Arlene Chan, illustrated by Song Nan Zhang,
Awakening the Dragon: The Dragon Boat Festival
Tundra Books, 2004.

Rating: E

Through beautiful illustrations and clear text, in Awakening the Dragon: The Dragon Boat Festival, Chan explains the origins of the Dragon boat festival. Some believe that the festival originated as a way to honour the River Dragon, in the hopes that this will ensure enough rain for a bountiful harvest. Another theory is that the festival is in memory of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet. The book then draws on Chinese customs surrounding the Dragon boat festival, such as the traditional food of rice dumplings and the role of the Demon Slayer. The Dragon boats, used to memorialize the boats used by villagers to save Qu Yuan from drowning, are adorned with a fierce dragon head and powerful tail. Dragon boats are covered with painted scales in traditional colours of red, yellow and green. Before the races can begin the "sleeping" Dragon boats must be awakened, which is achieved by Taoist priests dotting the eyes with red paint.

As a Dragon boat racer herself, Arlene Chan brings first hand knowledge to the book. The Dragon boat team usually consists of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steerperson. While, physical endurance and technique contribute to the success of a Dragon boat team, timing and teamwork are also key.

Awakening the Dragon: The Dragon Boat Festival is a great book and would make a wonderful addition to any library or school. Arlene Chan divides the book between the origins of the races as seen through Chinese folklore and the practice of the contemporary races.

Thematic Links: Chinese Festivals and Customs; Dragon Boat Races

Deb Nielsen, Education Library Assistant, University of Northern British Columbia Library, Prince George, BC
Vol. 9, number 4
April 2004

*Rating System:
E - Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it!
G - Good, even great at times, generally useful!
A - Average, all right, has its applications.
P - Problematic, puzzling, poorly presented.