The Alachua County Library District has expanded our collection of Chinese language materials to include both contemporary works and classical works in Chinese across all audience levels. The refreshed print collection of more than 300 titles includes translations of current and popular titles, 20 dual-language readalongs, and kid favorites including books from the series Elephant & Piggie, Dog Man, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
Patrons can browse the physical Chinese collection of printed materials at the Millhopper Branch and Tower Road Branch, or place items on hold through the online catalog for pickup at any location. In addition to printed materials, there is an expanded digital Chinese collection “room” in OverDrive that contains roughly 1,000 downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks.
Want to learn Chinese? Learn Simplified Mandarin and Cantonese through Transparent Language. Language learning books, DVDs, and audiobooks are also available for checkout at the library.
- Chinese Cookbooks
- Image
Tenderheart by Hetty Lui McKinnon
Heritage and food have always been linked for Hetty Lui McKinnon. Tenderheart is a loving homage to her father, a Chinese immigrant in Australia, told in flavorful, vegetarian recipes. Growing up as part of a Chinese family in Australia, McKinnon formed a deep appreciation for her bicultural identity, and for her father, who moved to Sydney as a teenager and learned English while selling bananas at a local market. As he brought home crates full of produce after work, McKinnon learned about the beauty and versatility of fruits and vegetables.
Tenderheart is the happy outcome of McKinnon’s love of vegetables, featuring 22 essential fruits and vegetables that become the basis for over 180 recipes.- Miso Mushroom Ragu with Baked Polenta
- Carrot and Vermicelli Buns
- Crispy Potato Tacos
- Kale, Ginger, and Green Onion Noodles
- Broccoli Wontons with Umami Crisp
- Soy–Butter Bok Choy Pasta
- Sweet Potato and Black Sesame Marble Bundt
Image
The Complete Chinese Takeout Cookbook by Kwoklyn Wan
The Complete Chinese Takeout Cookbook brings together 200 of Kwoklyn Wan's best recipes, developed over a lifetime of cooking in Chinese restaurant kitchens.
For the first time Kwoklyn offers 150 of his most popular recipes in one book, everything from Crispy Duck Salad, BBQ Chicken Ribs, Tom Yum Soup and Sesame Seed Prawn Toast to speedy Egg-Fried Rice, Spring Rolls and Tofu Ramen. Plus, there are 50 brand-new and delicious recipes that you won't find anywhere else.
Packed with easy, step-by-step instructions and Kwoklyn’s foolproof tips, this comprehensive collection of classic recipes is the only Chinese cookbook you will ever need.
Image
The Woks of Life by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, and Sarah Leung
This is the story of a family as told through food. Judy, the mom, speaks to traditional Chinese dishes and cultural backstory. Bill, the dad, worked in his family’s Chinese restaurants and will walk you through how to make a glorious Cantonese Roast Duck. Daughters Sarah and Kaitlin have your vegetable-forward and one-dish recipes covered—put them all together and you have the first cookbook from the funny and poignant family behind the popular blog The Woks of Life.
In addition to recipes for Mini Char Siu Bao, Spicy Beef Biang Biang Noodles, Cantonese Pork Belly Fried Rice, and Salt-and-Pepper Fried Oyster Mushrooms, there are also helpful tips and tricks throughout, including an elaborate rundown of the Chinese pantry, explanations of essential tools (including the all-important wok), and insight on game-changing Chinese cooking secrets like how to “velvet” meat to make it extra tender and juicy.
Whether you’re new to Chinese cooking or if your pantry is always stocked with bean paste and chili oil, you’ll find lots of inspiration and trustworthy recipes that will become a part of your family story, too.
Image
Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food: Deliciously Doable Ways to Cook Greens, Tofu, and Other Plant-Based Ingredients by Hsiao-Ching Chou
Chinese Soul Food drew cooks into the kitchen with the assurance they could make this cuisine at home. Though a popular cuisine across North America, Chinese food can be a little intimidating. But author Hsiao-Ching Chou's friendly and accessible recipes work for everyone, including average home cooks. In this new collection, you'll find vegetarian recipes for stir-fries, rice and noodle dishes, soups, braises, and pickles. Of course, the book wouldn't be complete without vegetarian versions of Chou's famously delicious dumplings, including soup dumplings and shu mai, as well as other dim sum delights. Separate chapters feature egg and tofu recipes. From Cauliflower with Spiced Shallot Oil to Kung Pao Tofu Puffs, and from Hot and Sour Soup to Ma Po Tofu to Steamed Egg Custard, these recipes will satisfy your every craving for classic Chinese comfort food--and all without meat.
