Why We Eat Fried Peanuts is a cute and informative picture book about one of the traditions of Lunar New Year. Mèng learns about her family history as we follow her great-grandmother in China. The text is interspersed with Chinese with a helpful pronunciation guide on each page. The illustrations are lively and engaging. This is a great book to introduce children to different aspects of the holiday. Thanks to Quatro Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

I adore this book. The illustrations are so beautiful and colourful. The story is sweet and important. I appreciate how we are given information about some of the Chinese words and their origin. I can't wait to share this with my own children and the children in my classroom.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – becker&mayer! kids for the e-ARC to read and review. This is a lovely story about family, heritage, tradition, culture, and food, all in one! The illustrations are gorgeous, and the personal family story about a broader Chinese tradition is a great way to showcase the importance of Lunar New Year. Lots of informative back matter, bilingual definitions, and a fried peanut recipe to really round out the experience.

This is such a lovely little book. I don't normally read young children's books for myself but this one caught my attention due to our multi cultural family - my son is half Chinese but growing up outside of China and thus it's always nice if we can add books like this one to our family library.

The story is quite simple and short, but it's told lovingly and I appreciate how Mandarin was sprinkled into the dialogue as well as having footnotes with explanations. It doesn't focus so much on common Lunar New year themes such as red envelopes but instead has a strong focus on familial elements as well as the Qingming [grave sweeping] festival.

What I loved the most were the beautiful illustrations - they're colourful and feel cheerful which just matches the story perfectly. There are also a few nice discussion questions added at the end as well as a recipe for fried peanuts.

Why We Eat Fried Peanuts is a great story that shows a little girl learning about her family's customs during Lunar New Year. I loved the detailed illustrations and felt them to be very warm and comforting. The Chinese words and definitions were a nice touch and teach the reader a few words in a language that may be new to them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Zed Zha, and Quarto Publishing for the chance to read and review.

I thought that this book was really good.

It is well written, easy to follow and understand and it has some lovely illustrations.

I loved the addition of the different Mandarin words through the book which was a nice touch as well as learning the origins of why Fried Peanuts are chosen to be eaten during the festivities and why they are so significant, the book has a great insight in to the culture and traditions.

This would be a great addition to the libraries at Primary School. In the UK they learn about Chinese New Year and those celebrations so this would be a great follow on for that.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

Beautifully illustrated, this picture book shows Northern Chinese traditions, history and words (in Mandarin - with spelling) to the reader, raising importance of tradition and reverence for your ancestors no matter where you are now. The story focuses on the protagonist's now deceased grand-grandmother who was helping people in her town during pre WW2 times.

This picture book serves the role of introducing various cultural concepts to Chinese diaspora children and anyone who wants to learn about these traditions and values.

The illustrations are full of warmth and emotion, and do a great job easing the reader into some of the more serious subjects raised in the book (like poverty and war, or the role of women in the society).

The language feels complex enough I would recommend it to pre-school and early elementary school children who are of Chinese descent or interested in Chinese culture.

Thank you NetGalley, Becker&Mayer and Quarto Publishing Group for the arc.

I absolutely adore this book from the illustrations to the story. I love how readers are immersed in Chinese culture by learning words, traditions, and more. This would be an excellent resource in a classroom and a great way to introduce young readers to culture studies. Teachers can use this book as an anchor text for students to start their own research projects as well. I enjoyed the recipe tie-in as well as the important moments page.

The artwork in this book is phenomenal and the story is incredibly touching. I loved the bits of Chinese interspersed within the sentences. I'm ABC (American Born Chinese), and while I am conversational in Chinese, this book taught me a couple of new words! :)
Highly recommend this book for any Chinese diaspora babies, and also for anyone who loves to have a library of diverse "Own Voices" books available for their kids (teachers or parents!) Additionally, the book has a few pages at the back that provides more context and information that might be helpful for curious kids or for parents who want to learn more.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this picture book.

Why We Eat Fried Peanuts is a super cute story about a young girl who learns more about her family when they are celebrating Lunar New Year. I loved this one! The illustrations are fun and warm, and the text had just the right amount of story & education. I loved that Chinese words were included throughout the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Zed Zha, and Quarto Publishing for the chance to read and review. My opinions are my own!

Why We Eat Peanuts" is a beautifully designed and educational picture book that touches the heart and conveys an important message. The adorable illustrations are full of details, inviting readers to pause and explore. The book is perfect for reading together with children—even those who cannot read yet. The pictures tell the story so clearly that children can easily understand what’s happening.

The story itself is a reminder of the importance of kindness, of being there for one another, and of supporting each other. This way of living enriches not only ourselves but also those around us. One particularly exciting aspect is how the book introduces Chinese traditions. A highlight is the inclusion of Chinese words that are explained throughout the story.

