Set in long-ago China, a tale of a greedy lord who hopes to evade his fate and the courageous girl who brings it to pass. After hearing that the Painted Fan will be his undoing, Lord Shang commands that all fans be destroyed; still, Bright Willow, a poor farmer's daughter, brings along an heirloom fan after Lord Shang selects her as his unwilling bride. When she's caught talking with a young groom, Shang agrees to waive her punishment if she can fetch a huge pearl that's guarded by a terrible demon. The fan's magic is instrumental in her success and the subsequent destruction of the wicked lord; the young people, revealed as heirs to the warring houses Lord Shang supplanted, are happily united. Singer knits together several folkloric motifs to create an original tale with satisfying strands of adventure and romance. The Chinese-born illustrator, now a professor at Duke University, makes a fine picture-book debut with dramatically posed scenes of realistically depicted figures in impressionistic settings that effectively enhance the mood. (Picture book. 6-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-688-11742-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1994
At ``Step 2'' in the useful ``Step into Reading'' series: an admirably clear, well-balanced presentation that centers on wolves' habits and pack structure. Milton also addresses their endangered status, as well as their place in fantasy, folklore, and the popular imagination. Attractive realistic watercolors on almost every page. Top-notch: concise, but remarkably extensive in its coverage. A real bargain. (Nonfiction/Easy reader. 6-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-679-91052-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
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