Title: Ting Ting, The Girl Who Saved China
Author: Ryan O’Connor
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 978-1664153189
Pages: 48
Genre: Children’s Books
Reviewed by: Aly Avina
Hollywood Book Reviews
In Ting Ting, The Girl Who Saved China by Ryan O’Connor, the author has us dive into the origins and importance of Chinese New Year within Chinese culture. We learn why families celebrate the holiday the way they do and learn of the story of why the holiday began in the first place. This children’s book is wonderfully written and would be the perfect way for any parent to teach their young child about Chinese New Year and why it is such an important holiday for Chinese families everywhere.
The story centers on a little girl by the name of Li Li Wang and her family. On the Eve of Chinese New Year, she goes to sit down with her grandparents when they typically would give her a hongbao — or what is known as a red envelope that parents and grandparents give children with money inside. But before doing that, they begin to tell Li Li about their ancestor Ting Ting and how she saved villages in China from the monster that was Nian. Nian was a half-dragon, half-unicorn monster that would terrorize villages by destroying their farms and eating all of their food, including livestock, making it very difficult for the families in these villages to get through the mayhem caused by the monster.
That’s where Ting Ting comes in. Ting Ting was a little girl, much like Li Li, when she came up with a solution to scare the monster away with a great plan. She repeatedly tried to tell her parents and brothers how they can stop the monster but this was when many didn’t look at little girls as brave or strong. She devised this plan on her own so she decided if they weren’t going to listen, she would implement it by herself. Once she puts her plan into action, the pieces begin to fall together for Li Li on why they celebrate Chinese New Year the way that they do. She becomes inspired by her ancestor and with her parents’ and grandparents’ encouragement, she plans to be a hero for China herself one day. It is a beautiful sentiment and message to young girls everywhere that you can do anything you put your mind to and to not let anyone make you think otherwise.
Not only do I believe this children’s book to be beautifully illustrated and show the importance of Chinese New Year within its message, but it also has a great message for young girls to be their bravest selves. That they can do anything they want in life and never let anyone make you question that. This is a great bedtime read for children everywhere, in my opinion, so other cultures can also learn of this great holiday and why it’s celebrated by Chinese families everywhere.