Dream-of-Jade: The Emperor's Cat [Hardcover]

Lloyd Alexander (Author), D. Brent Burkett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

No ordinary man is permitted to see the great Kwan-Yu, emperor of China, but this doesn't stop the beautiful, green-eyed Dream-of-Jade, since she is not an ordinary man, but a rather unusual cat. When Dream-of-Jade decides she wants to see His Highness, she simply slips into the empty throne room and sits upon the imperial throne. When Kwan-Yu arrives, she does not give up her seat, but does point out the dangerous state of the emperor’s ceiling. Thus begins the great friendship between an Emperor and a little white cat, who not only saves the emperor’s life at their first meeting, but knows how to cure his ailments, make him laugh, and entertain him, and whose greatest wish is to make Kwan-Yu the best emperor ever to rule China.

Lloyd Alexander has written this little masterpiece filled with details from ancient Chinese court life. With his sharp wit, tongue-in-cheek humor, and good-natured satire, he exposes the rigidity of ancient imperial customs and traditions. Dream-of-Jade’s no-nonsense solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems delight children and adults alike, making this tale an unforgettable reading adventure for the entire family.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4–In a fictional ancient Chinese empire, a cat named Dream-of-Jade befriends the lonely and badly advised Celestial Emperor. First she saves his life by noticing that the neglected ceiling above his throne is about to collapse, and then she teaches him the invigorating effect of a bit of physical labor. Next she introduces him to laughter and playfulness. So, little by little, Dream-of-Jade intervenes between the Emperor and his courtiers, lifting the weight of stifling tradition and meaningless ceremony from his shoulders and allowing honesty and common sense to prevail. This handsome book is illustrated with graceful pencil-and-watercolor art that adds atmosphere and emotion to Alexander's ornate prose. Because the characters speak in highly stylized, stilted language–There does, in fact, appear to be a feline creature so situated and performing the oracular activity you have so graciously called to my unworthy attention….–the book is better suited as a read-aloud than for independent reading.–Miriam Lang Budin, Chappaqua Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3--5, younger for reading aloud. No one fabricates a better make-believe kingdom than Alexander, as this story about a clever cat proves. Known for her beautiful green eyes, Dream-of-Jade lives in the forbidden city of the Celestial Emperor Kwan-Yu, upon whose grand personage no one is permitted to gaze. But Dream-of-Jade is very, very curious, and she boldly enters the emperor's throne room. Her grave offense would have cost her her life had she not saved the emperor from a falling ceiling. Five chapters, three of which were previously published in Cricket magazine in 1976, delightfully elucidate the special bond that grows between the emperor and his anointed Imperial Cat. The fairy-tale-style narrative flourishes with wily wit, details of ancient Chinese court life, and sophisticated language levied with tongue-in-cheek titles and descriptions, e.g., "Department of Lighthearted But Not-Too-Frivolous Diversions," "Yawn of Profound Uninterest," and "Imperial Couch of Blissful Repose." Finely lined, stylish paintings on marbled yellow backgrounds convey the cultural mystique, invoking both richness and absurdity. This fancy feast of delicious satire begs to be read aloud. Julie Cummins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Cricket Books (August 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812627369
• ISBN-13: 978-0812627367
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,550 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #66 in Books > Children's Books > Literature & Fiction > Historical Fiction > Ancient Civilizations

More About the Author

Few writers have inspired as much affection and interest among readers young and old as Lloyd Alexander. At one point, however, it seemed unlikely that he would ever be a writer at all. His parents could not afford to send him to college. And so when a Philadelphia bank had an opening for a messenger boy, he went to work there. Finally, having saved some money, he quit and went to a local college. Dissatisfied with not having learned enough to be a writer he left at the end of one term. Adventure, he decided was the best way. The United States had already entered World War II. Convinced that here was a chance for real deeds of derring-do, he joined the army -- and was promptly shipped to Texas where he became, in disheartening succession an artilleryman, a cymbal player in the band, an organist in the post chapel, and a first-aid man. At last, he was assigned to a military intelligence center in Maryland. There he trained as a member of a combat team to be parachuted into France to work with the Resistance. "This, to my intense relief, did not happen," says Alexander. Instead, Alexander and his group sailed to Wales to finish their training. This ancient, rough-hewn country, with its castles, mountains, and its own beautiful language made a tremendous impression on him. But not until years later did he realize he had been given a glimpse of another enchanted kingdom. Alexander was sent to Alsace-Lorraine, the Rhineland, and southern Germany. When the war ended, he was assigned to a counterintelligence unit in Paris. Later he was discharged to attend the University of Paris. While a student he met a beautiful Parisian girl, Janine, and they soon married. Life abroad was fascinating, but eventually Alexander longed for home. The young couple went back to Drexel Hill, near Philadelphia, where Alexander wrote novel after novel which publishers unhesitatingly turned down. To earn his living, he worked as a cartoonist, advertising writer, layout artist, and associate editor for a small magazine. It took seven years of constant rejection before his first novel was at last published. During the next ten years, he wrote for adults. And then he began writing for young people.Doing historical research for Time Cat he discovered material on Welsh mythology. The result was The Book of Three and the other chronicles of Prydain, the imaginary kingdom being something like the enchanted land of Wales. In The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen Alexander explored yet another fantastic world. Evoking an atmosphere of ancient China, this unique multi-layered novel was critically acclaimed as one of his finest works. Trina Schart Hyman illustrated The Fortune-tellers as a Cameroonian folktale sparkling with vibrant images, keen insight and delicious wit. Most of the books have been written in the form of fantasy. But fantasy, Alexander believes, is merely one of many ways to express attitudes and feelings about real people, real human relationships and problems