You will also find helpful information including essential equipment, core pantry ingredients (with acceptable substitutions), ways to season and maintain a wok, and other practical tips that make this an approachable cookbook. Home cooks are gently guided toward becoming comfortable cooking satisfying Chinese meals. Whether you're a vegetarian or simply reducing the amount of meat in your daily diet, these foolproof recipes are made to be cooked any night of the week. As the author likes to say, any kitchen can be a Chinese kitchen!
Image
Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries by Kristina Cho
Inside you’ll find sweet and savory baked buns, steamed buns, Chinese breads, unique cookies, whimsical cakes, juicy dumplings, Chinese breakfast dishes, and drinks. Recipes for steamed BBQ pork buns, pineapple buns with a thick slice of butter, silky smooth milk tea, and chocolate Swiss rolls all make an appearance--because a book about Chinese bakeries wouldn’t be complete without them!
Kristina teaches you to whip up these delicacies like a pro, including how to
- Knead dough without a stand mixer
- Avoid collapsed steamed buns
- Infuse creams and custards with aromatic tea flavors
- Mix the most workable dumpling dough
- Pleat dumplings like an Asian grandma
This is the first book to exclusively focus on Chinese bakeries and cafés, but it isn’t just for those nostalgic for Chinese bakeshop foods--it’s for all home bakers who want exciting new recipes to add to their repertoires.
- Children's Bilingual ReadAlongs and Picture Books
- Image
Corgi State of Mind - Pawsitive Daily Mantras for Kids by Katrina Liu
Learn the corgi way of life! Practice positive affirmations with Corgi as he shares with you his daily mantras and cheery outlook on life. This unique book features a blend of beautiful photography and fun illustrations. It empowers children to have a growth mindset, optimism, positive self-talk, and self-esteem. This is the perfect book for kid, or Corgi, dog, or puppy lover!
Image
Mina Goes to the Beach by Katrina Liu
It's a warm and sunny day, a perfect day to go to the beach! Mina and her family prepare for a fun-filled beach day! Follow along with Mina as she discovers the wonders of the oceanside. She has a blast splashing in the waves, collecting seashells, building sandcastles, and enjoying a tasty picnic! The book is written in Traditional Chinese, Pinyin, and English and comes with a free audio reading in Mandarin Chinese! Learning Chinese has never been so fun and easy! Simplified Chinese edition is also available.
Image
Let's Go on a Hike! by Katrina Liu
Looking for fun? Consider it done! This story is about a little boy on a hike with his dad, mom, and Archie, the corgi. With some rhyming and hiking, there's no end to exploring! Great for children ages 2 to 8, this delightful book is full of a child's fun curiosities, adventure, and poetry! This wonderful read will also be separately available in Traditional Chinese and in Simplified Chinese, perfect for children's dual-language learning, and complemented by a free audio reading in Mandarin Chinese.
Image
The Little Pigs and the Sweet Rice Cakes by Jian Li
In America, every child knows the story of the three little pigs and the big, bad wolf, so they'll love reading about the pigs' Chinese counterparts.
Told in a bilingual Chinese and English edition, this is the story of three little pigs whose appetites initially get the better of them. In a shared dream, they met an old man who tells them to deliver malt sugar candies to him a week before New Year's Eve. The next morning, they see some malt sugar candies on their kitchen table. The three little pigs completely forget the old man and eat every bit of them. When their mother comes home, she is very angry to discover all the candies gone. Seeing their mother unhappy, the three little pigs help her make more delicious malt sugar candies. When there is only a week left before Chinese New Year's Eve, their mother lays the malt sugar candies in front of the portrait of the Kitchen God and prays for the peace for the family. On seeing the portrait, the three little pigs realize that the old man in their dreams is actually the Kitchen God!
