The Chinese Mirror [Paperback]

Mirra Ginsburg (Author), Margot Zemach (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Young readers will be highly amused by the chaos the mirror creates when simple folk fail to recognize themselves. Pastel illustrations warmly and humorously complement a sensitive retelling of the Korean folktale.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When a peasant in long-ago Korea brings his family a mirror, they each see a different person in it. PW said, "A poetic and sparse retelling brings freshness and joy to this tale. Zemach's translucent watercolors . . . echo the serene beauty of Oriental art." Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Mirra Ginsburg was born in the small town of Bobruisk (buh-BROO-isk) in the country of Byelorussia. Living there was like living in another century. There was no electricity and no running water. When it rained on the town's dirt roads, pigs and piglets would splash in the puddles and wallow in the mud. Sometimes Ginsburg liked to play barefoot alongside them!

As a child in Byelorussia, Ginsburg learned to love books. Once when visiting a friend, she noticed several books of folk tales and began to read. She still remembers that moment. "I opened one of the books, and was captured for life. The magical world has stayed with me ever since."

• Ginsburg learned from her father to love nature. She felt so at home outdoors, she did her first writing sitting in the middle of her family's currant bushes.
• Folk tales are Ginsburg's favorite kind of story and she especially loves those from her native land. "There is so much richness and wit and beauty here, why not share them with American children?" she once asked.
  

Margot Zemach (1931-1989) an American illustrator, was the illustrator of over forty children's books, mostly adaptions of folk tales from around the world. She was born in Los Angeles and studied at the Los Angeles County Art Institute. When she was growing up during the Great Depression, she drew to make people laugh but never had enough paper. Her illustrating career began when her husband, Harve Zemach, urged her to, and they collaborated on their first book in 1959. Since then, they have collaborated on 13 books, including the 1974 Caldecott Medal winning Duffy and the Devil.

Margot Zemach died on May 21, 1989, of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (September 15, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152175083
• ISBN-13: 978-0152175085
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.7 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,133,205 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Chinese Mirror Mirrors Life!, July 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Chinese Mirror (Paperback)

This delightful picture book appeals to people of all ages and is a great read-aloud to both children and adults. No one in this Korean family has ever seen a mirror, so no one has ever seen what he/she looks like! When the father brings home a mirror from a business trip and hides it in his trunk, not really knowing what it is, each member of the family sneaks a peek in the mirror, but they all see something entirely different for hilarious results. I cannot believe this book has not won major awards...it is an enchanting and laugh out loud tale!