Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China

Yoo Kyung Sung — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:17:33 +0000

An enchanting tale of hidden beauty and fierce courage, retold in the style of T’ang Dynasty poetry and illustrated with charm and grace. A young Chinese princess is sent from her father’s kingdom to marry the king of a far-off land. She must leave behind her home of splendors: sour plums and pink peach petals and — most precious and secret of all — the small silkworm. She begs her father to let her stay, but he insists that she go and fulfill her destiny as the queen of Khotan. Beautifully told and arrestingly illustrated, here is a coming-of-age tale of a brave young princess whose clever plan will go on to live in legend — and will ensure that her cherished home is with her always.

My Dadima Wears a Sari

Yoo Kyung Sung — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:17:33 +0000

This warm, multigenerational story offers a glimpse into the distinctive culture and customs of India, while reinforcing universal themes of love and the importance of family. Every day, Rupa’s grandmother wears a beautiful sari. Dadima wears her saris around the house and around the town. Some are made of cotton and some are made of fine silk. Each is brightly colored and very beautiful. Don’t you ever want to wear a gray skirt and red blouse with round buttons like Mommy or a green dress like me? Rupa asks. But Dadima prefers to wear her traditional saris. She shares with her young granddaughter all the wonderful things that saris can do-from becoming an umbrella in a rainstorm to providing a deep pouch to carry seashells collected from the beach. Soon Rupa’s own imagination is sparked as she envisions saris protecting her in the scary Gir Jungle, bandaging up an injured knee, and holding a special secret for her and Dadima to share. Author Kashmira Sheth provides young readers with a unique view of Indian culture and tradition through this affectionate, sensitive portrait of a grandmother and her American granddaughter. Illustrator Yoshiko Jaeggi’s sweeping, colorful, and fanciful watercolor illustrations capture the extraordinary bond of love that unites families across generations despite cultural differences. A note from the author and instructions for wrapping a sari are included.

ICCAL » silk

Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China

My Dadima Wears a Sari