Image
My Lantern and the Fairy by Xin Lin
A sweet story that shows how one small act of kindness can help those around you.
Little Mo and her family always compete in their village's annual lantern competition, but this year she has no new ideas and doesn't know where to begin. As a thunderstorm rolls into town, Little Mo finds herself wishing for help in front of a lamp post. Worried that the rain will put the lamp's flame out, Little Mo uses her own umbrella to cover the lamp. Little did she know, an unexpected recipient of her selfless act would guide Little Mo to victory in the lantern competition in return.
Not only does this book emphasizes the importance of kindness, but presents the story in both English and Chinese. Children and parents will love learning about Chinese New Year's Lantern Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, and can even make their own lantern by following the step-by-step instructions at the back.
Image
D is for Dragon Dance by Ying Chang
A is for Acrobats. B is for Balls. C is for Calligraphy. D is for Dragon Dance.
From firecrackers to noodles, from red envelopes to the zodiac, young readers are introduced to the exciting traditions of the Chinese New Year in this accessible and visually stunning homage to the holiday.
Image
Umbrella Tree by Bing Bai
On a windy day, panda siblings Guagua and Yaya decide to go on an adventure, setting out from under the shelter of their trusty old umbrella. However, when a wicked wind swipes the little red umbrella and tosses it high into a tree, the two pandas look up to see it shredded and out of their reach. Even worse, it is soon picked up and transported to a dump, far away from the little panda cubs.
Their mother tries to comfort them, even giving them a brand new umbrella, but the pair are still upset and can't get over the fact that it's not the same as their old one.
Imagine the two little pandas' surprise when they see a donkey walk past carrying a little red umbrella…just like the one they had! They set out on a quest to find their old friend and finally recovered the warmth, shelter and love the little red umbrella had always brought to their lives.
Image
A Gift for Popo by Katrina Liu
This beautifully illustrated children's book celebrates Asian-Americans and all the grandmas out there. This story is about a little boy named Miles and his special bond with his Popo (grandma). It features a heart-warming everyday story about a Chinese-American family and includes several Chinese cultural references.It's Popo's birthday tomorrow! Miles wants to find the perfect gift for his beloved grandma. He spends the day searching for a gift that's just as great as his love for her. Will he be able to give her the perfect gift?
Image
Let's Go to the Farmers' Market (Farm to Table, Sustainable Foods, Shop Local): Discovering the Local Market with 5 Senses! by Katrina Liu
What a wonderful day to go to the farmers' market! Mina and Leah, 2 adorable sisters, enjoy all the sights, sounds, smells, touch, and tastes of what their local farmers' market has to offer. Explore all 5 senses with this adorable family while they check out the delicious sustainable organic produce, freshly baked goods, colorful flowers and so much more!
Image
Blue Bird & Her Little Tree by Bo Jin
After planting a seed, the blue bird returns to find a full-grown tree, admiring how it changes through every season of the year. At first, she is delighted by its bright flowers and beautiful green leaves, but as winter approaches, the leaves fall, leaving the little tree barren and cold.
The little tree worries that the blue bird won't love it anymore now that its colorful flowers are gone. However, the blue bird continues to care for the tree through every change, so much so that she makes her home within its branches—keeping the tree company for the rest of their lives.
A Blue Bird and Her Little Tree is a story of love that lasts through hard times and all of life's ups and downs. The blue bird and her tree learn about loyalty and growth through whatever changes might come.
- Children Graphic Novel Series
- Image
Dog Man Series / Shen tan gou gou by Dav Pilkey
From worldwide bestselling author and artist Dav Pilkey comes Dog Man, the canine cop who's part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!
George and Harold have created a new breed of justice. With the head of a dog and the body of a human, this heroic hound digs into deception, claws after crooks, rolls over robbers, and scampers after squirrels. Will he be able to resist the call of the wild to answer the call of duty?
Dav Pilkey's wildly popular Dog Man series appeals to readers of all ages and explores universally positive themes, including empathy, kindness, persistence, and the importance of being true to one's self.
