Dragons are mean and scary and breathe fire, right? Not so fast! Learn all about the Chinese dragon, the 龙 (pronounced “Loong”) with author Cynthia X Li in “I’m a Loong, Not a Dragon!” at our MOCAKIDS Author Meet & Greet. Learn some amazing Loong lore in this exciting tale of a Loong at school! After an interactive read-aloud and Q&A, join us to make your very own dancing Loong to parade through the museum. Reading begins at 2:30 PM, with Q&A and craft to follow. Best for children ages 4-8. Older and younger siblings welcome. Book signing and purchase will follow the reading! Join us before or after the Author Meet & Greet for MOCACREATE: Build a Bright World with Teaching Artist Yu Rong! Celebrate the opening of our special exhibit, Ed Young’s Bright Worlds, by exploring the visual storytelling used by this award-winning illustrator. What bright world will you create? Share your story by sprinkling salt over glue to create textured characters and imaginative elements. Then add watercolor to bring your ideas to life in vivid color. Browse the exhibit or our collection of Ed Young books for inspiration! CLICK TO RSVP! Schedule MOCACREATE drop-in arts & crafts will run from 2 – 4 PM. The MOCAKIDS Author Meet & Greet with Cynthia X Li will begin at 2:30 PM. About “I’m a Loong, Not a Dragon” “The Chinese dragon is not a dragon?” That’s right—it’s a Loong! When this magical creature appears in an American classroom during Lunar New Year, the students are full of questions. As Loong shares his story, the class uncovers surprising truths, challenges old myths, thinks critically, and works together to set the record straight. Whimsical, eye-opening, and full of heart, this is a tale about friendship, identity, cultural pride, and the power of curiosity. About the Author My name is Cynthia X Li, or 李馨源 in Chinese. I have been a public school Mandarin teacher in New York for 11 years. I was born and raised in Inner Mongolia, China. I earned my bachelor’s degree in English from Beijing Language and Culture University, during which I studied in Kentucky for a year as an exchange student. I moved to the U.S. to pursue my master’s degree in Foreign Language Teaching at New York University in 2012, and I started my journey as a Mandarin teacher after graduating. I live on Long Island with my two amazing children, Caitlin and Caden. My love for children’s books started after my daughter was born in 2020. I read at least four books with her every day, and I was blown away by how creative children’s authors and illustrators can be. Watching her fall in love with certain stories and ask for them over and over again inspired me to dream about creating books that could spark the same joy in other children. Two years later, two months before our son was born, my husband tragically passed away in a car accident. This devastating loss brought immense challenges and stress, as I had to learn how to raise two little children on my...
The Museum of Chinese in America is dedicated to preserving, illuminating, and celebrating the rich history and contributions of Chinese in America.
