Bowls of Happiness and What Was It Like, Mr. Emperor? Children’s Book Review

I was asked to do a book review on the books BOWLS of HAPPINESS and What Was It Like, Mr. Emperor?. My children love learning and hearing about different cultures, and always have many questions. These books have been great for understanding more about Chinese culture!

To introduce children to Chinese culture at an early age, China Institute in America released a four-book series called “We All Live in the Forbidden City.” The books are part of China Institute’s children’s programming, which aims to bridge the Asian culture gap through educational resources and regionals workshops.

Here is a little about BOWLS of HAPPINESS:

Piggy’s mom loves her so much that she has decided to make a special porcelain bowl just for her. As mom makes the bowl, Piggy enters the world being painted on its surface. There she meets and learns about the plants, animals, and other natural elements used on Chinese artworks and the messages of happiness and good-fortune that they convey.

This book is beautifully Illustrated, and my 7 year old loves reading it. At the end of the book, it even tells you how you can make your own porcelain bowl! This book is hardcover and retails for $12.95, and you can purchase it on Amazon.

Here is a little about What Was It Like, Mr. Emperor?

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be the Emperor of China? In this book, readers will get the chance to ask the emperor all the questions they might have about life in the Forbidden City. How was the emperor chosen? What was school like? How did he celebrate his birthday? Who were his friends? What were his favorite foods? How hard did he have to work? Could he be punished?

My daughter loved learning about the life of the Emperor, and about the people who lived in the palace. She had so many questions, and I loved seeing her so interested! This is a great book for kids to learn more about Chinese culture. This is a hardcover book and retails for $12.95. You can purchase it on Amazon.

For more information on these books, please check out these links: Website, Twitter

For more information about the China Institute: Facebook

***I was given a product in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on my experience with the product. I am not affiliated with the company and everything in this review is my opinion.