January 17, 2005
One way to commemorate the Chinese New Year would be to share Chinese Children's Favorite Stories by Mingmei Yip. Traditional tales such as "The Monkey King" sit alongside perhaps lesser known stories like "The Mouse Bride," which explains why Chinese children traditionally leave sesame, candy and corn under their beds as New Year's gifts for mice. Yip's paintings emulate classic Chinese silkscreen renderings, especially the serene nature images of "The Frog Who Lived in a Well." .
March 1, 2005
K-Gr 2 -A collection of 13 traditional "thousand-year-old" stories. In her introduction, Yip fondly acknowledges her father's role as family storyteller as the inspiration for this book. Some stories will be familiar, such as "The Mouse Bride," though this version is a little different from Lida Dijkstra's "Little Mouse" (Front St, 2004) and Ed Young's "Mouse Match" (Harcourt, 1997). Other selections include traditional Chinese elements such as dragons and the mischievous monkey king. Like fables, these tales have morsels of wisdom to impart, and almost all have a close connection with the natural world. Explanations of cultural elements are nicely incorporated into the text, such as the qin, a musical instrument. Yip's writing is clear and accessible to children, and the bright pastel illustrations are appealing. An attractive addition for larger collections." -Robin L. Gibson, formerly at Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH"
Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 1, 2005
Gr. 3-5, younger for reading aloud. These 13 stories feature talking animals, a ghost catcher, a trickster fox, the River Dragon King, and the mischievous monkey Wu Kong, as well as cowherds, scholars, musicians, and emperors. Some tales have morals; others explain customs or traditions. Most are familiar, but no sources are cited other than the author's storytelling father. The art has a traditional Chinese look, with conventional landscapes, animals, and roly-poly, cherubic children. A small ghost peeks out from the binding after one ghost story. Storytellers may prefer other collections of Chinese folklore, but children will be drawn by the abundant colorful illustrations and the short, straightforward retellings. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2005
The introduction explains that the thirteen stories in this collection are traditional Chinese folktales, although there are no source notes to back up the assertion. Several of the stories are familiar, including "The Cowherd and the Spinning Girl." Other tales are less well known. Yip's retellings are flat, and her paintings, which include traditional motifs, are uneven and awkward.
(Copyright 2005 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)