New Release: Ten Blocks to the Big Wok

Today we are excited to release our latest picture book, Ten Blocks to the Big Wok by Ying-Hwa Hu! In Ten Blocks to the Big Wok, beautifully vivid illustrations aid readers in learning how to count to ten in both Mandarin and English while also presenting elements of Chinese culture for readers to discover along the way.

By the end of the book, readers won’t just be hungry for soup dumplings and egg tarts—they’ll be hungry to learn more!  

About the book:

As Mia and her uncle Eddie travel the ten blocks from their apartment to the Big Wok restaurant, Mia spies one giant panda ride, two lion statues, three swimming turtles, four bonsai trees, five tai chi practitioners . . . There are so many things to see in Chinatown! And when they reach the Big Wok, they find ten yummy dim sum dishes to eat. But what route should they take back home?

This sweet story about a girl, her uncle, and a little cat they meet on the way accomplishes multiple fun and useful aims: It’s a fully bilingual counting book that teaches readers the numbers one through ten in both simplified Mandarin and English. It provides a fun tour of a typical Chinatown—a beloved neighborhood in many cities around the world. Children will enjoy spotting the kitten in every illustration as it trails Mia and Uncle Eddie through the streets. And with each item that Mia encounters on her walk, the book introduces some fascinating new aspect of Chinese culture or myth, as explained in the friendly backmatter. Join Mia and Uncle Eddie as they wander Ten Blocks to the Big Wok!

Praise for Ten Blocks to the Big Wok:

“A good choice for story time as well as one-on-one sharing.” –School Library Journal

“[Mia’s] delight is infectious.” –Kirkus Reviews

“Hu’s charming bilingual book . . . will be an entertaining counting book for young children of any background.” –Booklist

Order your own copy of Ten Blocks to the Big Wok:

Lee & Low Books
Indiebound
Bookshop
Barnes & Noble
Amazon

or through your favorite AAPI-owned bookshop!

Ying-Hwa Hu and her husband Cornelius Van Wright have illustrated dozens of award-winning books. Their illustrations have been praised by Kirkus Reviews as “bright, detailed and dynamic, vividly depicting . . . characters’ facial features and personalities.” Hu, who was born in Taiwan, lives in New York City. You can find her online at www.yinghwahu.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest at @yinghwahu.