The Magic Paintbrush [Hardcover]

Laurence Yep (Author), Suling Wang (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 2000 | Age Level: 8 and up

When Steve grasped the painting, it tigled aainst his fingertips.He felt as if he had rubbed his shoes fast over a carpet. And the tingling spread through his whole hand. "What's going on?" he asked, scared.

From the momen Grandfather gives Steve a magic paintbrush that grants wishes, life in Chinatown will never be the same.

Steve can scarcely believe it.  With his new paintbrush, everything he paints becomes real. Now he, Grandfather, and Uncle Fong can wish for anything their hearts desire. Steve's painting sends Uncle Fong back in time to the village of his childhood. Grandfather meets the legendary Lady on the Moon. Steve wonders if the magic paintbrush can bring his parents back. But when their greedy landlord, Mr. Pang, tries to use the magic paintbrush to make his wish come true, the three realize the paintbrush has its own agenda. Laurence Yep once again expertly weaves the spirit of magic and a contemporary San Francisco Chinatown setting in a whimsical novel that explores how the power of memory and love help alleviate loss.

Steve can scarcely believe it.  With his new paintbrush, everything he paints becomes real. Now he, Grandfather, and Uncle Fong can wish for anything their hearts desire. Steve's painting sends Uncle Fong back in time to the village of his childhood. Grandfather meets the legendary Lady on the Moon. Steve wonders if the magic paintbrush can bring his parents back. But when their greedy landlord, Mr. Pang, tries to use the magic paintbrush to make his wish come true, the three realize the paintbrush has its own agenda. Laurence Yep once again expertly weaves the spirit of magic and a contemporary San Francisco Chinatown setting in a whimsical novel that explores how the power of memory and love help alleviate loss.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The setting for this appealing contemporary tale is San Francisco's Chinatown, the same as for Yep's simultaneously released Cockroach Cooties (reviewed Feb. 14), but here Yep mixes in elements of fantasy and fairy tale, as in his The Imp Who Ate My Homework. After his parents are killed in a fire, eight-year-old Steve experiences cultural and generational shock when he goes to live with his immigrant grandfather and Uncle Fong in a Chinatown tenement. Convinced that the stern, disapproving old men don't want him, his grief and misery are compounded by shame when he's penalized at school for not buying a new paintbrush--which his penurious grandfather can ill afford. The rapprochement begins when Steve's grandfather gives him a family heirloom, a paintbrush said to be made with the hairs from a unicorn's tale. Suddenly, whatever the boy paints springs to life, from a steak to the Chinatown moon of legends, transforming their dreary life. "Chinatowners are made, not born," insists his grandfather, who, with Uncle Fong's help, uses the new vistas that the paintbrush reveals as an opportunity to teach his grandson the lore of his ancestral homeland. As always, Yep's crisp style keeps the pages turning, and he leavens his story with snappy dialogue, realistic characters and plenty of wise humor. Final artwork not seen by PW. Ages 8-12. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-Steve is a recently orphaned third grader who has been uprooted from a middle-class suburban lifestyle to live with his grandfather and his roommate, Uncle Fong, in a tenement in San Francisco's Chinatown. The lonely boy mistakes his grandfather's brusque nature for dislike and resentment. However, when Steve fails an art assignment because of a worn-out brush, his grandfather surprises him with a long-treasured magic paintbrush and the fantasy begins. Any picture the boy paints with the enchanted brush becomes real. As windows are painted on the walls of their apartment, they travel through them to the China of the old men's youth. Steve learns about his grandfather's past, about Chinese legends, and about life as a "Chinatowner." He discovers that his relative does indeed care about him, and that even though magic is enticing and exciting, its power should be used judiciously because, like nature, it cannot be controlled. Humor is evident when a greedy slumlord abuses the magic and is sufficiently humbled. Through simple yet sensitive dialogue, the author weaves a tale of alienation turning into affection, and of good prevailing over meanness. Wang's black-and-white drawings appear in every chapter and expertly capture the mood of the story.
Sharon McNeil, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (March 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060281995
• ISBN-13: 978-0060281991
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,136,647 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laurence Yep has been fascinated with tales of sibling rivalry from the day he was born. His older brother, Tom, chose his name Laurence - after a saint who died a particularly gruesome death. Laurence has been trying to get even ever since. Laurence Yep now lives in Pacific Grove, California, with his wife and is one of children's literature's most respected authors. His award-winning titles include Newbery Honor Books Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Charming Fantasy, May 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic Paintbrush (Hardcover)

I was pleasantly surprised by the charm of this book. The factthat it is based on one of my favorite Chinese folktales made meskeptical, but Yep is such an excellent writer that characters in this magical fantasy charmed me. The ending gets a little schmaltzy, but it works.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Treasure of a Novel, October 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Magic Paintbrush (Hardcover)

Award-winning Yep has proven again why he is a master of storytelling. In this treasure of a short novel, Yep offers fantasy, mystery, and family magic. Particularly strong is the characterization of the grandfather-grandson relationship. This is a perfect book for readers just taking hold of the novel. Highly recommended, especially for those with a love of intergenerational and Asian American literature.

3.0 out of 5 stars Better than You're Expecting, March 21, 2007

By 

Martha M. Button "martykids" (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Magic Paintbrush (Paperback)

My son really enjoyed this book once he gave it a chance. He's eight and tends to literally judge a book by it's cover and this book doesn't have the coolest cover. Once he gave the book a chance he saw that there was lots of magical and funny things that happened in the story