Author:
Ying Chang Compestine, Tungwai Chau (Illustrator)

What age group is this book written for?
4-12

Category:
Fiction

Brief Summary:
This is a story which combines the Chinese folktale of the bottomless rice jar with the story of the runaway gingerbread man, and if you remember the Old Testament story of the woman who offered her last bit of flour and oil for a cake to feed a hungry traveler, add that to the mix. When the Chang family's New Year's rice cake pops out of the pan and rolls out of the house and down the street, they all chase it until it stops at the feet of a hungry old woman. Youngest son offers to share the cake, called nißn-gSo, leaving nothing for his family's feast. But his kindness brings the family good luck from the Kitchen God in the form of neighborly generosity. Information about the Chinese New Year includes recipes for nißn-gSo, the good-luck cake that is said to bring safety and fortune to the entire family all year long.