Penguin Random House Elementary Education
Elementary Secondary Higher Ed

Elementary Education Inspire Teaching and Learning with Outstanding Books


Guides

Collections

News
(0)
Wish List
(0)
Wish List
  • Elementary Education

    Inspire Teaching and Learning with Outstanding Books

    • English Language Arts
        • English Language Arts
        • Fiction
        • Nonfiction
        • Poetry
        • Drama
        • Early Concepts
        • Leveled Reading
        • Writing & Composition
        • ESL / ELL

        • Browse All Subjects and Topics
    • Social Studies, History, & References
        • Social Studies & History
        • Archaeology
        • Communities, Family, & Me
        • Geography
        • Government, Politics & Laws
        • History
        • Holidays & Celebrations
        • Influential People
        • People & Places by Region
        • References
        • References
        • Almanacs
        • Dictionaries
        • Encyclopedias
        • Maps & Atlases
        • Thesauruses

        • Browse All Subjects and Topics
    • Science, Technology, The Arts, & Math
        • Science & Technology
        • Early Concepts
        • Earth & Space
        • Environmental Science & Issues
        • Experiments, Projects, and Makerspace
        • Life & Living Things
        • Physical Science
        • Scientists, Inventors, & Discoveries
        • Technology
        • Transportation
        • The Arts
        • Architecture
        • Art
        • Fashion
        • Media Studies
        • Music
        • Performing Arts
        • Math
        • Algebra
        • Arithmetic
        • Early Concepts
        • Fractions
        • Geometry
        • Math in Fiction

        • Browse All Subjects and Topics
    • Spanish and Bilingual Books
        • Spanish & Bilingual Books
        • Bilingual Books
        • Books in Spanish
        • Spanish Language Study

        • Browse All Subjects and Topics
    • Favorite Authors & Series
        • Favorite Authors and Series
        • Favorite Authors
        • Favorite Leveled Readers
        • Favorite Series & Collections

        • Browse All Subjects and Topics
    • More Disciplines
        • Health, Sports, Games, and Crafts
        • Cooking, Diet, & Nutrition
        • Crafts & Makerspace
        • Games & Activities
        • Health & Wellness
        • Sports & Recreation
        • Early Concepts
        • Alphabet
        • Body
        • Colors
        • Counting & Numbers
        • Date & Time
        • Money
        • Opposites
        • Seasons
        • Senses & Sensation
        • Size & Shapes
        • Sounds
        • Words
        • Religious Studies & Spirituality
        • Buddhism
        • Christianity
        • Hindu
        • Islam
        • Judaism
        • Visionary & Metaphysical
        • Education and Professional Learning
        • Child and Adolescent Development
        • Counseling
        • Pedagogy & Methodology
        • Schools & Education
        • Special Education

          • Browse All Subjects and Topics
    • Guides
    • Collections
    • News
    • Other Penguin Random House Education Sites
    • Secondary
    • Higher Ed
Download high-resolution image Look inside

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas

Author Natasha Yim
Illustrated by Grace Zong
Look inside
Hardcover
$17.99 US
Charlesbridge
11.44"W x 8.81"H x 0.39"D  
On sale Jan 07, 2014 | 32 Pages | 978-1-58089-652-8
| Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile 560L | Fountas & Pinnell L
Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies
See Additional Formats
  • English Language Arts > Fiction > Fairy Tales & Folklore > Adaptations & Anthologies
  • English Language Arts > Fiction > Holidays & Celebrations > More Non Religious Holidays & Celebrations…
  • English Language Arts > Fiction > People & Places by Group > Asian American
  • English Language Arts > Fiction > People & Places by Group > Inclusive, Diverse, and Multicultural
  • About
  • Author
  • Excerpt
  • Praise
A favorite fairy tale set in a bustling contemporary Chinatown.

It's Chinese New Year, and Goldy Luck’s mother wants her to take a plate of turnip cakes to the neighbors. The Chans aren’t home, but that doesn’t stop Goldy from trying out their rice porridge, their chairs, and their beds—with disastrous results.

In this funny and festive retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Natasha Yim and Grace Zong introduce a plucky heroine who takes responsibility for her actions and makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!), just in time for Chinese New Year.

