The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty & the Beast Tale - Hardcover

Yep, Laurence

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060243813 ISBN 13: 9780060243814

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1997

Synopsis

When a poor farmer falls into the clutches of a dragon, only Seven, his youngest daughter, will save him'by marrying the beast.
Publishers Weekly praised "Yep's elegant, carefully crafted storytelling" and Mak's "skillfully and radiantly rendered illustrations" in this captivating and luminous Chinese variation of the beauty and the beast tale.

A 1998 Notable Children's Trade Book in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
A 1997 Pick of the Lists (ABA)

About this title

About the Author:

Laurence Yep grew up in San Francisco, where he was born. He attended Marquette University, was graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and received his Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He lives in Pacific Grove, California, with his wife, writer Joanne Ryder. Mr. Yep is one of children's literature's most respected authors and a recipient of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for his body of work. His novels include Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate, both Newbery Honor Books. He is also the author of Sweetwater; When the Circus Came to Town; The Imp That Ate My Homework, winner of the Georgia Children's Book Award; The Magic Paintbrush; and The Earth Dragon Awakes. The author of numerous other books for children and young adults, Mr. Yep has taught creative writing and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and Santa Barbara. In 1990 he received an NEA fellowship in fiction.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 1-5?Yep presents a polished, touching retelling of a story he calls "a Southern Chinese version of a traditional Chinese tale." When a poor farmer falls into the clutches of a dragon, he begs each of his seven daughters to save him from death by marrying the horrifying creature. At last, the youngest consents. The dragon carries Seven (the daughters are named in birth order, following Chinese tradition) to his home under the sea. Far from being frightened, Seven is full of wonder. When she tells the dragon, "The eye sees what it will, but the heart sees what it should," the monster turns into a handsome prince. They live happily until Seven longs to return home. There, her jealous third sister tries to drown her and takes her place as mistress of the dragon's palace. Then the Prince must go searching for his lost bride. Lavish, hyperrealistic paintings appear opposite each page of text, with two wordless double-page spreads interspersed. However, few of the paintings begin to capture the shivery wonder of the narrative. Most are too literal to illuminate the mood of the story, and leave little scope for the imagination. In the version included in Betsy Hearne's Beauties and Beasts (Oryx, 1993), the monster bridegroom is a snake. Here, the snake transforms itself into a dragon, increasing the excitement and danger. Still, Yep's version of this romantic adventure celebrates resilience and understanding.?Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0060243813
• ISBN 13: 9780060243814
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Mak Kam