The Last Dragon - Hardcover

Nunes, Susan Miho

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395670209 ISBN 13: 9780395670200

Publisher: Clarion Books, 1995

Synopsis

An old ten-man dragon in a Chinatown shop window turns Peter Chang's summer visit to Great Aunt, which he had been dreading, into an exciting adventure. The Last Dragon's silk is faded and torn, and its eyes are gone, but Peter finds people willing to help restore the dragon to life-Great Aunt's mahjongg friends, a tailor, a kite maker, a street artist-and learns his way around the neighborhood at the same time. The banquet that honors the dragon's return to its full glory and marks the end of Peter's visit is also a celebration of Chinatown's unique culture. Chris K. Soentpiet's exquisitely detailed watercolor paintings are filled with the energy and color of the busy streets and shops of Chinatown.

About this title

About the Author

Susan Miho Nunes was born in Hilo, Hawaii, and lived in Hawaii until her move to Berkeley, California. The Last Dragon, her first book for Clarion, was inspired by a magnificent dragon's head in Honolulu shop window.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4?When Peter Chang's parents send him to Chinatown for the summer to stay with his great aunt, he feels alienated and homesick?until he discovers a worn-out dragon, large enough for 10 men to carry, crammed in a shop window. His aunt reluctantly agrees to let him take it home, and he embarks on a summer-long quest to restore the wrecked bundle of silk and wood to its former glory. He involves many others in the project: the tailor, Great Aunt's mahjongg friends, the kitemaker, the herbalist, an artist, and, at last, the Buddhist priest, all of whom are touched by Peter's determination. Watercolor paintings, reminiscent of Ted Lewin's work, lovingly depict in glorious and enticing detail a close-knit Cantonese community in an unnamed big-city Chinatown. Expressions and gestures vividly convey each character's emotion as Peter wins the adults over to his cause. His anxiety and joy, along with the affection and excitement of his elders as the dragon comes to life, light up the book. The well-written text, as substantial as the artwork in specific and authentic detail, draws readers into Peter's new world. A welcome story about contemporary Chinese American life.?Margaret A. Chang, North Adams State College, MA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0395670209
• ISBN 13: 9780395670200
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Soentpiet Chris K.