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Purrfect!, December 29, 2005

By 

Hadley M. Danielson "Maj" (Olympia, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dream-of-Jade: The Emperor's Cat (Hardcover)

Dream-of-Jade is a fabulous and fantastic story that emphasizes kindness, generosity, diplomacy, and common sense. The setting is beautiful, the characters are delightful, and nestled throughout the stories are bits of humor, pieces of irony, and the occasional new vocabulary word. Mr. Alexander's book is smart and charming, and as good a read for adults as it is for children. As an added bonus, the artwork, while more impressionistic than many children's books, adds to the flavor of the story quite well, providing a detailed enough view of events that one can see them while not detracting from the reader's eager imaginings.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars * Delightful IRONY from the Ancients is Uncomfortably Contemporary *, August 29, 2006

By 

mcHaiku "nmi" (Brown County INDIANA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dream-of-Jade: The Emperor's Cat (Hardcover)

Come laugh with me and allow an Imperial Feline to draw back the veil of Time that obscures Imperishable Truths. You doubtless know Lloyd Alexander as a prolific writer & author of medieval fantasies. In "Dream-of-Jade" his wonder-filled stories tell us about ancient China and Emperor Kwan-Yu. "Jade" is the cat who stole his affections.

The author dedicated his book to "my dear cats who told me these tales." Fables can be enjoyed 'time and again' - - these were first published in CRICKET magazine in 1976. We learn how historical events were clarified by the wisdom of "Jade": how she cured the emperor, wrote the Law, and most importantly made the emperor laugh. Her beautiful green eyes & white fur is realistically portrayed through the artistry of D. Brent Burkett. He, as well as the cat, get in a few 'swipes' at pompous know-it-all bureaucrats. Some of the tongue-in-cheek humor may be lost on the youngest listeners but they will love the highly stylized speech with "important" words, and the rhythm of complicated 'titles' - such as this on page 36: "the Glittering Repository of Highly Valuable Objects."

If we listen attentively as any cat lover should, we will realize there are often lessons for adults to be found in children's picture books. Reviewer mcHAIKU suggests that you allow yourself to be hypnotized by "Dream-of-Jade."

4.0 out of 5 stars "If a Cat Can Laugh, So Can an Emperor...", June 16, 2009

By 

R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Dream-of-Jade: The Emperor's Cat (Hardcover)

Lloyd Alexander's love and respect for felines is obvious - one need only look at the number of books he has written about them, such as Time Cat (Puffin Modern Classic) (Puffin Modern Classics), The Town Cats and Other Tales and The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man. And who could forget the giant cat Llyan from The Chronicles of Prydain (The Five Books of Prydain, Complete Set)?

"Dream-of-Jade: the Emperor's Cat," continues in the tradition of having a cat protagonist who is clever and cunning, witty and wise, and who use her considerable intelligence to help out the hapless human-folk around her. Named for her bright green eyes, Dream-of-Jade is an imperial cat that wanders the halls of the Emperor Kwan-Yu's palace. Deciding to make the acquaintance of the exalted Emperor, Jade makes herself comfortable on his throne and awaits his coming (embodying the saying that a cat can look at a king...and sit on his throne). She's surprised to find that he's hardly an impressive specimen of a man (being short, elderly and fragile), but despite the protestations of his councilors, she strikes up a friendship with him.

What follows is a series of five stories in which Jade shares her cat-like wisdom to the befuddled, child-like emperor and making the foolish, simpering mandarins that surround him look foolish. She makes a particular enemy of the Chief Minister Yin-Chuan, whose bluster and fustiness is taken down a peg or two by Jade's calm rationalization, sense of fun and ability to awaken the Emperor's eyes to the possibilities around him. As always, Alexander's trademark humour, common sense and words of wisdom are pronounced throughout the story, and yet are never too overbearing. He is one of the few children's authors to seamlessly meld such life-lessons into a text without one feeling as though they've been hit over the head with a moral-of-the-story.

In its Oriental setting, it bears a striking similarity to The Remarkable Journey of Prince Jen, particularly in its gentle mockery of the pompous titles, such as the Chamber of Enlightened Edicts, the Glittering Repository of Highly Valuable Objects and the Department of Lighthearted But Not-Too-Frivolous Diversions. In fact, the above-mentioned novel would be a good companion book to this shorter work.

D. Brent Burkett provides delicate, dreamlike illustrations, which capture the liveliness of humans and the beauty of Dream-of-Jade in muted pastel shades. The one in which the Emperor plays leapfrog with the children is guaranteed to make you smile. Even better is his use of light and shadow that fills the regal, tranquil palace and its gardens, adding a sense of homeliness to the exotic setting. It is worth saying however, that the illustrations take up less space than the text - this story is not a "picture book" that you could sit down and read to a four year old. It's far too long for that, and there are several double pages that consist solely with text.

Cats may not be "man's best friend," and even cat-lovers will admit that there is an aloofness and pride to them (as well as that look they give you that makes it very clear that they consider you their servant). But Lloyd Alexander understands the mystery and beauty of cats, avoiding the stereotype of "the mean cat" and tapping into their more appealing essence of wise tricksters. Dedicating this book to "my dear cats who told me these tales," this is another gem to add to what should be a growing stack of Lloyd Alexander books.