Includes back matter about Chinese New Year and a recipe for turnip cakes.
Natasha Yim is the author of Sacajawea of the Shoshone (Goosebottom, 2012), Cixi, "The Dragon Empress" (Goosebottom, 2001), and Otto’s Rainy Day. She lives in Ukiah, California, with her family. View titles by Natasha Yim
Grace Zong is the illustrator of Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas and Orange Peel's Pocket (Abrams). She splits her time between New York City and Korea. View titles by Grace Zong
When Goldy Luck was born, her mother said, "Year of the Golden Dragon--very lucky year. This child will have good luck." "She has a face as round as a gold coin," said her father. "This child will bring great wealth." But Goldy had neither great wealth nor good luck. In fact, she could never seem to keep money in her piggy bank, and she had a bad habit of breaking things.
Copyright © 2014 by Natasha Yim (Author, Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
In this clever picture-book retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” Chinese New Year starts with Goldy Luck’s mother asking her to bring turnip cakes to their panda neighbors, the Chans. Goldy heads next door, promptly spilling her plate of turnip cakes as she walks in the front door; from there, things unfold as might be expected. She eats up Little Chan’s rice porridge, breaks his rocking chair, and falls asleep on his futon. Goldy Luck’s conscience gets the better of her, though, and she learns some valuable lessons about friendship and being a good neighbor. Zong’s acrylic cartoon-style illustrations benefit from well-balanced one- and two-page spreads. Red, a color strongly associated with Chinese New Year and symbolic of good luck, is used as a motif throughout; fittingly, Goldy Luck wears a red sweater and tights. Employing complementary and analogous colors provides balance, and the illustrations are appealing and humorous without being over-the-top. This is a fun retelling of a familiar tale with Chinese-American characters and cultural references, using the celebration of Chinese/Lunar New Year as the backdrop for a story that can be enjoyed year round. An author’s note about Chinese New Year and a recipe for turnip cakes are appended.

--School Library Journal April 2014

Set in a contemporary city, Natasha Yim and Grace Zong’s Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas (Charlesbridge, 2014) stars a protagonist with shining coal-black locks, a bad habit of breaking things, and—despite her name—a lack of good luck. On Chinese New Year, her mother wakes Goldy up before breakfast and sends her to their neighbors’ apartment with a plate of turnip cakes and Kung Hei Fat Choi wishes. After knocking on the door, Goldy gently pushes it open, trips, and spills the goodies all over the floor. As she searches for the broom, she spots three steaming bowls of congee and, tummy rumbling, decides to taste the rice porridge. So it goes, until the Chan family—three pandas, of course—returns to discover a big mess and Goldy sound asleep on Little Chan’s futon. Back at home, she thinks about her actions, and, truly embracing the spirit of this start-the-year-fresh holiday, decides to set things right. Themes of friendship and forgiveness resound, as Goldy makes amends and is invited to bake a new batch of turnip cakes (a recipe and information about Chinese New Year customs are appended). The text playfully incorporates festive food-related similes (Goldy feels “like stuffing in a pork bun” in Mrs. Chan’s upholstered armchair), and both narrative and acrylic artwork abound with details of Chinese-American culture.

--School Library Journal, March 23, 2015

About

A favorite fairy tale set in a bustling contemporary Chinatown.

It's Chinese New Year, and Goldy Luck’s mother wants her to take a plate of turnip cakes to the neighbors. The Chans aren’t home, but that doesn’t stop Goldy from trying out their rice porridge, their chairs, and their beds—with disastrous results.

In this funny and festive retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Natasha Yim and Grace Zong introduce a plucky heroine who takes responsibility for her actions and makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!), just in time for Chinese New Year.

Includes back matter about Chinese New Year and a recipe for turnip cakes.

Author

Natasha Yim is the author of Sacajawea of the Shoshone (Goosebottom, 2012), Cixi, "The Dragon Empress" (Goosebottom, 2001), and Otto’s Rainy Day. She lives in Ukiah, California, with her family. View titles by Natasha Yim
Grace Zong is the illustrator of Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas and Orange Peel's Pocket (Abrams). She splits her time between New York City and Korea. View titles by Grace Zong

Excerpt

When Goldy Luck was born, her mother said, "Year of the Golden Dragon--very lucky year. This child will have good luck." "She has a face as round as a gold coin," said her father. "This child will bring great wealth." But Goldy had neither great wealth nor good luck. In fact, she could never seem to keep money in her piggy bank, and she had a bad habit of breaking things.
Copyright © 2014 by Natasha Yim (Author, Illustrator). All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Praise

In this clever picture-book retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” Chinese New Year starts with Goldy Luck’s mother asking her to bring turnip cakes to their panda neighbors, the Chans. Goldy heads next door, promptly spilling her plate of turnip cakes as she walks in the front door; from there, things unfold as might be expected. She eats up Little Chan’s rice porridge, breaks his rocking chair, and falls asleep on his futon. Goldy Luck’s conscience gets the better of her, though, and she learns some valuable lessons about friendship and being a good neighbor. Zong’s acrylic cartoon-style illustrations benefit from well-balanced one- and two-page spreads. Red, a color strongly associated with Chinese New Year and symbolic of good luck, is used as a motif throughout; fittingly, Goldy Luck wears a red sweater and tights. Employing complementary and analogous colors provides balance, and the illustrations are appealing and humorous without being over-the-top. This is a fun retelling of a familiar tale with Chinese-American characters and cultural references, using the celebration of Chinese/Lunar New Year as the backdrop for a story that can be enjoyed year round. An author’s note about Chinese New Year and a recipe for turnip cakes are appended.

