Silent Lotus [Hardcover]

Jeanne M. Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1991 | Age Level: 5 and up

Vibrant watercolors and drawings based on the 12th-century bas-reliefs on the Cambodian temples of Angkor Wat bring added realism to this gentle tale of the thousand-year-old tradition of the Khmer court ballet. Full color throughout.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Young Lotus was born deaf and unable to speak. Her days are filled with basket-weaving, swimming and walking among the wild birds, "joining them in their graceful steps." Although she is good-natured and beautiful, the other children run from Lotus, leaving her lonely and heavy- hearted. Seeking solace from the gods , the girl and her parents travel to "the temple in the city," where Lotus, imitating the temple dancers, exhibits the extraordinary talent that eventually wins her favor with the king and queen. Set in Cambodia, Lee's tender tale intertwines universal childhood concerns with intriguing elements of a rich and unfamiliar culture. The bold-hued paintings--of lush lotus blossoms, waterfowl and ornate costumes--display an Eastern serenity as they depict life in a distant land, though most of the human figures are less skillfully drawn. Young readers will be heartened as they watch Lotus transform into a successful woman despite her handicap. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-- Lotus loves nothing better than to mimic the graceful steps of the herons, cranes, and egrets that frequent the lake near her Cambodian home. But because she cannot hear or speak, she has no friends and is often sad and lonely. Her parents, hoping for a sign from the gods, take her to the temple of the city. There she is intrigued by the temple dancers. At the palace she catches the attention of the king, who agrees that she should learn the court dances; in time she becomes the most famous dancer in the Khmer kingdom. The quiet text, told in the third person, gives no sense of the frustrations Lotus must feel or of the hard work necessary to achieve her position, just as the stylized illustrations, with their flat, lifeless human figures, fail to capture the movement and vitality of Cambodian dances. The page layout is nevertheless effective. Brilliant colors of the countryside or court life are set off against the stark white of the opposite page, holding carefully centered text with a small drawing above, reminiscent of the reliefs at Angkor Wat. Several spreads are devoted entirely to illustration. Libraries serving Cambodian populations will want to consider this offering. --Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 71 pages
• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux (J); 1st edition (September 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374369119
• ISBN-13: 978-0374369118
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,043,018 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book!, May 9, 2004

By 

S. Reese "Central Valley City Girl" (Sacramento, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Silent Lotus (Sunburst Book) (Paperback)

The illustrations in this book are a beautiful as the story.
I had to read (sign) a book to my ASL2 class and was happy to find this book. After practicing with it for a while, I fell in love with the art and the message. I couldn't help myself, I had to purchase my own copy. I highly recommend this refreshing and stunning book!

3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent story, June 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Silent Lotus (Sunburst Book) (Paperback)

A wonderful story for young kids. Exemplifies the value and beauty that each person holds within themselves. A beautifully written and illustrated story. The pictures tell as much about the richness of the Taiwan culture as the words do. Deals well with deafness and in a way young people can understand.