Parents teaching kids about Chinese New Year traditions can illustrate the history and rituals associated with the celebration using children’s books. These two titles highlight the way the holiday appeals to all the senses.

For the younger set, the pop-up book "Lucky New Year!" (Golden Books, $9.99), by Mary Man-Kong, allows kids to slide a wheel to identify their zodiac sign, smell the scratch-and-sniff new year’s tangerines and open the baskets of dim sum for lunch. There are plenty of pop-up books in the children’s section of the bookstore, but the illustrations of Chi Chung are well complemented by clever interactive elements such as a pair of cardboard chopsticks that slide to pull some golden brown ribbons from a large bowl of noodles, or a good-luck li see envelope that opens to reveal a coin. The story ends as a 5-inch dragon springs from the pages surrounded by swirling strings of firecrackers.

"Celebrating Chinese Festivals" (Better Link Press, $16.95), written and illustrated by Sanmu Tang, covers several cultural celebrations from Chinese New Year and the Lantern Festival to Chinese Valentine’s Day and the Double Ninth Festival. Readers follow young Mei as her family teaches her about the cultural traditions through folk tales and fun facts, interspersed with rich watercolor illustrations. Simple recipes appropriate to each holiday are added to the chapters, giving kids a tangible way to celebrate at home. (Note: The recipe measurements are given in grams and will need to be converted if you do not have a kitchen scale.)

Find these books and other titles at Dragon Gate Bookstore in the Chinese Cultural Plaza, 100 N. Bere­ta­nia St. Call 533-7147.