A young boy learns about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival from his grandfather when he attends his first dragon boat race.

The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, ushering in the start of summer. On the night before the Dragon Boat Festival, a young boy asks his grandfather how the dragon boat races first began. His grandfather tells him that legend has it that the races started in the ancient time of the Dragon King, when every lake and river had a guardian dragon. Dragons symbolize good luck, and have great power, especially over water and weather.

On race day at the harbor, all the boats have a carved dragon head on their bows. As a final touch, to wake up their team’s boat, the boy paints in the dragon’s eye. But once the race is underway, their team’s dragon boat is in last place. How can they wake their dragon?

Christina Matula grew up in Ottawa, Canada. Being a child of immigrant parents, she has always been curious about other cultures and far-off places. Dumplings are her favorite food, especially her mother’s savory Taiwanese jiaozi and her father’s sweet Hungarian gomboc. She is the author The Shadow in the Moon and the Holly-Mei middle-grade series. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Hong Kong and now lives in Finland with her husband, two children, and puppy.

Christina Matula's profile page

Nicole Wong has lived her whole life in Fall River, Massachusetts, walking along downtown streets where once a river and eight waterfalls flowed, all demolished and replaced by an interstate highway. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Nicole has illustrated more than twenty-five books for children, including Kiyoshi’s Walk, Diving Deep, Three Lost Seeds, I'll Be the Water, and No Year of the Cat. She lives with her husband, their daughter, and their pets.

Nicole Wong's profile page