This book, although not particularly old or rare, was one of my personal favorites.  It contained two stories:  送茶壶 (roughly, “Delivering a pot of tea”), and 送雨衣 (“Delivering a raincoat”).  In both, good patriotic children bring the titular items to Chinese soldiers.  In the first, a young girl and her auntie bring tea to a grateful group of soldiers (patriotically) working out in the fields.  In the second, a little boy and girl walking home in the rain come across a soldier whose motorbike has broken down; the girl holds her umbrella over the man, while the boy runs away (?!)—only to return shortly with the rainslicker that he proudly gives to the soldier.

The book measures only 13 cm tall.  Each page is illustrated in vivid, full color (which is also an enchanting change of pace from the vast majority of the materials).  Moreover, having been published in 1973 in Beijing, it provides a very interesting window on attitudes and behavior (and also fashion) of the time.  According to OCLC Worldcat data, the book is held by only three other U.S. institutions, and to me it was a very enjoyable and interesting find.

—Emily