--School Library Journal April 2014

Set in a contemporary city, Natasha Yim and Grace Zong’s Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas (Charlesbridge, 2014) stars a protagonist with shining coal-black locks, a bad habit of breaking things, and—despite her name—a lack of good luck. On Chinese New Year, her mother wakes Goldy up before breakfast and sends her to their neighbors’ apartment with a plate of turnip cakes and Kung Hei Fat Choi wishes. After knocking on the door, Goldy gently pushes it open, trips, and spills the goodies all over the floor. As she searches for the broom, she spots three steaming bowls of congee and, tummy rumbling, decides to taste the rice porridge. So it goes, until the Chan family—three pandas, of course—returns to discover a big mess and Goldy sound asleep on Little Chan’s futon. Back at home, she thinks about her actions, and, truly embracing the spirit of this start-the-year-fresh holiday, decides to set things right. Themes of friendship and forgiveness resound, as Goldy makes amends and is invited to bake a new batch of turnip cakes (a recipe and information about Chinese New Year customs are appended). The text playfully incorporates festive food-related similes (Goldy feels “like stuffing in a pork bun” in Mrs. Chan’s upholstered armchair), and both narrative and acrylic artwork abound with details of Chinese-American culture.

--School Library Journal, March 23, 2015

Additional formats

  • Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas
    Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas
    Natasha Yim, Grace Zong
    $7.95 US
    Paperback
    Dec 01, 2015
  • Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas
    Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas
    Natasha Yim, Grace Zong
    $7.95 US
    Paperback
    Dec 01, 2015

Other Books by this Author

  • Luna y su riquísimo dim sum / Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Luna y su riquísimo dim sum / Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Natasha Yim, Violet Kim
    $15.99 US
    Hardcover
    Apr 12, 2022
  • Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Natasha Yim, Violet Kim
    $15.99 US
    Hardcover
    Dec 22, 2020
  • Our Food
    Our Food
    A Healthy Serving of Science and Poems
    Grace Lin, Ranida T. McKneally, Grace Zong
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Aug 07, 2018
  • Luna y su riquísimo dim sum / Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Luna y su riquísimo dim sum / Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Natasha Yim, Violet Kim
    $15.99 US
    Hardcover
    Apr 12, 2022
  • Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Luna's Yum Yum Dim Sum
    Natasha Yim, Violet Kim
    $15.99 US
    Hardcover
    Dec 22, 2020
  • Our Food
    Our Food
    A Healthy Serving of Science and Poems
    Grace Lin, Ranida T. McKneally, Grace Zong
    $7.99 US
    Paperback
    Aug 07, 2018
Related Articles
General Early Concepts English Language Arts Science & Technology The Arts
November 10 2020

PRH Education Classroom Libraries

“Books are a students’ passport to entering and actively participating in a global society with the empathy, compassion, and knowledge it takes to become the problem solvers the world needs.” –Laura Robb   Research shows that reading and literacy directly impacts students’ academic success and personal growth. To help promote the importance of daily independent

Read more

PRH Education Classroom Libraries

General Early Concepts English Language Arts Science & Technology The Arts
November 10 2020
Connect with Us!

Get the latest news on all things Elementary Education. Learn about our books, authors, teacher events, and more!

Friend us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Subscribe on YouTube

See us on Instagram

View us on Pinterest

Our mission is to foster a universal passion for reading by partnering with authors to help create stories and communicate ideas that inform, entertain, and inspire.

Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Use

© 2022 Penguin Random House

About Elementary Education

  • About Us
  • FAQ
  • Conferences
  • Contact your PreK-12 Representative
  • Browse & subscribe to our newsletters

Penguin Random House Education

  • Elementary
  • Secondary
  • Higher Ed
  • Common Reads

Penguin Random House

  • PenguinRandomHouse.com
  • global.PenguinRandomHouse.com
  • Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau

About Elementary Education

  • About Us
  • FAQ
  • Conferences

Penguin Random House Education

  • Elementary
  • Secondary
  • Higher Ed
  • Common Reads
  • Contact your PreK-12 Representative
  • Browse & subscribe to our newsletters

Penguin Random House

  • PenguinRandomHouse.com
  • global.PenguinRandomHouse.com
  • Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau

Privacy Policy   |   Terms of Use

© 2022 Penguin Random House
Back to Top

/