Customer Reviews

The Story of Chopsticks

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was attracted to this book by the illustrations by Yongsheng Xuan, which are a folklike cross between classic paper cuttings and stained glass renderings. The story is Ying Chang Compestine's fantasy of how chop sticks (or Kuai-zi (KhWy-zzuh)) (quick sticks) were invented in imperial China over 3,000 years ago. In addition to the story, the reader gets instructions on how to use chopsticks and a recipe of rice pudding with mangoes, maple, cherries and pineapple. The story is interesting and it shows how the ingenuity of a child can be accepted by adults. It also shows how siblings can stand up for each other in the face of adult questioning, and how a family can commercialize an invention for future prosperity.

Another "hit" from Ying Chang Compestine! When I asked my eight year old what he liked best about The Story of Chopsticks, he proceeded to tell me the entire tale. Well, that's the best endorsement....is it not? As for me, anything that encourages thinking outside the box and reminds my young children to wash their hands before eating gets five stars from me!

We loved The Runaway Rice Cake but my duaghters and I were disappointed with The Story of Chopsticks. Even though we celebrated Chinese New Year with an orgy of Chinese fairy tales and assorted other books and DVD's appropriate for the holiday, the girls, 4 & 6, did not want to reread this book.

I teach Mandarin Chinese to elementary school students. This book provides a great lead-in to teaching students about chopsticks--how to use them and allowing them to imagine how chopsticks might actually have been invented. I enjoy all 3 books in this series. ("The Story of Noodles" and "The Story of Kites" are the other two books about the Kang family's adventures and inventions). In fact, I intend to feature Ying Chang Compestine in an author study in my Chinese classes this year, with all three of these books to be included in our study. Enjoy this book for what it is, a fun book with a link to culture. The only change I would have made is the name they used to call "Papa." It's more authentic to use "Baba," the Chinese word for "Dad." I substitute Baba for Papa when I read the book to my students. Other than that, I heartily recommend this book as an enjoyable read for children.

Read this book with my son. The author tried to write the story in a dramatic way, but the story is not very decent and the writing is weak. Will not read it again.