Chinese Folktales: The Dragon Slayer and Other Timeless Tales

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

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Description

Age range 9 to 12

For thousands of years, Chinese storytellers have delighted listeners with stories about the value of virtues like honesty, respect, courage and self-reliance. Chinese Folktales collects nineteen of these fantastic tales, some of them dating back to the third century BCE, and retells them in contemporary English for a modern audience. This updated editionpreviously titled Chinese Fablesoffers the same great stories in a smaller, easier to handle format at a lower price.

Each of these stories offers a nugget of ancient folk wisdom and glimpses of traditional Chinese culture and lore. All of the tales express the foibles and wisdom of human experience with great humor and affection. Although the lessons are universal, the wit and flavor are uniquely Chinese.

Beautifully illustrated by a master Chinese artist using a patchwork of ancient tones and textures, with a deft touch of humor, this book will give great joy to children and adults alike.

Chinese children's stories include:

• The Practical Bride
• Stealing the Bell
• Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy
• Cooking the Duck
• Scaring the Tigers
• The Dragon Slayer

Reviews

"A wry sense of humor runs through these selectionsthe art is both exquisite and appropriate to the rustic origins of these tales. This well-crafted collection can be enjoyed on its own or as an intriguing resource for cross-cultural studies or language-arts units." --School Library Journal
"[Nineteen tales] maintain their centuries-old timelessness--but with a contemporary relevance achieved through language, tone, and illustrationit's unmistakably, traditionally Chinese, and gentle caricatured facial expressions lend humor and whimsyThis will be a welcome addition to a classroom set of fables from around the world." --Booklist
"If you are more than familiar with the offerings of Aesop and Grimm, then you will enjoy the chance to add to your repertoire with this assortment of stories of Oriental wisdom. The 19 stories in this lovely hardbound, four-color illustrated book are a fresh take on some age-old ideas." --Asian Review of Books

Author Bio

Shiho S. Nunes (1917 - 2019) was a passionate educator who authored Hawaiian culture-based novels for young adults, as well as The Shishu Ladies of Hilo: Japanese Embroidery in Hawaii.

Born and raised in Singapore, Lak-Khee Tay-Audouard is the illustrator of several children's books, among them Monkey, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, and Adventures of the Treasure Fleet. The mother of two grown children, she and her husband live in France.