Читать книгу Chinese and English Nursery Rhymes - Faye-Lynn Wu - Страница 6

Introduction

When my son was born, I read him Mother Goose rhymes and sang my favorite childhood songs in Chinese to ease my own homesickness. Not only did I have fun learning the English rhymes with my son, but I also passed my Chinese heritage down to him through singing and acting out my old favorites. I can still see his sleepy face and hear his childish voice begging for more rhymes: “Sing, mommy, sing.”

Children naturally love music and verse, so it is no wonder that nursery rhymes appeal to us as children and stay with us throughout our lives. What could be a more enjoyable way to learn a different culture and language than through rhymes and songs?

Bugs, trains, counting: we’ve paired the rhymes by shared themes, so for each, there’s a Chinese rhyme and an English rhyme to delight in. We invite young readers and adults to explore the magic of children’s rhymes and the universal quality of the shared world of childhood. We also provide notes throughout the book so that you can learn more about Chinese culture.

Whether you are a native Chinese speaker or English speaker, you can learn the rhymes and songs—simply follow the words as you sing, or join in the chorus on the audio CD.

Faye-Lynn Wu and Kieren Dutcher