The Sons of the Dragon King: A Chinese Legend [Hardcover]

Ed Young (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

"Behavior not befitting the son of the Dragon King!"

The Dragon King has sent his nine sons out to find their places in the world, but rumors abound -- each son is apparently as aimless as the next! One son does nothing but stare into space, another spends his day frolicking in a stream, another plays with fire, and still another hollers and yells from noon till night. The king realizes it's time to visit each son to see if the rumors are true. What he finds surprises him, for each son has a very special gift that continues to serve and enrich China's culture to this very day.

Two-time Caldecott winner Ed Young brings us a legend of a very special parent recognizing the potential in his very special children, and in doing so, shows how a simple folktale shaped a visible part of Chinese culture.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4–According to legend, the Dragon King had nine sons who, after leaving their father's house, seemed to be aimlessly frittering away their days. When the king goes to investigate, he discovers that what appears to be frivolity or laziness is masking a unique talent, and he helps each son to employ his talent productively. For example, because the second son, Chi Wen, constantly stares intently into the distance, he becomes a sentinel. Young then goes on to describe how that young man and his talent are still symbolically reflected in Chinese art and architecture. "And to this day, Chi Wen may still be found at the tops of buildings, a sentinel searching the distance for potential danger." The text is engrossing and includes an informative author's note. The illustrations, rendered in brush, ink, and cut paper, use softly smudged lines for the part of the story focused on the legend, and sharper, cleaner lines augmented by a minimal but dramatically effective use of color for the present-day segments. This elegant addition to folklore shelves should be a first purchase for most libraries.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. The Dragon King's nine sons have been sent forth to find their true callings. Unfortunately, they gravitate to activities that seem self-indulgent, such as breaking into song or "fuss[ing] about in the kitchen." Though initially distressed, the Dragon King realizes that each of his sons' interests can be parlayed into useful employment: his noisy son, for example, can keep musical instruments sounding "loud and true," and his sharp-eyed son can protect homes from danger, and so on. Although the story has a repetitive structure typical of folktales for younger readers, the text is long and requires a certain level of sophistication to make the conceptual leap between each son's role in the story and its corresponding significance in Chinese iconography (each of the nine scenarios concludes with a cut-paper example of real-world dragon ornamentation, much of which can evidently be traced to this legend). Even readers older than the traditional picture-book audience, though, may find that they lack the cultural context to fully appreciate the esoteric aspects of Young's treatment. The ink-wash portraits of the exuberant young dragons are probably reason enough to buy this book; readers of any age will marvel at how much Young can accomplish with just a few sinuous strokes of his brush. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (April 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689851847
• ISBN-13: 978-0689851841
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 11.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #499,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars And now, the feats of strength!, May 20, 2005

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Sons of the Dragon King: A Chinese Legend (Hardcover)

Ed Young's all over the map. One minute he's meticulously cutting out brightly colored slips of paper to resemble rodentia as in, "Seven Blind Mice". The next he's dallying with pastels in the less remarkable, "Turkey Girl". Sometimes his books are astounding to the eye and ear and sometimes they test even the most die-hard of his fans. Veering in a completely new direction, Young's, "The Sons of the Dragon King", utilizes brush and ink (as well as his familiar cut paper style) to bring us a classic Chinese tale of nine brothers and the ways in which their father put their skills to use. It's not exactly the kind of story tots are going to expect with a title that includes the words, "Dragon King", but for some collections it will serve as a lovely addition.

