The Five Colors Of A Gentle Heart
Bedtime Tales of the Five Virtues from Ancient Vietnam & China
Once Upon a Lantern
Asian folktales and read-aloud bedtime stories under the Mid-Autumn moon.
Once Upon a Lantern is a set of illustrated bedtime tales for the Mid-Autumn moon. Most of the books gather eleven original tales from one country and the festival it keeps, and one treasury brings all eight countries together, so families can read them aloud on festival night or any night.
10 books, in publication order.
The books in this series
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in China
Eleven Bedtime Tales of Mooncakes, Lanterns & the Mid-Autumn Festival — Chinese Folktales for Kids Ages 4–10
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in Vietnam
Eleven Bedtime Tales of Tết Trung Thu, the Children's Lantern Festival — Vietnamese Stories for Kids Ages 4–10
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon
A Treasury of Bedtime Stories & Lanterns from China & Southeast Asia
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in Laos
Eleven Bedtime Tales of Boun Ok Phansa, the Festival of Light — Laotian Stories for Kids Ages 4–10
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in Cambodia
Eleven Bedtime Tales of Bon Om Touk, the Water & Moon Festival — Cambodian Stories for Kids Ages 4–10
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in Thailand
Eleven Bedtime Tales of the Mooncake Festival, Greeting the Moon — Thai Stories for Kids Ages 4–10
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in Myanmar
Eleven Bedtime Tales of Thadingyut, the Festival of Lights — Burmese Stories for Kids Ages 4–10
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in Malaysia
Eleven Bedtime Tales of the Mooncake & Lantern Festival — Malaysian Stories for Kids Ages 4–10
NewOnce Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon in Singapore
Eleven Bedtime Tales of the Lantern Festival, One Moon and Many Neighbours — Singaporean Stories for Kids Ages 4–10
What is inside each book
Eight of the books each hold eleven original bedtime tales from one country and the festival it keeps under the autumn moon, with a word search and a coloring page after every tale. The treasury, Once Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon, brings all eight countries together in 88 tales. The Five Colors of a Gentle Heart is the tenth book: twenty gentle tales from ancient Vietnam and China, one for each of five virtues.
One festival, eight ways to keep it
- Vietnam: Tết Trung Thu, the children's lantern festival.
- China: mooncakes, lanterns and riddles under the full moon.
- Myanmar: Thadingyut, the festival of lights.
- Cambodia: Bon Om Touk, the water and moon festival.
- Laos: Boun Ok Phansa, with its boats of light.
- Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia: the mooncake and lantern festival.
Free pages to color
Every country in the series has two free coloring pages from its book, with no sign-up. They are on the free printables page, one country at a time.
Common questions
Which book should I start with?
Start with the country your family comes from, or the one you are curious about. Each country book stands on its own. The treasury, Once Upon a Mid-Autumn Moon, has all 88 tales if you want every country in one book.
Do I have to read them at Mid-Autumn?
No. The tales are set around the autumn moon festivals, but each one is a short bedtime story that works on any night of the year.
Are the stories traditional folktales?
The country books hold original tales built on each country's real festival customs, such as the kadaw bow of thanks in Myanmar or the boat races of Bon Om Touk in Cambodia. The Five Colors of a Gentle Heart gathers tales from ancient Vietnam and China.
Where can I buy them?
Every book is sold on Amazon in paperback. Each book page here has a link to its Amazon listing.
New to the festival? Read the Mid-Autumn Festival guide for parents →