September Is Frozen (English-Chinese Edition, 2-Volume Set): A Story of Friendship, Family & a Dog on the Sino-Russian Border

What Is This Book About?

The story takes place along the border between China and Russia. A Chinese boy named Xiaoman adopts a stray dog and names him September. After a misunderstanding, September runs across the frozen border river and returns to his former Russian owner — an orphan named Nikolai. Xiaoman misses September terribly and keeps trying to cross the river to bring him back. When Xiaoman and Nikolai finally meet on the ice, the two boys are kidnapped by smugglers and find themselves in real danger. Xiaoman's father and the brave September come to the rescue — and a friendship across borders is born.-26

Why Should a Child Read It?

This is a story about friendship, courage, and growing up. September the dog is like a bridge — he not only brings two boys from different countries together, but also draws Xiaoman closer to his busy father. Kids will be hooked by the adventure, and they'll come away knowing that real friendship has no borders and real courage means acting for the people you care about.-26

Why Should a Parent Choose It?

First, it's bilingual — Chinese and English side by side. Your child can read the Chinese version first to understand the story, then read the English version and absorb the language naturally within a familiar context. A vocabulary booklet is included to help build word power as they read.

Second, the translation is top quality. The English edition was translated by American sinologists Kyle David Anderson and Joseph Hicks, so the English reads naturally — no awkward "Chinglish".-26

Third, the author Xue Tao is a major figure in Chinese children's literature. He is the director of the Liaoning Literature Museum and a winner of the National Outstanding Children's Literature Award and the Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award. This book was also selected for the "Century of Chinese Children's Literature Masterworks Translation Series," meaning it passed a rigorous quality review.-26

Who Is It For?

Kids aged 8–12. Whether your child is a heritage speaker learning Chinese at home or a student learning English at school, this story will resonate. Kids who love animal stories and adventure stories won't want to put it down. And if you're a parent looking for a book that's both a great read and a language-learning tool — this is it.