Gai See

Gai See: What Can You See in Chinatown?

by Roseanne Thong

(Gai See= street market) This book has several wonderful, illustrative rhymes. But I also tested this one out with Halden and Hoffman, and it didn't keep their attention. Maybe it's because this book doesn't actually have a plot. This would be a useful addition to a cultural lesson, but I would strongly suggest using it with children near the older side of the publisher's suggested age range of preschool to grade 3. Also, there is a glossary at the back of the book that can serve as another tool to understanding the cultural richness in this story of a child's seasonal visits to a neighborhood Asian market. Gai See is a very non-judgemental or stereotypical account of these visits.