There was once a Dragon King who had nine sons. The king sent his sons off to find their place in the world and, for a time, everything was hunky-dory. However, soon rumors start to circulate about each of the sons. Servants, who apparently have no qualms about downplaying a prince to his father, let the king know of the sons' individual flaws. For example, the first son seems to do nothing all day but challenge peasants to feats of strength. The Dragon King is inclined to punish his son, but then decides that perhaps he can use that strength to a better end. Hence, now many large columns in China are supported by images of this dragon son. The second son just sits on the roof all day, staring into nothingness. Again, the king thinks he should punish, but at last decides that his son's watchfulness can also be helpful. Hence, many Chinese buildings sport images of this son on the tops of their buildings, watching for danger. You get the picture. The third son is loud (so he's now on instruments). The fourth son is just (so he appears above prison doors). And so on and so forth. The tale ends with the father having found adequate placement for each dragon son and a contentment in the knowledge that all is right with the world.

I'm all about fairy tales that show individuals using their unique talents to work towards some common goal. So I was a little shocked to reach the end of this tale and find that the story, such as it was, was just a counting down of each son to his individual calling. They never band together to defeat a single enemy. They don't even know of one another. Basing this tale on a classic Chinese legend, Young has certainly given this tale a classy package. For the first time in my recollection, he's almost traipsed into the world of cartoon. His dragons (which are sometimes so sketchy that kids obsessed with the literal will find them a tad disheartening) can be silly, meticulous, and fierce. The inks used here look both classic and completely contemporary. As for the cut paper, I'm not entirely certain how Young managed to take out every tiny sliver required for his sidebars. I'm just glad he did.

That said, the book's not going to attract a wide audience. It's a nice tale, but there aren't enough pictures of the dragons for little kids and not enough story for older ones. The inked dragons are fabulous looking, yes, but they're not visually appealing to little kids. Older kids, the kinds that still read picture books but don't need tons of stories, will want to hear more than a tale of "brother _____ could _____ so now he ______". Also, I was disappointed to find that while Young is careful to include a nicely in-depth Author's Note and stamp for each brother, he has not included any words in Chinese aside from the brothers' names. But that's more of a personal choice than a real critique.

In the end, this is a grand story of a father accepting his sons and finding acceptable ways for them to come to the aid of humanity. It suggests that all parents that find their children to be different from what they originally wanted should attempt to be as open-minded as the infinitely wise Dragon King. I liked that part of the book. I just feel that this is a book for adults that like picture books. Not one for kids that like dragons. A beautiful creation in a peculiar presentation.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sons of the Dragon King, November 2, 2004

By 

Heidi Anne Heiner (SurLaLune Fairy Tales.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Sons of the Dragon King: A Chinese Legend (Hardcover)

As any parent knows, each child comes with special talents and abilities that require nurturing. In "The Sons of the Dragon King," Ed Young retells and illustrates an ancient Chinese folktale in which a parent, the great Dragon King, struggles with his nine unique children, all sons. As he hears complaints about his sons from tutors and neighbors, the king realizes his sons are not living lives befitting their royal heritage. He sets out to chastise each of them, but instead recognizes the talents behind each son's activities and gives them jobs that celebrate and use each talent. For example, one son becomes the guardian of music, another the servant of justice, and another the protector of food preparation.

When the tale is ended, the king is pleased with his sons and they are in turn happy with their assigned roles, continuing in them to this day when they are represented on instruments, doorways, rooftops, etc.

The text and illustrations are better suited to older children, third grade and up, but the tale has great potential for reading aloud to slightly younger children. The tale will also resonate with parents and teachers as the king struggles to nurture his children's gifts and find their places in history. Overall, a highly recommended version of an ancient tale with modern applications.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully crafted book!, October 28, 2004

By 

E. Fox (Oregon Coast USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sons of the Dragon King: A Chinese Legend (Hardcover)

Sons of the Dragon King is a timeless story of a parent understanding their children's unique talents. The ancient Chinese setting is a perfect foil for the wonderful brush and ink and cut paper illustrations Young so deftly wields. There is a lot of repetition in the text, which authenticates the tale and also makes it more appealing to younger readers. While an engaging read-alone for older 3rd graders and up, the book has many applications in the classroom: appreciating special needs, Chinese art, folklore, calligraphy, and architecture. It would be a great addition to any library.