Monday, April 25, 2011

Kitchen Maid and One-eyed Steward Live Happily Ever After

Katherine Paterson (author)
Leo and Diane Dillon
The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks
Lodestar, 1990

The gorgeous plumage of a male mandarin duck captures the attention of a Japanese lord who delights in the possession of beautiful things. The lord's one-eyed retainer, Shozo, however, sees more deeply. Shozo knows that the drake will languish and die in captivity, but his compassionate advice to let the bird go earns only the lord's scorn. Katherine Paterson crafts a classic tale pitting power and vanity against against charity. Inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, Leo and Diane Dillon's eye-catching illustrations lure us into this tale about sight and insight.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Dening,

    Could I recommend three more books that I read to my son when he was little?

    Buying Mittens, by Mimi Nankichi
    The Crane Wife, retold by Odds Bodkin
    The Great Adventure of Wo Ti, by Nathan Zimelman

    Diana Chou

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  2. Hi Diana,

    Thanks for the suggestions. I've already reviewed "The Crane Wife," but I'll add the other two to my "to read" list.

    It's great to hear from you. I hope you're doing well.

    Best, De-nin

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