Always cast in a supporting role in the many books about Marco Polo, the great Kubla Khan now takes center stage in a splendid picture-book biography. He is a wonderful subject, Ã man who liked to live large, building the imperial city of Beijing from scratch, siring a hundred children, throwing birthday bashes for 40,000 guests. He ruled over the greatest empire of the time, one that was lightyears ahead of Western civilization in terms of the arts, sciences, and technology. With astonishingly beautiful and detailed illustrations by Robert Byrd and a clever text by Kathleen Krull, this portrait finally gives Kubla Khan his due.
China
Materials from China
Weighing The Elephant (Folktale)
In a small Chinese village lives a baby elephant, Huan-huan. The evil Emperor issues an impossible puzzle: the villagers can save Huan-huan only if they can deduce how much it weighs. A child comes up with an ingenious, scientifically sound answer.
The Story of Paper
After the Kang brothers get in trouble at school, they devise a way to make paper, which will make things easier for both their teacher and themselves, in a tale that includes a historical note and a recipe for home-made paper.
China’s Bravest Girl: The Legend Of Hua Mu Lan
Legend of Hua Mu Lan who goes to war disguised as a man to save the family honor and becomes a great general.
White Tiger, Blue Serpent
When his mother’s beautiful brocade is snatched away by a greedy goddess, a young Chinese boy faces many perils as he attempts to get it back.
Willow Pattern Story, The
The author retells a story heard as a child, one of many invented to explain the landscape on willow pattern china, popular for the last 200 years. In this, two young Chinese lovers are punished by one’s cruel mandarin father.
The Cricket Warrior: A Chinese Tale
In order to save his family, a Chinese boy turns into a fighting cricket and becomes the emperor’s champion.
The Heavenly Horse
An emperor of China, who has forgotten how to smile, is told an unusual tale about a heavenly horse and learns what is really precious in his life.
The Magical Starfruit Tree: A Chinese Folktale
A stingy peddler is chastised for his miserly ways by an old beggar with magical powers.
The Waiting Day
In ancient China, a hardworking ferryman who tries to please his demanding and unappreciative passengers learns an important lesson from a beggar sitting patiently by the riverbank.