My First Book of Chinese Calligraphy

Although a "childrens" book, it is my favorite introduction to calligraphy. Great illustrations clearly show the origins of common shapes in Small Seal Script, the ideas of radicals, components & composition, the tools of calligraphy, the strokes of Yong, and a bunch of basic characters all in a beautiful and friendly format. Almost all the characters are chosen from those which were not simplified in the PRC, so this book is a good introduction whether you are learning Chinese or Japanese calligraphy. But, the bird character does appear and is simplified, so for those who feel strongly about this issue, you should be aware. My copy was printed in Malaysia by Tuttle which is owned by a Hong Kong company.

Perfect for adults' first introduction to Chinese calligraphy. Don't be afraid to use a child's learning tool in the early days of learning something new. Includes step-by-step instructions, and lots of practice opportunities on basic strokes, radicals, and order of mark making. The title sold me and it was the key to moving onto Chinese brush painting. Artists will appreciate the approach of this wonderful little book.

Since on the KQED and/or the PBS channel, there’s a PBS Kids show called “Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat”, and Sagwa is 1 of the main characters who mostly speaks English, but says some Chinese words. So when looking at the Calligraphy, it’s very interesting for me to try to understand.

I never take the time to write reviews, but for this book I did. If you are coming to calligraphy as a new student, this book is really essential, particularly if you do not have access to a teacher or class. These are basic fundamentals that are a must in order to progress in your practice, presented in a fun and easy to understand manner. This simple book is your foundation and it's very user friendly!

This is a great book for introducing kids to Chinese calligraphy. The book is nicely printed on high-quality paper and shows a sweet little girl. It discusses the origins of Chinese characters, stroke order and styles of calligraphy, among other things. I would not recommend it for grown-ups but it's a great tool for kids, to engage their interest.

Hope my granddaughter appreciates this beautifully illustrated book as much as I did. The sections of the book clearly show the history of Chinese calligraphy and then how to learn to make the words, first practicing separate strokes. Buying the additional pack of marked practice paper enables the writer to carefully learn the exact place for each stroke. I want to learn, too!

I know this is for kids; however, I took a chance that I might learn something. Rebecca Yue's book is much better for adults. The included CD is basically worthless; it just repeats the info in the book and the clips of a calligrapher aren't even in standard Kaishu script.

Very well explained, with plenty illustrations and Chinese characters for inspiration. The tone is conversational and never dull. Perfect for a beginner.

A complicated subject broken down and explained is a very simple attractive way. Well done !

This is a great little book for children and adults alike. I am using it to attempt to do Chinese calligraphy using a brush. It's a great introduction. You can quickly read the book, but absorbing the information will take considerably longer. The book is most appropriate for older children able to focus a bit—the information is not easy to absorb. The Chinese characters take time to wrap your mind around and to enjoy. However correlating calligraphic drawings with what they represent could be fun, so perhaps this book could best be enjoyed as a parent-child project. Or, like me, just a solo adult project.

Well written, lovely introduction to trying out Chinese Calligraphy. I'd recommend buying lots of sheets of cheap paper to practise on. You'll throw it all away so don't think of starting with a posh art pad!

This was a basic book which helped me

This book, although written for children, is the perfect introduction to Chinese calligraphyfor me. It's small size is deceptively packed with useful information - in fact, nothing in it is superfluous. It is also beautifully illustrated from cover to cover. The icing on the cake for me is that it has been edited very well.