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.

Delightful read about Chinese history, culture and traditions! 🤗 I love how it also highlights the difficult plights that women find themselves in during olden times and how they often are nameless or forgotten. A wonderful children's book rich in both illustrations and meaning.

Written by Zed Zha and illustrated by Sian James, this book is perfect for young children who are interested in other cultures. I love that this book includes words in Mandarin, along with instructions on how to pronounce them. I’ve studied Mandarin, and the pronunciation is tough, but this book makes the task seem so easy!

The story’s word length is a bit long for a regular picture book, so children will need to have an adult nearby to help them. While I absolutely loved the story, it left me with a lot of unanswered questions. For example, it would have been better if the great-grandmother’s name was given rather than leaving it as a mystery. Also, it seems unreasonable to not know a close relative’s name; I know all of my great-grandparent’s names and on top of that, the illustrator show a grave, so why can’t the name be included?

The illustrations were beautifully vivid and I love the details the illustrator included, such as the design on the great-grandmother’s gown.

I received an ARC of “Why We Eat Fried Peanuts: A Celebration of Family and Lunar New Year Traditions,” by Zed Zha from Quarto Publishing Group and becker & mayer! kids in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Lovely story, education and respectful art. I learned something new about the culture and a family's history that I found charming. For a book geared towards children, I thought the story relatable and a new angle not yet explored in other Lunar New Year books I've seen. I appreciated the cultural wrap-up and recipe at the end. Well done by this team.

Very cute children's book about food and traditions. I'm not Chinese, but it helped provide helpful insight about a different culture.

A beautifully illustrated family story with Mandarin vocab in the Chinese characters and pinyin and a pronunciation guide. Provides an introduction to elements of northern China's culture and immigrant traditions as it would be explained to a child in that family.
A brief but warm story on one family's honouring of a deceased family member and her impact on the family.

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.

"Yum! Dad, Why do we eat fried peanuts every New Year?"
"When I was a little boy, your tài nai nai always told me to eat more peanuts so I could live long and be strong. And everyone always listened to your tài nai nai!"

A big thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of Why We Eat Fried Peanuts by Zed Zha, a delightful graphic novel that beautifully blends culture, history, and family values!

I absolutely loved the simplicity and lightheartedness of this book. It portrays the importance of honoring our ancestors and keeping their memory alive in our daily lives. The story of tài nai nai’s bravery and kindness during the era of China’s Civil War added a touching historical dimension, making this book not only a celebration of family traditions but also a piece of historical fiction., and I adored how Chinese traditions, such as eating peanuts as a symbol of prosperity, were woven into the narrative.

"Peanuts have many lucky meanings in Chinese culture. Because each shell contains multiple nuts, peanuts represent prosperity. They are also called longevity fruits, which mean good health and lasting youth for those who eat them."

The vibrant and exquisite illustrations added so much charm to the story! As a teenager, I still cherish children’s books for their wisdom, and this one didn’t disappoint. Highly recommended!

Release Date: January 14, 2025

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.

This book is like eating a peanut - cosy, nourishing and biteful. The message was beautifully panned out, coupled with remarkable illustrations.

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.