Two New Years

Recent studies and analyses have critiqued the increasing polarization and divisiveness of political rhetoric in the United States, citing its debilitating long-term effects on American society due to its exacerbation of differences among people rather than building bridges through shared commonalities. Related to these developments, the negative rhetoric around immigration further contributes to a societal climate in which people of diverse backgrounds may not feel wholly welcome, a situation which can contribute to feelings of isolation or exclusion in the communities in which they live. With the steady growth of intercultural families in the United States and Canada over the past two decades, such rhetoric can exacerbate the existing challenges that immigrant families and their descendants may face. In response to these circumstances, various works in film, television, and other creative mediums have grappled with this demographic reality and strived to portray inclusive visions of contemporary society in which people from diverse cultural backgrounds belong and contribute to their respective communities.

These creative works include several children’s picture books that have included positive representations of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Richard Ho’s Two New Years is a valuable addition to the existing body of literature as there are fewer picture books that feature bicultural families, particularly those that reflect the cultural backgrounds portrayed in Ho’s story. Based on the author’s own multicultural background and experiences, his book celebrates and honours the cultures that comprise a bicultural family whose members prepare for and recognize two New Years, Rosh Hashanah and Lunar New Year. In doing so, Ho conveys a positive message pertaining to cultural inclusion and community that emphasizes the commonalities among different cultures. His representation of Chinese and Jewish cultures acknowledges, normalizes, and celebrates these types of culturally hybrid families.

The book progresses through a series of textual and visual juxtapositions between Chinese and Jewish cultures in order to show the significance of the New Year to both cultural communities. As Ho reveals, the arrival of a new year evokes a lot of different emotions among people, regardless of their cultural background. In both cultures, the New Year involves bringing the previous year to a close and signifies a time of transition towards new beginnings and optimism for the future. It represents a time for the family to celebrate with their other relations, but it’s also a time for them to collectively remember and honour their predecessors. It provides the occasion for familial relations to gather for a meal and express their thanks. In addition, both cultural traditions have unique sights and sounds that are part of their celebrations.

Lynn Scurfield’s colourful illustrations complement the narrative effectively by conveying a harmonious impression of blended unity between the family’s Chinese and Jewish cultures which share ideals pertaining to family, community, hope, and renewal. Throughout the book, there are illustrations suggestive of family and community that depict the family’s bicultural heritage and devote equal attention to each cultural background Avoiding privileging one culture over another, these illustrations express the commonalities between the two cultures and affirm the positive influences of each one, thereby conveying a positive message of co-existence and acceptance among shared cultural traditions.

Several illustrations are either juxtaposed on the same page or otherwise appear adjacent to each other on a two-page spread. These evoke a sense of visual symmetry that connects the cultures together while, at the same time, emphasizing each culture’s unique traits. For example, when the book indicates that delicious dishes are served during the New Year in both Chinese and Jewish cultures, the accompanying illustrations both show one of the parents bringing a culturally specific dish to the table and one of their children reacting. Another instance of visual symmetry occurs later in the book. The left-hand illustration shows people singing together harmoniously in temple during Rosh Hashanah whereas the right-hand illustration shows people looking up at the decorative lanterns that are displayed during Chinese New Year. Both means of celebrating the incoming new year are beautiful in their own way.

Scurfield’s illustrations also evoke the celebratory atmosphere of these two holidays and the vibrancy of colours that encompass them, thereby heightening their impact for readers. For example, one two-page spread shows a variety of dishes laid out on the table, including fish, spring rolls and other delicacies that are common to Chinese New Year. In another two-page spread, the left-hand image shows the mother and son sweeping dust out of the house, an action which signifies a cleansing out of the old year in Chinese culture. On the opposite page, the family engages in a Jewish ritual of casting old mistakes into the water. Enhancing the narrative’s uplifting and communal atmosphere, the book’s final illustration affirms the family’s mixed heritage by showing both parents with their two children against a sky-blue backdrop of colourful plants and flowers.

Produced by independent publisher Chronicle Books in San Francisco, i>Two New Years includes a significant amount of extra material that makes it invaluable as a pedagogical resource for teachers and as a resource for readers who would like to learn more about Chinese and Jewish cultural traditions. The extensive visual glossary explains the significance of various facets of Chinese and Jewish culture in relation to the coming new year. For example, it explains the meaning of lunar calendars as well as the significance of sweeping in Chinese culture and the tashlich ceremony in Jewish culture. The book also has a list of questions that teachers can use as a learning opportunity for students to share more about themselves and increase their mutual understanding of each others’ cultural backgrounds. Besides stimulating conversation about families’ different New Year traditions, teachers can encourage students to reflect on what New Year means to them as well as the similarities and differences among how their respective families celebrate the holiday. These questions can also be adapted readily to initiate a more general discussion about people’s cultural backgrounds, their families’ customs and traditions, and the impact of various cultural influences in their daily lives.

Two New Years lends itself readily for parents and teachers to read aloud to readers of all ages. Although the publisher’s website suggests a readership of ages three to five, this book would be more readily comprehensible and appreciated by a slightly older audience. Because the narrative’s language level is not particularly difficult and its sentences do not have complex grammatical structures, younger readers could follow along fairly easily if they are being read to. However, readers under the age of six may not necessarily find the book easy to read on their own. There are some complex words, such as “symbolize”, “reunite” and “prosperity”, as well as culturally specific words pertinent to Jewish and Chinese culture that parents and teachers would have to define. Nevertheless, the colourful illustrations in i>Two New Years will assist younger readers with grasping the narrative’s general meaning. The glossary will also be helpful for adults who need to define certain words for readers.

Two New Years includes an “Author’s Note” that adds a personal dimension to the narrative. Besides relating his own experiences of raising children who are both Chinese and Jewish, Ho mentions how he has converted to Judaism as an adult and has embraced both his traditional Chinese upbringing and Jewish culture. At the same time, he emphasizes that his journey is unique to himself and that he hopes the book will be relatable to all readers, regardless of their background. Ho dedicates his book to all readers who may identify with coming from different and mixed backgrounds as well as others who do not. As he affirms, “I hope that readers of all backgrounds see themselves in these pages and relate to the joy of celebrating many worlds that aren’t so different after all.”

Based in New Jersey, Richard Ho worked in journalism before he started to write children’s literature. Recognizing that his Chinese and Jewish heritage is essential to his sense of identity, Ho affirms in an interview that the opportunities that he has been given to make books is something that he does not take lightly: “I hope to use that opportunity to create stories that reflect every aspect of my multi-faceted identity—as well as stories that transcend identity. I want to write for Chinese audiences, Jewish audiences, and all audiences in general. And I plan to champion diversity in all of its forms, both in the stories I consume and the ones I create.” Ho is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and his official website is at https://www.richardhobooks.com/.

The book’s illustrator, Lynn Scurfield, is a mixed media illustrator based in Toronto. She received a B.A. in illustration from Sheridan College and has worked as a freelance illustrator ever since. As part of her creative process, Scurfield often works with a combination of traditional and digital methods, creating her ideas on paper first before developing them further with illustration software programs. Her official website is at http://www.lynnscurfield.com.