Book Review: Why We Eat Fried Peanuts

January 6, 2025 by Sarah White Leave a Comment

Why We Eat Fried Peanuts by Zed Zha, illustrated by Sian James, tells a sweet story of a woman’s kindness and the family that remembers her.

A child asks her father why they eat fried peanuts for Lunar New Year, and he says that his grandmother always told them to eat peanuts for long life and strength. He goes on to tell the story of his grandmother, whose name is not known, but whose kindness literally saved the life of a baby (who would become the girl’s great uncle).

The story is not really about Lunar New Year, but it uses it as an entry point for telling the story and acknowledging the importance of ancestors in Chinese culture. It would be a good choice to read in the classroom around Lunar New Year or when you are talking about China.

The book includes Mandarin vocabulary, with each phrase shown in the corner of the page in Mandarin characters, transliterated, spelled phonetically and with the definition of the term. This makes it a lot easier to read aloud and to understand the important words being expressed.

At the back of the book you’ll find answers to some questions such as what is Lunar New Year and the Qingming Festival (a time to honor ancestors by sweeping their tombs, which usually happens in April), why are peanuts a special treat and what does an èr hú look and sound like (it’s a two-stringed instrument that features in the story). And there’s a recipe for fried peanuts, too.

I wouldn’t say this should be your only Lunar New Year book (because it really barely touches on the holiday at all despite the subtitle being “A Celebration of Family and Lunar New Year Traditions”) but it is a sweet story and would be a nice addition to a shelf of new year books or to read aloud at home or at school.

About the book: 32 pages, paper over boards. Published 2025 by becker&meyer kids. Suggested retail price $18.99.

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Beach Crafts Kids Can Make — No Vacation Required

Last month I shared a collection of beach crafts that used items from the beach like seashells and sand. This month’s collection is all about beach animals and things you might see at the beach that don’t require beachy materials to make. In fact you’ve probably got what you need to make most of these beach crafts in your house already.

How about paper plates? With a paper plate you can make this cute watercolor seashell from The Educator’s Spin on It, or an adorable seagull like this one from Glued to My Crafts.

Add some white beans and you can make paper plate sand dollars like Crafts by Amanda. Or use a paper plate as a frame for a sweet beach scene like this crab and turtle one from Artsy Craftsy Mom, which includes a downloadable template and instructions to make it super easy.

Or grab a paper plate and some bubble wrap to make a jellyfish like this one from Happy Toddler Playtime. If you have paper bowls instead of plates, you can also make a jellyfish from one of those, like Natural Beach Living did.

Use your stash of craft sticks and googly eyes to make crabs, fish, sharks and more with this craft idea from The Keeper of the Cheerios.

I love this little crab made with a cardboard tube from Hunny I’m Home. With this same idea I’ll bet you could make lots of different creatures.

Grab some construction paper to make the loopy tentacles on this watercolor jellyfish from Craftsy Hacks. Or make a stained glass jellyfish like this one from Life Anchored.

Make easy puffy paint to make these fun fluffy starfish from I Heart Crafty Things, or use cupcake liners to make cute little crabs (also from I Heart Crafty Things).

Turn an old pool noodle into some super cute fish with this tutorial from Happy Toddler Playtime.

And if you’ve got some leftover yarn lying around, make pompoms and turn them into turtles like these from Craftsy Hacks. (And check out my post on different ways to make pompoms if you need a refresher!)

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