[bright music] - Hi friends!

It's Isabel and welcome to my reading nook.

Today we're going to be reading a story called "Sweet Laba Congee," written by Qiusheng Zhang and illustrated by Chengliang Zhu.

This is a story about a family that makes a special type of dish, a porridge called congee for the Laba Festival.

This is a tradition in China.

Traditions are customs or beliefs we follow.

In the United States, some of our traditions might be, depending on if you celebrate them, Christmas or Kwanza or Hanukkah.

Those are examples of traditions that we carry on in our family.

And as we read today, I want you to think about her traditions and what your traditions might be.

"Sweet Laba Congee," by Qiusheng Zhang, illustrated by Chengliang Zhu.

My name is Yan'er.

Our house is at the east end of the village in a valley.

A valley is a lower area of land surrounded by hills or mountains.

Our neighbor's homes are called the Zhang Family Compound, the Li Family Compound, and the Zhao Family Compound, while our home is called the Red Persimmon Compound because of the big persimmon tree in our yard.

According to tradition, every family cooks Laba congee during the Laba Festival on the eighth day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar.

The day before the festival this year, Grandma and I sat under the persimmon tree, organizing the ingredients for this tasty porridge.

I wonder what goes into a porridge?

We prepare a wide variety of ingredients, such as rice, sorghum, corn, millet, and chestnuts, walnuts and dates.

It was a lot of work to gather and clean all the ingredients.

On the morning of the Laba Festival, I woke up to the familiar smell of the congee.

Rolling out of bed, I ran to the kitchen and helped mom add firewood to the wood burning stove.

We had a gas stove at home, but grandma insisted on using the wood burning stove and a large pot for making the Laba congee because this was the only way to guarantee it would be perfect.

I want you to think about the tradition of making the congee.

So far they've gathered the ingredients and now they're making it.

What will they do next?

When the Laba congee began to boil, the smell attracted our puppy, who circled around the kitchen stove.

The congee was ready around noon, but it was not time to eat yet.

Grandma filled bowls with congee and worshiped our ancestors and gods with them.

Grandma asked the ancestors and gods for favorable weather in the coming year and a good harvest.

She also asked for family peace and prosperity, especially for my dad, who was working in a different city and my uncle who was studying at university.

The next job was mine.

Carrying the pot with the Laba congee in it, I delivered some to the oldest men and women in our village.

So after the congee is made, what did Grandma do?

She said her prayers to the ancestors.

Right!

And now Yan'er gets to deliver congee.

Back home our yard was worn, bathed in the noon sunshine.

My family sat under the persimmon tree and ate the Laba congee, which was shared by our puppy and the birds in the tree.

Some congee was left in the pot.

Grandma said that we would save it for Dad and Uncle.

I knew they were coming back because the Spring Festival was drawing near.

Grandma gave me half a bowl to smear.

What does smear mean?

Let's look at the picture for a clue.

[gasps] To rub something on.

The tree in the yard.

According to a legend, this will help the tree grow better and produce more persimmons next year.

It began to snow right after the Laba Festival.

Watching the snowflakes fall, my friends and I played on the hillside singing, ♪ Stop crying dear little one ♪ After laba, you'll get pork ♪ Stop crying dear little one ♪ A new year is coming soon What a beautiful tradition!

That reminds me of my traditions, things I do with my family every single year that are very special to me.

My favorite tradition is Thanksgiving.

What's your favorite tradition?

Do you know what we should do?

Just like Qiusheng Zhang, we should write about it!

If you can grab a piece of paper or something to write on, it should be clear so you can draw.

I want you to make your own title.

This is mine, My Family Tradition.

And I'm gonna put my name, by Isabel Simmons because I'm gonna be the author and the illustrator.

I'm gonna draw the pictures too!

And I'm gonna think about the beginning, the middle, and the end.

In "Sweet Laba Congee," they collected all of the ingredients in the beginning, in the middle they said prayers to the ancestors and delivered, and at the end they enjoyed it as a family.

And then the official beginning of the new year is coming.

I love that.

How does your tradition go?

Beginning, middle, and end.

I can't wait to see how your stories turn out!

Until next time.

Bye friends!