Image
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Being a kid can really stink. And no one knows this better than Greg. He finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. Greg is happy to have Rowley Jefferson, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley's star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend's newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.
The hazards of growing up before you're ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary. But as Greg says: “Just don’t expect me to be all “Dear Diary” this and “Dear Diary” that.”
Luckily for us, what Greg Heffley says he won’t do and what he actually does are two very different things.Image
Elephant & Piggie Series by Mo Willems
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
- Translated Fiction
- Image
Lessons in Chemistry / Hua xue ke by Bonnie Garmus
Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel Prize-nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.
But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.
Image
Project Hail Mary / Ji xian fan hang by Andy Weir
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.
Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.
All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.
And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.
Or does he?
Image
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow / Ming ri chuan qi by Gabrielle Zevin
In this exhilarating novel, two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality.
On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn't heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won't protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.
Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.
- Translated Non-Fiction
- Image
No matter your goals, Atomic Habits offers a proven framework for improving—every day. James Clear, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, reveals practical strategies that will teach you exactly how to form good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to remarkable results.
If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights.
Clear is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. Here, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible. Along the way, readers will be inspired and entertained with true stories from Olympic gold medalists, award-winning artists, business leaders, life-saving physicians, and star comedians who have used the science of small habits to master their craft and vault to the top of their field.
Image
Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know / Mo sheng ren xiao ying by Malcolm Gladwell
How did Fidel Castro fool the CIA for a generation? Why did Neville Chamberlain think he could trust Adolf Hitler? Why are campus sexual assaults on the rise? Do television sitcoms teach us something about the way we relate to each other that isn't true?
While tackling these questions, Malcolm Gladwell was not solely writing a book for the page. He was also producing for the ear. In the audiobook version of Talking to Strangers, you'll hear the voices of people he interviewed--scientists, criminologists, military psychologists. Court transcripts are brought to life with re-enactments. You actually hear the contentious arrest of Sandra Bland by the side of the road in Texas. As Gladwell revisits the deceptions of Bernie Madoff, the trial of Amanda Knox, and the suicide of Sylvia Plath, you hear directly from many of the players in these real-life tragedies. There's even a theme song - Janelle Monae's "Hell You Talmbout."
Something is very wrong, Gladwell argues, with the tools and strategies we use to make sense of people we don't know. And because we don't know how to talk to strangers, we are inviting conflict and misunderstanding in ways that have a profound effect on our lives and our world.
Image
Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI / Hua yue sha shou: Meiguo lian xu mou sha an ya FBI de jue qi by David Grann
In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.
Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. One of her relatives was shot. Another was poisoned. And this was just the beginning, as more and more Osage were dying under mysterious circumstances, and many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered.
As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.
Image
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma / Xin ling de shang, shen ti hui ji zhu by Bessel van der Kolk
A pioneering researcher transforms our understanding of trauma and offers a bold new paradigm for healing.
Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, one of the world's foremost experts on trauma, has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma literally reshapes both body and brain, compromising sufferers' capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores innovative treatments—from neurofeedback and meditation to sports, drama, and yoga—that offer new paths to recovery by activating the brain's natural neuroplasticity. Based on Dr. van der Kolk's own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score exposes the tremendous power of our relationships both to hurt and to heal—and offers new hope for reclaiming lives.
Image
Becoming / Cheng wei: Mixie'er Aobama zi zhuan by Michelle Obama
In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.
In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.
Image
The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times / Wo men when shang you guang: zhao liang by queue ding de shi ke by Michelle Obama
There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life's big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much?
Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles--the earned wisdom that helps her continue to "become." She details her most valuable practices, like "starting kind," "going high," and assembling a "kitchen table" of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness.
Image
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy / Ru he "wo suo shi shi": yi zhong dui zhu yi li jing ji de di kang by Jenny Odell
When the technologies we use every day collapse our experiences into 24/7 availability, platforms for personal branding, and products to be monetized, nothing can be quite so radical as… doing nothing. Here, Jenny Odell sends up a flare from the heart of Silicon Valley, delivering an action plan to resist capitalist narratives of productivity and techno-determinism, and to become more meaningfully connected in the process.