Even if you've no interest in learning Chinese, you'll still love this book, as it's as much a work of art as it is a guide to the language. The illustrations for each character really do help to fix in your mind how to write the character and what it means, and even after a brief skim through the book they were starting to lodge in my brain. Though this is only a brief, basic introduction to the language, it is nevertheless clearly written and along with the notes on the characters' history and snippets of Chinese culture, makes for enjoyable aswell as useful and often amusing book. I mean, you do have to admire the cheek of a language which takes the character for 'woman' and places 2 of them together to make 'argument'!

This book has executed its simple concept absolutely perfectly - the graphic design is charming, but also very clear and I found that within half an hour of reading the book, a vast amount of the information has stuck. I've found I can already write a few simple phrases without any struggle to recall the pictograms. Even for those not aiming to write fluent Chinese, the insights into how such an unfamiliar language is structured are fascinating. I should add the caveat, however, that this does focus on traditional Mandarin, as used in Taiwan (where the author comes from) and Hong Kong, and the simplified pictogram forms that mainland China has used for the last 60 years are not given so much attention. However, the variations are pointed out in footnotes, and the book assures us that the two forms overlap a great deal. Otherwise, my only criticism would be that it is not long enough! It's a beautiful book, full of fascinating insights, and the pace at which you can learn is very exciting. The publishers have said that there may be more to come in the future, so hopefully it might be extended into a series - I would definitely love to see more of these books.

Using simple representative imagery to translate chinese characters into simple words and phrases, this book will give you an easy, quick way to get a foot in the door with chinese. The method involves combining the characters with very simple and charming pictures to help you memorise them quickly, and then learn how combining multiple characters logically creates short phrases or other words (e.g. the symbols for fire and mountain combined create volcano). A great primer for younger readers but also for anyone learning completely from scratch.

Fantastic! It's an absolutely beautifully designed book and a great way to be introduced to how Chinese symbols work. I've already recommended to two of my friends. A must have for those who are new to the writing system.

Amazing book, easy to understand and very didactic. Perfect for beginners!