Caldecott Medalist Ed Young retells an ancient Chinese tale of how a father mouse travels to the end of the earth in search of the perfect husband for his wonderful daughter. How could he have known when he set out that his journey would lead him back home? Full color.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3. Young presents a Chinese variant of the "Mouse Bride" tale to demonstrate the importance of recognizing the value of what is in one's own backyard. He uses heavy paper to create an accordion-fold format, and the first page is attached to the front board. One side of the story is told in white ink with black, cut-paper mice scurrying over a collage background of golds, browns, and reds. Watercolors and pastels, and the resulting wrinkles and bumps, add interest. When the father learns that it is the tiny mouse, with his ability to cause the mountain to crumble, that is the mightiest, and the daughter hears the news, the pages explode into glorious magenta. The reverse side of the foldout has a telling of the story in Chinese characters. When folded, the book is tied with raffia, although it will stay together when the raffia wears out. The story would be most effective displayed and told on a very long shelf or table. Young has considered the linear quality of the quest in his design, making viewing at a slight distance the optimal way to experience his creation. On the wedding day, the mice understand that "when they had a question, they knew that to find an answer they had not only to look?but also to see." Everything about Young's retelling works together to convey the joy of recognition.?Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
The mouse-parents of a cherished mouse-daughter seek the greatest and most powerful suitor for her; the sun begs off, for it humbly admits it can be eclipsed by a cloud. Each potential groom is just as honest: The cloud can be blown by the wind; the wind can be blocked by a mountain; the mountain can be nibbled to crumbs--by mice. Young (Genesis, p. 148, etc.) illustrates the story in an unconventional application of colors combined with a collage technique, featuring choices such as the lined green paper for the leaf of what looks like an iris plant. The mice are left in silhouette, but humor and personality are conveyed in their shapes and postures. The most unusual aspect of the story is its accordian format: A strip of heavy, coated cardboard has been folded into the picture-book format. Every turn of a fold brings readers to a discernible spread, but every spread blends into the next: The result is that the entire story can be unfolded into one long continuum. On the reverse side, in white calligraphy on a black background, the story appears in Chinese. It's a polished, effective presentation, for lap-sharing or story hours, and evidence that Young continuously redefines his role as a picture-book creator. (Picture book/folklore. 5-9) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Caldecott Medalist Ed Young is the illustrator of over eighty books for children, seventeen of which he has also written.
He finds inspiration for his work in the philosophy of Chinese painting. 'A Chinese painting is often accompanied by words,' explains Young. 'They are complementary. There are things that words do that pictures never can, and likewise, there are images that words can never describe.'
Born in Tientsin, China, Ed Young grew up in Shanghai and later moved to Hong Kong. As a young man, he came to the United States on a student visa to study architecture but turned instead to his love of art.
Young began his career as a commercial artist in advertising and found himself looking for something more expansive, expressive, and timeless. He discovered all this, and more, in children's books. The subject and style of each story provide Young with the initial inspiration for his art and with the motivation for design, sequence, and pace. Accuracy in research is essential to his work, too--whether he is illustrating fantasy, folk tale, or fact.
According to Young, a strong foundation of credibility must be established in order to create new and exciting images. Through such images, he hopes to capture his readers and ultimately expand their awareness. Young's quest for challenge and growth are central in his role as illustrator.
'Before I am involved with a project I must be moved, and as I try something exciting, I grow. It is my purpose to stimulate growth in the reader as an active participant as well,' Young explains. 'I feel the story has to be exciting, and a moving experience for a child.'
A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Young has since taught at the Pratt Institute, Yale University, Naropa Institute, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. In 1990, his book Lon Po Po was awarded the Caldecott Medal. He has also received two Caldecott Honors--for The Emperor and the Kite and Seven Blind Mice--and was twice nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the highest international recognition given to children's book authors and illustrators who have made a lasting contribution to children's literature.
Young lives in Westchester County, New York, with his two daughters.
He finds inspiration for his work in the philosophy of Chinese painting. 'A Chinese painting is often accompanied by words,' explains Young. 'They are complementary. There are things that words do that pictures never can, and likewise, there are images that words can never describe.'
Born in Tientsin, China, Ed Young grew up in Shanghai and later moved to Hong Kong. As a young man, he came to the United States on a student visa to study architecture but turned instead to his love of art.
Young began his career as a commercial artist in advertising and found himself looking for something more expansive, expressive, and timeless. He discovered all this, and more, in children's books. The subject and style of each story provide Young with the initial inspiration for his art and with the motivation for design, sequence, and pace. Accuracy in research is essential to his work, too--whether he is illustrating fantasy, folk tale, or fact.
According to Young, a strong foundation of credibility must be established in order to create new and exciting images. Through such images, he hopes to capture his readers and ultimately expand their awareness. Young's quest for challenge and growth are central in his role as illustrator.
'Before I am involved with a project I must be moved, and as I try something exciting, I grow. It is my purpose to stimulate growth in the reader as an active participant as well,' Young explains. 'I feel the story has to be exciting, and a moving experience for a child.'
A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Young has since taught at the Pratt Institute, Yale University, Naropa Institute, and the University of California at Santa Cruz. In 1990, his book Lon Po Po was awarded the Caldecott Medal. He has also received two Caldecott Honors--for The Emperor and the Kite and Seven Blind Mice--and was twice nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, the highest international recognition given to children's book authors and illustrators who have made a lasting contribution to children's literature.
Young lives in Westchester County, New York, with his two daughters.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Children Learn Diversity,
By Nathan Funderburke (Birmingham, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mouse Match: A Chinese Folktale (Hardcover)
Mouse Match is a great tool for learning about diversity. The openness of Mama and Papa Mouse to their daughter marrying even another animal race speaks volumes to children who only determine differences between races (as well as species) by their appearance. Those children become more open and tolerant of people of different race, ethnicity, religion, and creed--an essential social skill to success in the world of today and tomorrow.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book - in chinese and english, beautiful illustrations,
By A Customer
This review is from: Mouse Match: A Chinese Folktale (Hardcover)
This childrens book is a delight for children or adults. The story reads two directions;one way in Chinese and the other in English. Great gift!
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chinese Folktale.... or shall I says mouse-tail!,
By KSL "emma-and-me" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mouse Match: A Chinese Folktale (Hardcover)
Like all parents we want our children to love and respect our daughters, we also want her to marry well, to be the greatest and most powerful. So out goes Papa Mouse to find someone worthy and thinks he's found the one! The Sun, but the Sun tells him someone else is better than he. When he goes to each prospective suitor he is told again that someone else is better until he is directed back to the mouse holes.Ed Young has really made a beautiful book based on a Chinese folktale, which Young actually found out that this story has been also be told in Ethiopia, Germany, Native American people, France, Germany, Korea, India, Burma and Japan where in some versions the main characters are people or rats. The book is very unusual because it is not like the books you are use to reading - this book is done in accordion style. The book unfolds and on the other side of the pages is told in Chinese characters. The illustrations are actually a collage and is beautiful! This would be a great story to use during the Chinese New Year for the Year of the Rat / Mouse.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
