Roseanne Thong - One Is a Drummer

To my good friend Irene, who advised me to just do it! R. T.
To Karma Lilian Kendall, who is niece number one. G. L. Text 2004 by Roseanne Thong.
Illustrations 2004 by Grace Lin.
Performance copyright 2013 by Chronicle Books LLC.
All rights reserved. Book design by Sara Gillingham.
Typeset in Melior.
The illustrations in this book were rendered in gouache.

ISBN 978-1-4521-3414-7 (epub 3)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3284-6 (epub 2)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3408-6 (mobi)
ISBN 978-1-4521-3411-6 (epib)
The Library of Congress has catalogued the print edition as follows:
Thong, Roseanne.
One is a drummer / by Roseanne Thong ; illustrated by Grace Lin.
p. cm.
Summary: A young girl numbers her discoveries in the world around her,
from one dragon boat to four mahjong players to ten bamboo stalks.
ISBN 0-8118-3772-6
[1. Counting. 2. Chinese AmericansFiction. 3.

Stories in rhyme.] I.Lin, Grace, ill. II. Title.
PZ8.3.T328On 2004
[E]dc22
2003010810 Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street, San Francisco, California 94107 www.chroniclekids.com One is a drummer
One is a raceOne is a dragon boat
that wins first place!One is a tail
and a cool, wet noseOne is a tongue
that tickles my toesTwo are the greetings
on our wallLuck and Fortune
for us allThree are the steamers
Three are the bunsThree are the egg tarts
here they come!Four are the friends
who play mahjongFour are the songbirds
that chirp alongFour are the seasons
I know them allSpring, summer,
winter and fallFive are the fish balls
on a stickFive are the fingers
that I lickSix are the horses
on a merry-go-roundSix are the children
going up and down!Seven is the number
of days in a weekWhat day is today?
Lets take a peek!Eight are the napkins
Eight are the dishesEight are the candles
for making wishesEight are the Chinese
Immortals of oldEight are the precious
gifts they holdNine colored swimsuits
Nine pairs of feetNine are the children
escaping the heatTen are the stalks
of green bambooTen cool stepping stones
to walk on throughThere are so many numbers
at home and at playHow many have
you counted today?Dragon Boat Festival: During this celebration, people remember the famous poet Qu Yuan who died long ago. He is said to have leaped into a river when an evil king captured his kingdom. Fishermen tried to save Qu Yuan by beating on drums and splashing their oars to keep the water dragons away. When they realized it was too late, they scattered rice dumplings into the river so that his soul would never be hungry.

A special kind of rice dumpling called zhong-zi is eaten to remember Qu Yuan. It is made of glutinous rice and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Dragon Boats: Complete with ferocious heads, scales and long, thin bodies, these boats are raced during the Dragon Boat Festival. A drummer sits up front and beats out the pace, as rowers follow with their oars. New Year Greetings: At the New Year, bright red banners carrying wishes for luck, good fortune and new beginnings are hung on the walls and doors of homes, restaurants and public places. Dim Sum: A Cantonese term meaning a little heart, dim sum refers to little snacks or treats that are eaten with Chinese tea for breakfast or lunch.

They are often served three at a time in bamboo steamers. Some popular dim sum items include shrimp dumplings, barbecued pork buns, meatballs and egg tarts. Mahjong: This traditional Chinese game requires four players and uses 144 rectangular tiles made of plastic or wood. The tiles come in suits of bamboo, dots, numbers, winds, flowers, dragons and directions (north, south, east, west), and make a delightful clicking noise when they are laid on the table. Eight Immortals: These legendary beings are based on real people who lived long ago. Bamboo: This plant is favored by Chinese in home and temple gardens. Bamboo: This plant is favored by Chinese in home and temple gardens.

There is a saying that people should try to grow up straight and strong, just like bamboo. Roseanne Thong is an English teacher who divides her time between Southern California and Hong Kong. The Dragon Boat Festival is one of her favorite holidays. To learn about dragon boats and other Chinese traditions, visit her website at www.greenfield-thong.com.