The Dragon's Pearl [Hardcover]

Julie Lawson (Author), Paul Morin (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

Life is hard for Xiao Sheng and his mother, until one day he finds a magic pearl that brings them good luck and forever changes Xiao Sheng's destiny.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dragon fans will hail the arrival of a cloud-breathing, rainmaking dragon of Chinese folklore, who provides a captivating (and benevolent) alternative to the European fire-breathing variety. Despite a severe drought, Xiao Sheng discovers a pearl that bestows good fortune upon his mother's land. When thieves attempt to steal the gem, the panicked boy swallows it, unleashing an "intense heat" that "seared through him, as if he had swallowed a ball of fire" and transforming him into a dragon. Far from being a curse, Xiao Sheng's new incarnation empowers him to breathe clouds into the sky, bringing rain and prosperity to all. In a polished display of verbiage, Lawson invests her colorful text with passion and drama, inspiring a fresh appreciation of the mythological beast. (Though occasionally the story's disparate elements threaten to become diffused, their focus unclear.) An absorbing explanation of Chinese dragon lore following the tale elucidates their revered status as water-gods. Morin's ( The Orphan Boy ) arresting collage illustrations incorporate scraps of painted burlap, stalks of grain, coins and pearls into lustrous oil paintings, enhancing the singular appeal of this impressive collaboration. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-- A well-crafted story with many folkloric qualities that successfully presents Chinese tradition and culture in a manner that is both enlightening and entertaining. The tale is of a poor but optimistic boy who cuts and sells grass for fuel or fodder in order to buy food for himself and his mother. When a drought ruins the land, killing the livestock and leaving the people poor and hungry, Xiao Sheng discovers a magic pearl that keeps his mother's food jars and money box full. She returns her neighbors' earlier kindness by sharing her wealth with them, while the pearl changes the boy's life and the fortune of the village in a most dramatic way. Lawson has appended a page of notes about Chinese dragons (water-gods) that sheds light on the unusual aspects of the story. Many of Morin's oil paintings on canvas show clothing, foliage, and grass that are carefully textured with sawdust and fibers. His skillful portraits are an indication of his great artistic talent. However, several panoramas--two of them featuring an ochre/yellow heat-parched land--lack the depth that gives similar scenes in Morin's exquisitely rendered book, The Orphan Boy (Clarion, 1991), a photographic quality. Xiao Sheng seems flat and unrealistic as well. Photographed swatches of painted fibre and realia (coin, fishhook, pearl) adorn white pages of text, with the whole encased in a neat, geometric border on fiber background. Despite its few artistic imperfections, the book as a whole is a lovely package of writing and visuals that will be enjoyed as read-aloud, cultural lesson, and folk fantasy. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 31 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (March 22, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039563623X
• ISBN-13: 978-0395636237
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,722,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensitive and Dramatic Fantasy, September 12, 2009

By 

Karma (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dragon's Pearl (Hardcover)

I don't know how or when this book appeared on Amazon, but I quickly snatched up 3 copies! I was under the impression it was out of print for years. I've used my old copy to read to children and find they respond to it very well. I recommend no younger than second grade - and then the location needs to be discussed, China, and an occasional word defined. The actual reading level is a bit higher. The story is about a poor boy who works very hard to support his mother and himself. In the midst of an especially difficult time of drought he finds a magic pearl which changes their lives. It is when thieves try to steal the pearl that the excitement really begins. The boy hides the pearl in his mouth! When he accidentally swallows it, his body begins to grow and he is changed into a dragon! The story ends quietly as it began - not the western "happily ever after", but a more quiet, thoughtful way. The dragon leaves the village. The mother loses her son, but not entirely - he is now a great dragon who brings the rains each year and sings in the river by her home. The illustrations are bright and beautiful, but leave the transformation to the reader's imagination. There is a page at the end of the book that shares facts about Chinese dragons and how they contrast with western images.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best illustrated fairy tales ever published, September 18, 2000

By 

Frieda Ling (Glendale, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dragon's Pearl (Hardcover)

This is a meticulously researched, beautifully told, and exquisitely illustrated fairy tale. During a severe drought, a poverty-stricken boy discovers by accident a magic pearl that saves his, his mother's, and many of their fellow villagers' lives until some villains came with the intent to snatch the pearl away. In addition to the common theme of the struggle between good and evil, this tale expounds particularly well the Chinese concept of the benevolent dragon and filial piety.

The illustrations are worth noting. Paul Morin, an award-winning Canadian artist, spent months on location in China to research the scenery, architecture, costumes, and customs of the people. As in his previous book, The Orphan Boy, he incorporated real objects onto his canvas to enrich the texture of the paintings. If you are looking for a magnificent picture of the Chinese dragon, look no further.

A wonderful book for children 6 and up for reading, for adults interested in Chinese folklore, and for storytellers. Highly recommended.