Review by Booklist Review
Celestial dragons observe the boy Ping as he declares his love for dragons and draws them on walls, doors, and everywhere. When the Heavenly Dragon visits Ping, however, he realizes that the boy is terrified of the creatures and paints them to deal with his fear. The majestic Heavenly Dragon gives Ping three pearls of wisdom and urges him to seek dragon wisdom. Ping dutifully journeys to the Water Dragon, Fire Dragon, Earth Dragon, and Wind Dragon to solicit their guidance and gain wisdom. Demi's regal dragons, more cheerful than scary, writhe through the elegantly designed illustrations. Two horizontal foldouts add novelty. Philosophical rather than truly adventurous, the story lacks tension despite Demi's magnificent beasts. A good choice for larger collections.--Perkins, Linda Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The titular dragons in this lavishly produced tale of ancient China are a far cry from the genial Puff-the-Magic-Dragon type. As painted by Ping, the young hero, these are fearsome creatures, with bulging eyes, tentacle-like whiskers, sinuous bodies of gleaming gold, and scary scales of flaming red. But while Ping impresses everyone with his artistry, bravery and industry (he literally covers his house with the beasts), he harbors a secret: the dragons actually represent his fears. Finally outed by the Heavenly Dragon, Ping goes on a dragon-studded quest to discover his courage and learn to bring "all the power and wisdom of the dragons inside." Demi (One Grain of Rice) may be offering too much of a great thing: her sprawling, gorgeous dragons, set against backgrounds of Chinese brocades and rendered in dazzling metallic inks, constantly threaten to overwhelm the story (and that's leaving aside the two gatefold spreads). But for those who don't mind occasionally hunting for the text when it's obscured by the visual extravagance, there is much lovely writing to savor and wisdom that the audience will recognize. Ages 7-10. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-4-The dragons are playing in heaven, riding clouds and creating things such as "thunder and lightning, flying comets-sparkling northern lights," and rain. They also look for "pearls of heavenly wisdom" that are concealed in the clouds. One day, they peer through a hole in the heavens to Earth where they spy on a boy named Ping. Although he is terrified of dragons, he keeps his feelings secret and paints elaborate pictures of the creatures. Flattered, the Heavenly Dragon visits him and-quickly realizing that the boy paints these images out of fear-promises him three treasures if he can earn them. The pearls of wisdom read "Seek Your Truth," "Find Your Truth," and "Dare to Be True." In order to attain them, Ping must overcome his apprehensions by visiting four elemental dragons: Water Dragon, Fire Dragon, Earth Dragon, and Wind Dragon. Each page contains paintings of gilt-colored creatures and swatches of delicate Chinese silk brocade. The colors range from rich purples and vibrant reds to cool blues and muted beiges, emphasizing the mood of each scene. Ping is always drawn in small scale compared to the magnificent dragons, and fold-out pages add to the book's visual impact. An elegantly told tale, enhanced by exquisite illustrations.-Donna Atmur, Los Angeles Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Demi's original story line, which is driven more by an air of ritual than by character or incident, features a young painter named Ping who gathers Pearls of Heavenly Wisdom (depicted as physical pearls sporting such pithy sayings as "Seek Your Truth" and "Dare To Be True") in order to transform his stubbornly denied terror of dragons into love. Though the language (particularly the author's repeated comparison of dragon teeth to steak knives) doesn't always soar, the illustrations more than compensate, filled with long, sinuous, Asian-style dragons--some tiny, others big enough to fill the two double foldouts, all rendered in elaborately marbled patterns and great swathes of solid gold. The powerful, magnificent creatures make a mesmerizing spectacle, and Ping's joyful liberation from fear at the end closes the tale on a high note. (Picture book. 7-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
