Bao & Bun's Bilingual Journey

1. Lower Grade Bridge Books

Over the past year, my son has read several Little Monster books, as well as Robber’s beginner-level bridge books, but his reading fluency still isn’t quite there yet. This summer, since I’ve been asking him to practice reading comprehension, I’ve let him freely choose books to read at home. Influenced by his sister, he still tends to reach for comic books, and I honestly don’t know how many characters he’s actually reading.

So this time, I plan to continue buying some bridge books for lower elementary levels. These books are filled with vivid illustrations and aren’t too overwhelming. The Kingdom of First Times is one that I’ve added to my cart on Books.com.tw (博客來) several times, but it always got bumped off for something else I wanted more. This time, I think I’ll finally go ahead and buy it!

It looks like a great fit for kids who are still developing reading skills—probably around the 1st or 2nd grade reading level in Taiwan.

Image credit: Books.com.tw App

2. Picture Books with Diverse Perspectives

At one of our in-person kids’ book club meetings this year, I introduced a series of books with more philosophical themes. I initially thought it might be too difficult for both the children and the parents, but two parents actually ended up ordering the whole set based on my recommendation (I’ll share more about that series later).

That experience made me realize that books can serve as windows into worlds beyond what we already know, helping us see our own lives from different perspectives.

This Sachi book series is one I bought second-hand. When I first got it, I thought the content might not be suitable for younger elementary-aged kids. But as it turns out, this adorable collection doesn’t go too deep—it presents more mature topics from a child’s point of view.

Every time I finish reading one of the books, it leaves me smiling. The balance of text and illustrations makes it especially suitable for lower elementary students who are practicing reading.

Highly recommended for families who want a broader variety of themes in their picture book collection!

3. Funny Bridge Books for Lower Elementary

Over the past few years reading picture books and bridge books with my kids, I’ve noticed that many bestsellers in the U.S. are all about mischievous kids. For example, Captain Underpants, which my kids love, is a great example of this trend. In Chinese books, this type of story isn’t as common (or maybe I just haven’t come across them), but I wonder if the popularity of these books comes from kids really connecting with the characters and humor.

The Mean, Bad Goose King (霸王壞壞鵝) is a book I wanted to buy last time but didn’t. This time, I’m determined to bring it back because I think it’s a great fit for my son—something he can practice reading and also enjoy for the silly, mischievous plot.

Image sources: Eslite and Books.com.tw websites.

4. Science-Themed zhuyin Encyclopedia

Recently, I asked my son if he still reads books with very tiny zhuyin (phonetic symbols), and he said no. But today, while watching him read online with a classmate, I realized that having zhuyin—even very small—still helps. Books without zhuyin make him nervous and more likely to just ask mom to read instead 🤪.

So when I saw this series on Books.com.tw, which includes zhuyin, science topics, comics, and cute illustrations, I felt like this time we should really give them a try.

5. Educational Comics

Korean educational comics weren’t around when I was a kid, but now they seem to dominate the reading lists of many elementary school students in Taiwan. Over the past few years, I’ve bought a few, though I often feel that the content is only loosely tied to actual “knowledge.”

Still, there’s no denying that kids love them.

This time, I’ve picked out a few titles that are more closely related to our everyday life. I plan to get Treasure Hunt in the U.S. and Treasure Hunt in Taiwan, so that while reading, the kids can make connections to their real-world experiences.

Image source: Books.com.tw

6. Upper Elementary Bridge Books

After sharing so many books for my son, it’s time to introduce some for my daughter, whose reading has become much more fluent. Over the past year, she’s turned into a little bookworm—once she picks up a book, she can’t put it down. She’s open to reading just about anything, and seeing her so eager makes me more than happy to keep supporting her reading journey.

But I often wonder: beyond typical bridge books, what else can I introduce to her?

I’ve always known about The Mysterious Candy Shop, and about a year ago, I tried playing the audiobook for both kids. They didn’t seem particularly interested at the time. Personally, I thought the content felt a bit creepy, so I didn’t continue. But just right before summer, while searching for new books for my daughter, her tutor recommended the series again. I decided to give the audiobook another shot—and this time, both kids were hooked. They couldn’t stop listening and would even request it in the car like they used to with Detective Pig.

Seeing their reactions, I thought: it’s probably time to buy the actual books and let my daughter read them herself.

Image source: Books.com.tw

7. Novels Without Zhuyin

Getting my daughter to start reading novels without zhuyin is one of my goals over the next few years. But as for how to actually achieve it—I still don’t have a solid plan.

Last time, I bought Diary of a Wimpy Kid in Chinese, but my daughter didn’t even want to open it. She said she doesn’t like stories about mischievous kids. I flipped through it myself and realized it’s about a middle schooler, which probably still feels too distant from her own life experience.

As for The Legend of the Thousand Islands (千島傳說), I saw it recommended somewhere else, and what really caught my eye was the cover illustration—it has a bit of a Japanese aesthetic. It’s also an adventure story led by a female protagonist, which feels somewhat similar to Hilda, a show we enjoy watching at home. So this time, I thought we’d give it a try.

Many parents often ask me what books to recommend for their kids. Over time, I’ve come to realize that choosing books—whether for children or parents—is really subjective. You just have to keep buying, borrowing, and trying out books to slowly figure out your child’s preferences.

Image source: Books.com.tw