Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Newcomer Jian retells a Chinese legend well-timed for 2012, the year of the Water Dragon. Ah Bao, a country boy, finds a lucky red stone that supplies him with more rice and money than he can use, but that also dries up all the rain. He dreams of a Water Dragon "dancing in the clouds and showering the land with much needed water," and sets off to find it, meeting creatures who offer him pieces of their skin, claws, horns-equipment, apparently, for a fight with the "greedy red monster" each creature says Ah Bao will meet. Instead, oddly, Ah Bao swallows his red stone and becomes the Water Dragon himself, and the skin, claws, and other items become part of him. It's an unexpected twist, as if David had swallowed his slingshot and turned into Goliath. Ah Bao the Water Dragon brings rain to the land, but the story ends there; no word on what dragon life is like, or whether the human boy returns. A translation into Chinese characters appears on every page, making it a fine language instruction tool. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-4-This bilingual legend tells the story of kind and generous Ah Bao, who finds a magical red stone that multiplies what it touches, creating food and wealth for the boy, which he happily shares with neighbors. He learns that the stone absorbs water, and that there has been a terrible drought since he started using it. He dreams of a water dragon bringing rain to the land, and so he sets off to find it. As he journeys, he encounters various animals that need his assistance. Each one gifts him with a small token and warns him to be careful of the greedy red monster he will soon encounter. Ah Bao meets the monster and swallows the red stone as he flees. The magic stone, combined with the tokens he received from the animals, transforms him into the kind and generous Water Dragon. The paintings are a fantastic blend of traditional Chinese style and composition with modern appeal. Ah Bao is rosy-cheeked and button-eyed, while the world he lives in is full of heavy outlines, loose brushstrokes, and cool, earth-tone color washes reminiscent of ancient Chinese scroll paintings. On a few pages the text is printed over the art, making one page in particular quite difficult to read. A first purchase for folktale collections, especially those looking for tales outside the European tradition.-Anna Haase Krueger, Antigo Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2012. 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
Chinese dragons are made up of the parts of other animals, and this tale's eponymous water dragon has a snake's skin, a fish's scales, an eagle's claws and a deer's antlers. His origin is the subject of this bilingual tale about a boy who finds a magical red stone that creates endless rice and coins. Generous Ah Bao shares with his neighbors, but unfortunately the stone also dries up all sources of water. When the boy dreams about a water dragon, he sets out to find him. He first meets a giant snake trapped by a rock and helps him by removing it. The snake thanks him by giving him a piece of skin and warning him about a greedy red monster. The boy then meets a carp, a deer and an eagle and does good deeds for them, in turn receiving a body part from each and the same warning. He finally meets the monster and bravely escapes, but he turns into the dragon himself, sending water down to the thirsty earth. Graceful watercolors in a traditional Chinese style with an autumnal palette suitably accompany the tale. The book was originally published in China, and no sources are given for the tale. Although flatly ending with "That's the legend told of the kind Water Dragon" the story nonetheless has the satisfying elements of an entertaining and adventurous folktale. (Folktale. 6-9)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
