Originally Published In: Japan
Format: Paperback
Language: Simplified Chinese
Pages per book: 40
Lines per page: 3-9 lines
Price per book: $7.25
Acclaimed Japanese author and illustrator Tatsuya Miyanishi 宫西达也 has delighted over 10 million children with these popular Dinosaur 恐龙 (kǒng lóng) books. The long-waited Series II is finally here! The Mandarin Chinese series is among the top 10 best sellers in China and the top 100 most frequently read stories by Luka®, the children's picture book reading companion.
At first glance, Tatsuya's books might seem like simple tales with basic illustrations of aggressive dinosaurs, but a closer look reveals their true appeal. Their immense popularity stems from heartwarming narratives centered around themes of love, forgiveness, friendship, and self-discovery.
Unlike typical " happily-ever-after" children's stories, Tatsuya Miyanishi's stories often have "sad" endings. Dinosaur friends can go hungry, struggle, misunderstand each other and pass away. The dramatic and sophisticated storytelling is so divergent from the American children's literature norm that it not only captures the attention of little dinosaur fans, but all young hearts craving good stories.
Why we love these books for Chinese language learners:
- Expansive but conversational languages
- Engaging stories
- Opportunity to learn dinosaur names in Chinese
Book titles:
《嘿嘿嘿嘿 好像很好吃 hēi hēi hēi hēi hǎo xiàng hěn hǎo chī》Hehehehe! It Looks Delicious!
《温柔的和体贴的 wēn róu de hé tǐ tiē de》Gentle and Considerate
《我相信你 wǒ xiāng xìn nǐ》I Trust You
《永远永远在一起 yǒng yuǎn yǒng yuǎn zài yī qǐ》Forever and Always Together
If you like these books, you may also want to check out:
Tatsuya Miyanishi's Dinosaur Series I-7 Chinese books
Tatsuya Miyanishi's Virtue Series 6-Book Set
Is my child ready for this set?
"Read to me":
Children ages 4+ will enjoy having these books read to them either by Luka® or a caregiver.
"Read by myself":
A perfect early reader that bridges readers ages 6+ to chapter books in the future. Children will need to know over 1000 characters to read these books independently.
Option to pair with Luka®:
Consider adding Luka®, the reading robot, to your order. Luka® reads 70,000 books in Mandarin Chinese!
Set Luka® in front of the book, and it will read aloud any page your child turns to-- creating a unique, independent physical book reading experience even if your child isn't ready to read by themselves. Click to read our founders' personal review of Luka here.
Happy learning!