For the toddler whom the parents want to grow up bilingual:The Round is a Mooncake and Red is a Dragon books by Roseanne Thong and that I illustrated as a primer on shapes, color and Chinese culture along with Richard's Scarry's Best Word Book in CHINESE and some Chinese baby flash card books.
For the toddler's slightly older sibling:
The Seven Chinese Sisters by Kathy Tucker that I illustrated, and this new book The Pet Dragon by Christoph Niemann that I just discovered-- it's a great book incorporating Chinese calligraphy and a fun story--not a primer to teach Chinese writing, but more of a book to get one excited about Chinese writing. And I guess to keep with the "dragon" theme I will add my book Bringing in the New Year.
For the foodie friends with a new baby: Dim Sum for Everyone! and Fortune Cookie Fortunes for the baby, and The Fortune Cookie Chronicles and Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China Because it's never too early to start a love of Chinese food!The younger sister who likes to make things: Lissy's Friends and doll, Fold me a Poem by Lauren Stringer and an origami kit.
The slightly older brother who is a picky eater: The Ugly Vegetables and Luck of the Loch Ness Monster: A Tale of Picky Eating by Alice Flaherty (a hilarious story about how the Loch Ness Monster grew from a small worm eating oatmeal that a picky eater kept throwing out the window). I will probably add Meghan's Astronaut Handbook in as well.That takes care of most of the very young on my list. Next, the "I'm too old for picturebooks, I can read on my own" crowd. (PS, if you suspect that you are one of the people on my list, act surprised at Christmas, please!).