Children's picturebook
Some excerpt from the picturebook: The story is set in a village in China during the 80’
Circle and Square are twins. When winter comes, they wear the same hats and warm cotton-padded jackets. They also share the same sweet and clear voices.
Circle like drawing, he draws a boat that sails through the bamboo ware workshop Dad and brother work in, he draws the sea with a bird island full of flowers and a sandy beach on which a giant dragon is chasing the running sunflowers. The farthest place his boat travels is Dad's roof. The boat is drawn while he stands on his brother's shoulders. His boat even sails to the sun!
Square likes paper cut, he learns from his mom to cut window flowers, which appear on each window and door, even the little's dog house.
"Bang-Bang" with the boom of double-bang firecrackers, Chinese Spring Festival is just around the corner. Children hold in hands and play various festival lanterns. Circle and Square run to the window, they want New Year gifts - festival lanterns.
The lantern shop owner hands the last paper lantern to the little brothers. After the purchase, they still have two coins left. So together, they buy a cotton candy and happily take bites in turn.
Compared with other children's lanterns, their is just too small.
Circle draws on the paper a mighty dragon. It has shining golden scales and it's eyes sparkles like stars.They paste this painting on the wall and draw a big lantern next to it.
"Circle this is a grand dragon!Draw it on a larger piece of paper." Brother says
Brother and Circle take the dragon lantern out together and they put it on the clothes rack. This special lantern draws people around. it doesn't have a candle. Instead, a small cotton ball soaked in kerosene is tied to the bottom of the lantern. Brother strikes a match and lights it up.
The other childrens play fish lantern, horse lantern, lotus lantern and fairy lantern.
Dad and Square holds the revolving lantern. It keeps rotating, making fizzing sound.
People raise their heads and look up, their mouths wide open with astonishment, because the dragon lantern flies all the way up in the sky. "It is a Kong Ming Lantern" grown-ups shout. "It is a dragon lantern!" children correct them.
"One, two, three", brother counts, "Let's chase the lantern".
The dragon lantern flies very high, over the treetops, over the roofs. It floats above everyone's head, just like another big moon. Soon, it flies away towards the fields. Children chase it joyfully, and grown-ups too!
They hop and skip all the way after the lantern, racing with great vigor.
Bother walks a bike out from the house. He waves to Circle and Square. These three brothers ride the bike and start the chasing. They ride past the crowd, through the woods, across the frozen river, crossing the wheat fields bathed in moonlight, all the way towards the lantern at large.
It is said that the one who snatches the dragon lantern would be blessed with the good fortune.
But the mischievousdragon lantern, still up in the night sky,just won't land. People have to stop and stand still in the field, looking up at it.
"May you be prosperous!" "Wish you good luck!" People congratulate each other and bow with fist and palm salute
At that night, the dragon comes off the lantern and jumps into the sky. It turns into a shining fire dragon with colorful light. The Chinese God of Wealth, the Door God and Lord Rabbit - yes, the Lord Rabbit that stammers a bit and loves to fold his ears and wipe his nose - all follow the dragon, walking and laughing in the sky.
The New Year is here.
