Reddit reviews Fun With Chinese Characters Volume 3

Yes... Among the best ones is the 3-book series "Fun with Chinese Characters".

This is how I started to learn to write some 15 years ago. But even today I suprisingly associate many characters with the pictures in this 3-book series from way back when (I'm a visual learner, so I learn by seeing, and I remember what I "see", rather than what I "hear").

It covers the most common 300 characters or their associate characters, and explains them using cartoon depictions of their original meanings (showing how the pictograms from ancient Chinese images evolved to modern characters). It also shows stroke order, so it was with these books that I self-taught myself to write in the beginning.

Since first being published in Singapore, an associate publisher in mainland China republished them in one single book for less than half the price. It's called "What's in a Chinese Character?".

Personally, I like the size of the 3-book format, and it's easier to find in Western bookstores than the one-volume book.

Here are some page images:

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• here
  
  
• here
  
  
• here
  
  
• here
  
  Edit: I forgot to mention Chineasy.
  
  Chineasy didn't exist when I started to learn Chinese. A creative entrepreneur decided she would try to find "imaginary" images (emphasis on imaginary) to help people remember characters. She did what I think is a good job. Personally, I'm for learning the real meaning behind characters (the first suggestion), but some people may find the Chineasy approach more for them (this second suggestion). I suppose it just depends on one's preference.
  
  Here is a Ted Talk in which the creator of Easy Chinese explains the concept.
  
  But be careful... Make sure you know if you want to learn traditional or simplified characters. "Fun with Chinese Characters" is simplified (the mainland & Singapore). Chineasy is mostly found in traditional format (HK, Taiwan), unless you can find a simplified version somewhere.