Bamboo
by Paul Yee and Illustrated by Shaoli Wang
K-Gr. 2. In this folktale set in rural China of long
ago, good-hearted newlyweds suffer ill fortune but
find aid from an unexpected source. Gentle Ming
presents her husband, Bamboo, with bamboo seedlings on
their wedding day, and the plants soon become a
thriving grove. The couple's foresight is rewarded
when the fantastical stalks help them through various hardships, including Bamboo's disappearance at sea and the stratagems of a greedy sister-in-law. Reminiscent of Grace Lin's art, Wang's folk-art-style paintings layer scenes of traditional, rural home life against strikingly composed landscapes, contributing to the story's magical dimension through wild, off-kilter perspectives. An endnote indicating the story's background or sources would have been useful, but the story's familiar theme of virtue repaid tenfold will reassure children and prompt discussion. --by Jennifer Mattson, Booklist
Paul Yee's book Bamboo uses a Chinese folktale filled with magic
and trickery to relate how good will can prevail over the evil actions
of others. The tale is well told and the one-dimensional characters
are easily identified. Elements of magic and trickery are present
and the text is interspersed with dialogue that moves the action
along quickly. The illustrations by Shaoli Wang are very beautiful
and are well representative of life in a small Chinese village.
The illustrations' connections of characters to the plot may be
confusing for younger students, as the characters' clothes and appearance
change as the story unfolds, but details of the narrative are clearly
noted in the text. Another heart-warming tale of the perseverance
of the human spirit from Paul Yee that will be thoroughly enjoyed
in the classroom -- by Anne Burke. Resource
Links, Volume 11, Number 3, February 2006 |
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