At the end of the book, there is a summary of important terms and traditions, along with a great recipe for roasted peanuts, which inspired the title of the story. "Why We Eat Peanuts" is a lovingly crafted book with a meaningful message that I wholeheartedly recommend.

As Meng and her dad share fried peanuts at the beginning of the Lunar New Year celebration, Meng learns the story about her great grandmother. Through this simple, yet deep story Meng hears about the meaning of peanuts in her culture and how her grandmother saved a baby right before the Chinese Civil War in the late 1920s. She learns about kindness, respect, and the importance of honoring one’s ancestors. The story is engaging and heartfelt.

The illustrations are colorful and detailed without being overwhelming. There is a Q and A at the back of the book. There is also a recipe for fried peanuts at the back (with a caution to always have an adult help).

This book is great for readers of all ages who enjoy rich picture books and those who enjoy stories about food culture and history.

I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book doesn't just talk about why many people eat fried peanuts during the Lunar New Year, but it also tells a story about family, identities, and kindness. The story is told through a conversation between a girl called Meng and her dad. What a lovely story about Meng's great grandma, and her strong and kind heart! I love how the author includes different Chinese words (and how to pronounce them!) at different parts of the book. It's a perfect book not only for children who come from Chinese background, but also for everyone else to learn more about Chinese cultures and language.

Why We Eat Fried Peanuts is a picture book for children that focuses on Lunar New Year. I liked that it was a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. It told the story, but also included additional information and even a recipe for fried peanuts. I think this was a sweet way to explain the history to children. The illustrations are colorful and soft.

Thanks to Quarto Publishing - becker and mayer! for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

I love this book! I love the inclusion of words in Mandarin, though I wish there were pronunciations next to them in every instance so I didn’t have to flip.

My six year old loved this book, his favorite part of the book was being able to learn mandarin words. And when he saw the recipe, he insisted that we make it ASAP!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zed Zha for this arc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a special read. It was a heartwarming story, full of culture, language, and encouragement to have compassion for others.

As I was reading it, I was thinking, “Man I need to find a recipe for fried peanuts.” I was so pleasantly surprised to find the exact recipe and instructions in the back of the book! What a fun way to celebrate the Lunar New Year while also imparting wisdom on our little ones.

The artwork was beautifully done, and I can’t wait to order a hard copy of this for my little guy.

I'm a big fan of exploring the culinary histories across cultures, more so because, while food has always been inherently political, recent years and the worsening climate crisis have also created a reckoning for traditional ways of cooking and eating. That's the thought I went into this book with.

Well, that was a heavy kickoff for a children's book review. The peanuts were only a segue for the book, hah!

This book subverts a few mechanics of the reading experience — the linguistic challenge of portraying other cultures is embraced rather than shied away from, the traditions have been gently explained, as if to delight and fascinate, knowing well it's a subversion of the usual stereotyping. There was so much warmth in the piece: the way the father describes the grandmother and all the many tidbits of their own family's oral history that were being passed in the exchange.
A very refreshing departure from the usual template of a children's book.

Such a cute one for Lunar New Year. And once again, I love that they call it LNY for inclusivity. More people than the Chinese celebrate this holiday.

Beautiful story. Beautiful illustrations. Loved learning some Mandarin words. 新年快乐!

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and becker&mayer! kids

A wonderful storybook that introduces Lunar New Year celebrations, culture, and traditions to young ones. The story also teaches importance to family, respect to ancestors, and how we can be kindhearted to strangers when they need it the most.

Quick Summary: An educational reading experience

My Review: Why We Eat Fried Peanuts: A Celebration of Family and Lunar New Year Traditionsby Zed Zha and illustrated by Sian James is a 2025 "Children's Fiction | Children's Nonfiction | Reference" book.

About the Book: "Celebrate Lunar New Year through a story of ancestral bravery while learning about Chinese history, language and food."

In My Own Words: Learn about Chinese culture, history, and family traditions in this beautifully illustrated, well composed story. As you read this book, you will not only learn some important words in Mandarin, but you will also be exposed to the Pinyin spelling system, as well as Chinese characters. There is even a yummy recipe included. From beginning to end, this book is both informative and memorable.

About the Illustrations: Sian James is the illustrator for this work. She captured the essence of the story so well. I loved every single drawing.

My Final Say: This was a brilliant book. I absolutely loved it! I hope that there will be more to come from this author and illustrator. Every aspect of this story and every element of the art work was meaningful. Bravo!

Other: This children's story would be an incredible addition to any home, school, and/or public library. It is filled with culturally informative information. The educational significance is noteworthy.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend:Yes
Audience: Children
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Besties-of-All-Time: Yes
Status/Level: 💫

Sincere thanks and appreciation is extended to the author, to the illustrator, to the publisher (Quarto Publishing Group – Becker & Mayer! | Becker & Mayer! Kids), and to NetGalley. I am so grateful for the opportunity that was afforded me. It was an absolute pleasure to review this very special work.