Libraries aren’t just buildings full of books. They’re also places where connections are made and ideas are shared. Read about one such experience in the first person account below by our guest blogger Dutian, a volunteer and enthusiastic promoter of cross-cultural understanding. -Lisa Dennis, Coordinator of Children’s Collections

 

On July 21st, I met Lisa and gave her the ten books I brought all the way from my hometown, Wuhan, a beautiful city located in Central China, on behalf of my friend, Katrina. Eventually, we had completed this amazing book list exchange and they are ready to meet you!

I am Dutian, a volunteer for Chinese Language Class since last summer, and Lisa is the Coordinator of Children’s Collections at Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP). Indeed, I knew her through Bonnie, who is in charge of the Chinese Language Class for the library.

Earlier this April, when talking with Katrina, who was building her own English and Chinese learning room for children in her community, about how wonderful CLP is, I enthusiastically told her that I had made new friends each week when I was involved in the Chinese teaching activities, including introducing transportation system in China nowadays, practicing Chinese calligraphy with local peoples, and even celebrating a Spring Festival Celebration with kids in Kasper’s Chinese class for children.

Not surprisingly, she was excited by my interesting stories that Chinese language and culture is so popular here. Since Katrina had collected a large number of children’s favorite picture books at that time, acting on a sudden idea that the Chinese book of her collections could be very useful material for learning Chinese as well as in the hope of enriching her collection of learning American English and culture for children, Katrina put forward her proposal that she would like to initiate an exchange of booklist with the library while donating some of the most famous children’s picture books in China to CLP.

 

Therefore, I reached out to Bonnie and she kindly introduced Lisa to me. Everything just went so smoothly that Lisa even surprisingly gave me two beautiful children’s picture books which were carefully selected from the shared book list of CLP so that Katrina can share with her little students when I went back to Wuhan this summer.

At the end of the story, I would like to share our EXCHANGED book list across thousands of miles! We hope that anyone who is interested in traditional Chinese stories or learning Chinese, as well as anyone who needs great local children’s picture books from the library can have easy access to good illustrated stories.

One hundred high quality children’s picture books at CLP and in China are listed below. According to Lisa, many of the books shared by CLP had won awards from the Association for Library Services to Children and received starred reviews in professional journals.

Meanwhile, the list from Katrina includes most popular picture books among Chinese children which are written and drawn by Chinese authors (none translated versions), while most of the books have also been awarded and highly recommended by the authoritative media in children’s books.

Tips for you:

1. If you want to borrow one of the Top 100 books from CLP’s list, simply type the title or ISBN (International Standard Book Number which is a 10- or 13-digit number used for identification and is unique to every book) into the search box of CLP’s website and see whether it is available.
2. If you are interested in the Chinese books from Katrina’s list, first try searching it through the search box on CLP’s website. If it is not found, then directly input the ISBN into the search box of Amazon or Google, I’m sure you will find it in either way.
3. The bold titles are books that Katrina has donated to the library that you will be able to borrow from CLP soon!

