Shoreline Children welcome the Lunar New Year at the Shoreline Library

Creating a lantern with a little help from Dad

By Hua Zhang

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, as Shoreline schools paused for winter break, the Shoreline Library filled with the sounds of laughter, music and Mandarin storytelling.

Nearly 50 children and parents gathered for a special Lunar New Year celebration — the first in-person Chinese storytelling program held at the library since its closure during the pandemic in 2020. After years marked by virtual programming and quiet community spaces, the return of an in-person cultural event carried particular meaning.

Throughout the afternoon, children listened to traditional New Year legends, created festive crafts, learned celebratory songs and moved to the rhythms of Chinese music. 

Hua Zhang cheers on the Lion Dance

The highlight for many was joining an energetic lion dance, stepping into the role of performers and experiencing firsthand the symbolism of strength, renewal and good fortune associated with the holiday.

For many families, the event offered more than entertainment. It provided a rare opportunity for children in Shoreline to encounter Chinese language and culture in an immersive and welcoming public setting. Parents expressed gratitude to the Shoreline Library for creating space where global traditions can be shared and celebrated locally.

One parent, Denial — who is half Chinese and half American, and whose wife is half Japanese — said he hopes Mandarin programming will continue regularly at the library. “There are many Mandarin speakers in the Shoreline community,” he said.

“This program not only exposes my child to Mandarin and Chinese culture, but it also helps me reconnect with the language and heritage myself.”

The craft tables were very popular

Community programs like this reflect Shoreline’s evolving cultural landscape — one in which public libraries serve not only as centers of learning, but also as gathering places for shared heritage and cross-cultural understanding.

As the Lunar New Year begins, Shoreline’s children carry forward not only red-paper crafts and festive melodies, but also stories that have traveled across generations and continents — now finding a home in their own neighborhood library.