Aided by the ghost of the warrior who first imprisoned Nian the dragon, a young girl named Mei sets out to defeat the marauding beast permanently, putting an end to his annual depredations on her village. Alerted to the enemy's weaknesses - loud noises, bright lights and the color red, food offerings - Mei convinces the villagers to band together, and eventually they ensure that the dragon will never return...

The legends of Nian (which means "year" in Chinese) comes from Chinese folklore, although author Virginia Loh-Hagan, who explored the topic of Chinese New Year in her previous picture-book, PoPo's Lucky Chinese New Year, alters it somewhat, in order to make the hero a young girl. The story here is entertaining, and offers an explanation for many of the customs of Chinese New Year, while the artwork, done by Timothy Banks, is colorful and engaging. An afterword gives more information about Chinese New Year celebrations. Recommended to anyone looking for new picture-books about Chinese New Year. ( )