Top 100 Children’s Picture Books of All Time

	TOP 100 CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS OF CLP		TOP 100 CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS OF WUHAN, CHINA
NO.	TITLE	ISBN	TITLE	ISBN
1	When Sophie’s Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt	9780545788311	《妈妈买绿豆!》	9787533264062
2	Extra Yarn	9780061953385	《老鼠，老鼠》	9787510403378
3	My Bike	9780062336996	《进城》	9787533264123
4	Beautiful Hands	9780990799306	《虎王子》	9787530477878
5	Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me	9780316209175	《跟着姥姥去遛弯儿》	9787537181426
6	Wild about Us!	9780152062941	《小蝌蚪找妈妈》	9787302358121
7	Madeline’s Rescue	9780670447169	《蔷薇别墅的小老鼠》	9787535039248
8	Big Bear Little Chair	9781452144474	《荷花镇的早市》	9787539134055
9	Moo, Baa, La La La!: Lap Edition	9780689870279	《一园青菜成了精》	9787533257545
10	Goodnight Moon (Anniversary)	9780064430173	《团圆》	9787533255879
11	How Do You Feel?	9780763658625	《安的种子》	9787535039200
12	One Gorilla: A Counting Book	9780763663520	《躲猫猫大王》	9787533258153
13	The Very Hungry Caterpillar	9780529007759	《那只深蓝色的鸟是我爸爸》	9787533267544
14	The New Small Person	9780763678104	《我变成一只喷火龙了！》	9787537636179
15	Peek-A-Moo!	9780525460831	《子儿,吐吐》	9787533257781
16	Freight Train	9780688801656	《妖怪山》	9787505629080
17	Smick	9780670785780	《天啊！错啦！》	9787539162720
18	Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature	9780763655495	《绘本中国：年》	9787533254674
19	The Day the Crayons Came Home	9780399172755	《三毛流浪记(全集)》	9787532488827
20	Last Stop on Market Street	9780399257742	《漏》	9787533264345
21	Mixed Me!	9781250047199	《风筝》	9787505613393
22	The Lorax	9780394823379	《好神奇的小石头》	9787514815368
23	If You’re a Monster and You Know It	9780545218290	《方脸公公和圆脸婆婆》	9787556802272
24	Olivia	9780689829536	《京剧猫：长坂坡 》	9787108045355
25	Oh, No!	9780375842719	《灶王爷》	9787533254681
26	Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy	9780805081268	《小小牛顿幼儿馆》	9787545601367
27	And Then It’s Spring	9781596436244	《中国优秀图画书典藏系列2：陈永镇（全五册）》	9787221087492
28	Dinoblock	9781419716744	《中国图画书典藏书系：神笔马良》	9787535357809
29	Moon Bear	9780805089776	《中国图画书典藏书系·老鼠嫁女》	9787535357861
30	When Lions Roar	9780545112833	《奶奶的布头儿》	9787556802265
31	Kitten’s First Full Moon	9780060588281	《桃花源的故事》	9787556802319
32	Brontorina	9780763644376	《很小和很老》	9787556802289
33	Toys Meet Snow: Being the Wintertime Adventures of a Curious Stuffed Buffalo, a Sensitive Plush Stingray, and a Book-Loving Rubber Bal	9780385373302	《鸡妈妈的蛋宝宝》	9787556802296
34	The Hello, Goodbye Window	9780786809141	《跑跑镇》	9787533282103
35	The Snowy Day	9780670654000	《会说话的手》	9787505631427
36	I Want My Hat Back	9780763655983	《最后一个灵魂》	9787534237102
37	This Is Not My Hat	9780763655990	《小鼹鼠的土豆》	9787533267292
38	The Big Book of Animals of the World	9781776570126	《迷戏•秦淮河:一九三七(反战绘本)》	9787544715706
39	Ugly Fish:	9780152050825	《绘本中国：小石狮》	9787533254636
40	Chugga-Chugga Choo-Choo	9780786804290	《我们的故事》	9787532434794
41	Written and Drawn by Henrietta	9781935179900	《中国儿童原创绘本:遇鬼记》	9787507217865
42	A Color of His Own	9780375836978	《中国原创绘本精品系列：大蝌蚪》	9787534277900
43	Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes	9780061906237	《中国原创绘本精品系列：跳绳去》	9787534277870
44	Sleep Like a Tiger	9780547641027	《中国原创绘本精品系列：啊呜》	9787534277894
45	Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!: A Sonic Adventure	9780763639914	《绘本中国：泥将军》	9787533254698
46	I Spy Ultimate Challenger: A Book of Picture Riddles	9780439454018	《绘本中国：兔儿爷》	9787533254643
47	I Stink!	9780060298487	《驿马》	9787533255893
48	Hi, Koo!: A Year of Seasons	9780545166683	《进城》	9787533264123
49	My Pen	9781423103714	《我看见一只鸟》	9787533279394
50	The Book with No Pictures	9780803741713	《很慢很慢的蝸牛》	9789866608391
51	If You Give a Mouse a Cookie	9780060245863	《铁门胡同》	9787551546621
52	The Baby Goes Beep	9780807505083	《小金鱼儿》	9787551546638
53	The Family Book	9780316738965	《宝儿》	9787533255886
54	On the Ball	9781484723296	《野孩子（童谣）》	9787108044945
55	The Grasshopper & the Ants	9780316400817	《门》	9787533264314
56	A Ball for Daisy	9780375858611	《葡萄》	9787533264307
57	My Friend Rabbit	9780761315353	《爱画画的诗》	9787533273378
58	Duck! Rabbit!	9780811868655	《北京的春节》	9787505629349
