Anna and Ming are very excited.

Today is the
doy of the lantern festival! The lantern festival is

a special night at the end of the Chinese New

Year. Ming's dad, Mr. Chen, is going to take

Anna and Ming to the festival.
At the festival, 011the

children carry lonterns

in a parade. Anna's

lantern looks like a

rabbit. It's purple.

Ming's lantern looks

like a butterfly. It's

yellow, red, blue, green

and purple. Their
lanterns are beautifu I !

Hurry up! It's

time to gol
 On the woy to the festival, Ming sees on old,
old womon. She gives Ming a little red envelope.

When she sees Anno, the old womon smiles ond

gives her a red envelope, too.

"Thonk you," soys Anno.

"Thonk you," soys Ming.

Anno looks ot the red envelope. "Whot is it?"
she osks Ming. "Why did the old womon give us

red envelopes?"
 IIIt's a present for YOU, 11 Ming soys. AII Chinese
11

children get a present ot New Yeor. The red

envelope is for good Iuck. We coll it a Hong Bao.

Open ir."
Anno opens her envelope ond finds a dollor
inside. 1I0h, wow! Whot a nice surprise." she soys.

"Children. hold my honds ond stoy close to me."

soys Mr. Chen. 111 don't wont to lose you. 11

4
 The streets are very busy and noisy. There
are lots and lots of children. And they 011
have lanterns!

Some lanterns are big, and some are small.

There are bird lanterns, fish lanterns, animal

lanterns and fruit lanterns in 011 colors.
 Anno looks up ond sees a
smoll boy sitting in a toll tree.

He looks very scored.

IIWhot's wrong? 11 she osks.

III con't get down." the little

boy onswers.
11Oh no! 11 Anno thinks.

IIWhot om I going to dO?1I

III know whot! I'm comino

up to get you, 11 she soys.

 Anna begins to climb up the tree. It's very big.
She climbs and climbs and climbs. Soon she

reaches the little boy.

"What's your name?" Anna asks him.

"Shen," he says.

"Hello, Shen. My name is Anna. How did you

get up here?"
 "1 climbed up to get the Hong 800," Shen soys.

Anno sees the little red envelope in his hondo

"Don't worry, Shen. We are going to clirnb

down the tree now."

"I'm scored," Shen soys.
11 Don't be scored," An no soys. 11 Hold my hond.

It's eosy."

10
 Anna climbs slowly down the tree. It's not as
easy as climbing up. It's very difficult. Shen holds
Anna's hand and climbs down too.
"OK, Shen. We're nearly there!" Anna says.
 Suddenly Shen sees a horrible monster in the
street below. It has a big yellow head with scary

green eyes. It looks very angry! The monster

opens its mouth and moves its ears!

It has a long yellow, green and red body and

four legs!

The drums go bang, bang,

bang! The musicians play loudly. The

noise is terrible. The monster is terrible!

Shen is very scared.

12
 IIThe monster is going to eot me! 11 he shouts.

He pulls his hond out of Anno's hondo

IIWoit! 11 Anno shouts. 11 Don't be scored. It's
not a real monster. 11

But Shen doesn't heor her. He pushes her

owoy. Suddenly he begins to foil.
11 Oh no! 11 An no shouts as Shen knocks her off

the tree. Anno folls out of the tree too.

11 Help! 11 Shen shouts as he folls.
11 Help! 11 Anno shouts as she folls.
 Anna lands with a bump on something soft.

Shen lands with a bump on Anna.

"OW! 11 says Anna.
"OW! 11 says Shen.

"OW! 11 says the monster.

 Shen is very surprised when the monster lifts

its head up and a man comes out!

11 Hello, 11 says the mano Don't be afraid. I'm

11

not going to hurt you. You have my Hong Bao.

Please can 1 have it? It's time far the dance! 11

15
 IIThere you are, Anna! 11

Mr. Chen says. IIWhere

were you? We looked

everywhere for you. 11
lII'm sorry, Mr. Chen."
Anna says. "This is Shen.
He has lost his mother. 11

Mr. Chen smiles.

11Don't worry, Anna. I'm
sure we can find her.1I
IIThere she is! 11

shouts Shen.
Shen's mother is

very happy to see him.

"Thonk you, 11 she says

to Anna. "You rescued

him! 11

IINow we can
watch the lion dance, 11

says Ming.

17
 The lion dances around the tree like an acrobat.

Then he takes the Hong Bao in his mouth.

Mr. Chen says, "When the lion dances, he shows

how he feels. Can you guess how he feels?"

Everyone watches the lion dance. It's sad and

then it's happy. They listen to the music and the

loud drums. Anna, Ming and Shen clap with

everyone else. Shen doesn't think the lion is scary

anymore. He thinks it's magical.

18
 Finally it's time for the parade. Mr. Chen lights
the children's lanterns. They're very bright in the
darkness and the colors are beautiful. Anna, Ming

and Shen join the other children. They 011 walk

through the streets holding their lanterns up high.
There are fireworks and music to celebrate the

lantern parade. The last doy of the Chinese New

Year has been an amazing doy for everyone.