TAKE A WALK WITH THE WIND

The wind compels a tiny creature from peaceful sleep to embark on blustery adventures.

A tan-skinned, green-hoodied “miniature being,” one of the Mu Ke, or Treelings, cozily slumbers until “quietly, the wind approaches” with whispered entreaties: “Hurry! Get up! Let’s go out for a walk.” When the Treeling is too slow to respond, the wind hurtles its “little tangerine cap” out into the open, forcing the minuscule being to give chase. “Maybe I didn’t want to go on a walk!” the Treeling mutters, but the wind quickly turns into a huge storm, carrying its companion through the mountain forest. The wind awakens hibernating bears, tosses and tangles birds, blows over magical beings, and tumbles boulders. “Come join us for a walk,” the wind coerces, while the Treeling repeatedly attempts to apologize for the ensuing chaos. “STOP!!!” the Treeling finally demands, impressively calming the tempest into a gentle breeze. Chinese artist/author Xiong effectively highlights the natural environment with swirling shades of verdigris. The contrasting orange cap pops off the pages, suggesting its importance to Treeling identity; an older Treeling sports a similar cap as the tiny protagonist. Xiong’s opening note reveals Memories of Xiang Zhou, an ancient Chinese text, as the Treelings’ provenance; third-century BCE poet Song Yu’s inspirational “Wind Poem” is appended. Polyglot Garcia Roberts provides the translation for Xiong’s vivid, sweeping text.

A deft account of a diminutive being standing up to a mighty force.