brothers.
- Mr. Wang - A friend of the Kang family.
- Mr. Lee - A wise person from the village.
The Noodle Adventure
This book explains how noodles might have been created by accident!
A Delicious Accident
The Kang brothers are back in The Story of Noodles. Their mother is getting ready for a village cooking contest. She plans to make delicious dumplings. But the brothers accidentally mess up the ingredients! To fix their mistake, they try something new. This leads them to accidentally invent noodles! At the end of the book, you'll find an author's note. There's also a recipe for "Long Life Noodles".
Who's Who in the Noodle Story
- Mama - The mother, who wants to win the cooking contest.
- Pan Kang - One of the Kang brothers.
- Ting Kang - Another Kang brother.
- Kùai Kang - The youngest Kang brother.
- Papa - The father of the Kang brothers.
- Aunt Lee - Another person competing in the dumpling contest.
- Scholar - One of the judges for the contest.
- Chef - Another judge for the contest.
- Matchmaker - The third judge for the contest.
Flying High with Kites
Learn how the Kang brothers might have invented kites in this exciting story.
Chasing Birds and Making Kites
In The Story of Kites, the three Kang brothers have a new challenge. Birds are eating the rice in their family's rice fields. The brothers try banging pots and pans to scare the birds away, but it doesn't work. So, they come up with a clever idea. They decide to make "man-made wings." They use chopsticks, feathers, and even their math homework to build them! This book is available in both English and Chinese. It includes a note from the author and instructions on how to make your very own kite.
Meet the Kite Makers
- Ting Kang - One of the brothers.
- Pan Kang - Another brother.
- Kùai Kang - The youngest brother.
- Mama - The mother.
- Papa - The father.
- Villagers - People living in the village.
The Secret of Paper
This book explores the invention of paper in ancient China.
Writing on Hands and Inventing Paper
Long, long ago in China, people didn't have paper. They used to write on their hands or even on the ground! In The Story of Paper, the naughty Kang brothers get into trouble at school. Their teacher writes a note on their hands for everyone in the village to see. To avoid being embarrassed, the brothers decide they need to invent something. They want to hide the note from their parents and the villagers. And that's how they invent paper! The book ends with an author's note and instructions for making "Homemade Garden Paper."
Characters in the Paper Story
- Pan Kang - One of the brothers.
- Ting Kang - Another brother.
- Kùai Kang - The youngest brother.
- Mama - The mother.
- Papa - The father.
- Teacher - The Kang brothers' teacher.
