Legend of the Chinese dragon
(Book)

According to this unsourced legend, ancient Chinese tribes believed they were protected by spirits that represented familiar animals. Coastal people chose the fish; mountain folk picked birds; low plains groups adopted the horse. Sadly, wars occurred, and tribes often waged war among themselves in the names of their spirits. To stop the wars, children throughout China decided to create an animal that would protect everyone. Incorporating the remarkable abilities and body parts of various animals, they formed the dragon, and the dragon, became a symbol of peace. Traditional Chinese dragons are more closely associated with water than peace, but they are considered protective. Translated from the French, the spare, stiff narrative is a tenuous vehicle for the handsome linocut illustrations and elegant Chinese calligraphy. While the stately art and exquisite tall, slim book design might be too sophisticated for some children, the obvious parallels to contemporary conflicts may spark lively discussion.--Perkins, Linda Copyright 2007 Booklist

PreS-Gr 3-Long ago in China, people gathered into tribes protected by animal spirits. Because they fought so often in the name of these spirits, their children decided to create an animal that would combine the attributes of many creatures and protect all the people, no matter what tribe. They called their creation, "which could fly in the air, swim in the ocean, and walk on land," a dragon, and it inspired their parents to make peace. No source is given for this sweet, optimistic "legend" told in English and Chinese, though it feels like a modern fable concocted as a vehicle for striking visual effects. Tall and narrow in shape, the book is illustrated with what appear to be rough-hewn woodcuts executed in black and bright primary colors. Ever-handsome page design varies throughout, setting the pace for the story. Evoking Chinese scroll painting, elegant calligraphy runs down the side of every spread, and seals designed by the calligrapher appear where appropriate. Libraries with a need for stories told in English and Chinese may want to consider this title, as will collections that emphasize picture-book art.-Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

They called this fabulous animal--which could fly in the air, swim in the ocean and walk on land--DRAGON." This original tale tells how children created the dragon to bring peace to the warring tribes of ancient China. The text lacks a strong voice, but the art is striking: the dramatic block prints and the book's tall, narrow shape recall Chinese brush painting. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Writing in a tellable, folkloristic style, Sellier invents this "legend" to dovetail nicely with the importance of the dragon symbol in Chinese culture, but unfortunately provides no sources. In an earlier period of Chinese history, the tale says that different tribes were protected by animal spirits, representative of the species that lived in their regions, i.e., those that lived near the shore selected the fish, the low-plains people chose the horse and the people of the rice fields allied with the ox. The inhabitants of the high plains and the mountains invoked the serpent and the bird. The adults fought each other and used their spirits as rallying cries to support their aggression, but the children finally unite to stop war dead in its tracks by creating a new animal that all the people can believe in--the dragon with its serpentine body, fish-scale skin, horse-like head, ox horns and birds' wings. Woodcuts with strong black shapes and patches of red, blue, yellow, orange and green, black Chinese calligraphic text with accompanying chop marks in red denoting the names of the animals, and changing page designs combine to create a powerful visual experience. The last spread connects the story to the New Year celebrations, but some explanatory information would add depth to this bilingual English/Chinese story smoothly translated from the French original. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

According to this unsourced legend, ancient Chinese tribes believed they were protected by spirits that represented familiar animals. Coastal people chose the fish; mountain folk picked birds; low plains groups adopted the horse. Sadly, wars occurred, and tribes 'often waged war among themselves in the names of their spirits.' To stop the wars, children throughout China decided to create an animal that would protect everyone. Incorporating the remarkable abilities and body parts of various animals, they formed the dragon, and the dragon, became a symbol of peace. Traditional Chinese dragons are more closely associated with water than peace, but they are considered protective. Translated from the French, the spare, stiff narrative is a tenuous vehicle for the handsome linocut illustrations and elegant Chinese calligraphy. While the stately art and exquisite tall, slim book design might be too sophisticated for some children, the obvious parallels to contemporary conflicts may spark lively discussion. Copyright 2007 Booklist Reviews.

PreS-Gr 3— Long ago in China, people gathered into tribes protected by animal spirits. Because they fought so often in the name of these spirits, their children decided to create an animal that would combine the attributes of many creatures and protect all the people, no matter what tribe. They called their creation, "which could fly in the air, swim in the ocean, and walk on land," a dragon, and it inspired their parents to make peace. No source is given for this sweet, optimistic "legend" told in English and Chinese, though it feels like a modern fable concocted as a vehicle for striking visual effects. Tall and narrow in shape, the book is illustrated with what appear to be rough-hewn woodcuts executed in black and bright primary colors. Ever-handsome page design varies throughout, setting the pace for the story. Evoking Chinese scroll painting, elegant calligraphy runs down the side of every spread, and seals designed by the calligrapher appear where appropriate. Libraries with a need for stories told in English and Chinese may want to consider this title, as will collections that emphasize picture-book art.—Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams