“A tale of artistic integrity told with artful simplicity.”
— Kirkus Starred Review
“Visually it advances like the unrolling of an oriental scroll . . . A satisfying tale, whether read aloud or pored over alone to pick up the whimsical humor of the illustrations.”
—School Library Journal
When Chan is given a perfect jade stone and is commanded to carve a dragon from it, he senses a different destiny for the gem—and for himself. Perfect for middle readers and warmly illustrated by painter Ju-Hong Chen, this Chinese folktale offers a clear and gentle message of artistic truth and a lesson in staying true to one’s self.
Author and playwright Caryn Yacowitz earned an MA in creative writing from San Francisco State University. She publishes poetry and non-fiction work for children on various subjects and teaches writing in northern California.
Ju-Hong Chen is a self-taught artist who grew up in Communist China. Purposely avoiding the training of China's art schools, he worked as an art designer in a factory. He moved to the United States in 1982 and his first picture book earned Parents' Choice Honor Book for illustration. Chen lives in Oregon.