59	The Bear Ate Your Sandwich	9780375858604	《这就是二十四节气》	9787511026118
60	Supertruck	9781596438217	《从百草园到三味书屋》	9787505622241
61	Skippyjon Jones	9780525471349	《再见》	9787537962148
62	Battle Bunny	9781442446731	《花娘谷》	9787229006945
63	The True Story of the Three Little Pigs 25th Anniversary Edition	9780451471956	《元宵灯》	9787229006938
64	Green	9781596433977	《水牛儿》	9787537181433
65	Where the Wild Things Are (Anniversary)	9780060254926	《再见,老蓬》	7534628083
66	David Goes to School	9780590480871	《与狗熊比举重》	9787530752371
67	Dinosaur vs. Mommy	9781423160861	《给大象拔刺》	9787534256035
68	Dinosaur vs. the Potty	9781423133391	《退役军犬黄狐》	9787534256028
69	Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business	9780201091472	《水墨宝宝成长奇遇绘本:小萝卜浇浇在幼儿园》	9787303174249
70	Bear Has a Story to Tell	9781596437456	《保冬妮绘本海洋馆(第1季):鲸鱼的歌》	9787550504714
71	A Sick Day for Amos McGee	9781596434028	《包子狗和面条猫1:魔法草莓》	9787305152436
72	Interrupting Chicken	9780763641689	《北京,中轴线上的城市》	9787505622661
73	I Love Trucks!	9780060278199	《生活微百科·上厕所》	9787533278144
74	The House in the Night	9780618862443	《王晓明童话绘本长廊·小草欢歌篇:小人鱼和警察》	9787556814275
75	Joseph Had a Little Overcoat	9780670878550	《白娘子传奇(连环画) 》	9787536821897
76	Eloise: A Book for Precocious Grown Ups	9780671223502	《西游记1:孙悟空大闹天宫 》	9787539196022
77	Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah	9780449817445	《三国演义:空城计》	9787539196466
78	Wildlife	9780763665630	《不开灯的屋子》	9787556813094
79	Ally-Saurus & the First Day of School	9781454911791	《WOW!不一样的创意动物绘》	9787515330662
80	Press Here	9780811879545	《九色鹿》	9787303163038
81	The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse	9780763660987	《兔拉拉,有你陪我笑哈哈(注音版)》	9787229048181
82	Use Your Words, Sophie	9780670016631	《花屋子》	9787303163250
83	Flotsam	9780618194575	《你猜我看到了什么》	9787303163243
84	Mr. Wuffles!	9780618756612	《童年的梦》	9787534268151
85	The Three Pigs	9780618007011	《穿墙术》	9787534268106
86	City Dog, Country Frog	9781423103004	《爸爸的老师(注音版)》	9787534284830
87	Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!	9780786819881	《飞翔的小蜘蛛》	9787507214352
88	Listen to My Trumpet!	9781423154044	《大毛线团》	9787507217162
89	A Beach Tail	9781590787120	《丝瓜电话》	9787507214369
90	More More More, Said the Baby	9780688091736	《帽子镇》	9787507215731
91	A Chair for My Mother	9780688040741	《一百只蜗牛去旅行(拼音版)》	9787507217346
92	A Chair for My Mother	9780688009144	《逃跑的铁皮桶》	9787507214406
93	Bear Wants More	9780689845093	《白鹅》	9787807169130
94	Nanuk the Ice Bear	9781481446679	《幼童文库》	10826823
95	Baby Bear Sees Blue	9781442413061	《Hi,多多·多多看世界：多多去小岛》	9787564044541
96	The Napping House	9780152567088	《水与墨的故事》	9787534276606
97	Pecan Pie Baby	9780399239878	《小老鼠奇奇》	9787534268137
98	This Is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration	9780399239861	《百鸟羽衣》	9787534276613
99	Owl Moon	9780399214578	《龟兔赛跑》	9787514605440
100	Seven Blind Mice	9780399222610	《东郭先生和狼》	9787514605457

 

After I gave the books to Lisa on July 21st, I call Katrina through Wechat (the “whatsapp” in China). It was almost 11 pm in Wuhan while Katrina was still working hard to give excellent lessons for her students. She is so excited to meet Lisa and complete this book list exchange. Meanwhile, we were told that she was planning to visit CLP next summer with her 3-year-old daughter and a new friend, and we are looking forward to hearing her interesting stories with her students while teaching English!

Background

Dutian came to Pittsburgh last summer to accompany her husband, and she has been an English teacher for primary school students in an after-school center for two years in Wuhan before coming here. Her interest is in Child and Youth work and she will attend the master program of Applied Developmental Psychology at University of Pittsburgh this year.

Katrina is a likable and charming teacher commented by her students and their parents. She has been an English teacher for Children for almost ten years in Wuhan. She is a good friend as well as previous colleague of Dutian. Katrina began to open a bilingual learning room for kids in her community in March this year, where she often shares good stories with children for free.