This beautifully illustrated multicultural children's book tells the story of two young brothers and a magical dog in both English and Chinese.
Once upon a time, at the foot of the mountains called Zhongnan in the Shaanxi Province of China, there were two brothers who lived alone and depended on each other. One day, the elder one dug out a bronze dog while tilling which made the brothers very happy, as they could sell it for money. But unexpectedly, the bronze dog suddenly got bigger and swallowed the elder brother. Having seen this, the younger one rushed to find a hammer, intending to smash the bronze dog to save his brother. In order not to be destroyed, the bronze dog promised to give the young boy three gifts which he wanted most. But he told the dog he would rather ask for nothing but his brother.
The bronze dog was deeply moved by the love between the two brothers, so it spat the elder one out and magically turned into a real dog. Luckily, the brothers got a new companion, and all of them lived happily ever after.
About the Author
Li Jian graduated from Hebei Normal University in 2001, majoring in Chinese painting. Formerly a middle school art teacher, editor for children's books, and partner in an illustration studio, he currently owns his own illustration studio focusing on children's fairy tales. He is the author and illustrator of numerous books including The Water Dragon, The Little Monkey King's Journey, Ming's Adventure Series, Cang Jie the Inventor of Chinese Characters and Cai Lun the Creator of Paper.
Industry Reviews
"The illustrations are meant to look like the ancient stone relief that was popular during the Han Dynasty. They are not all that colorful or detailed, but they introduce a bit more of the culture to the reader. I love that the story is in both English and Chinese. The last page of the book shares a bit about the year of the dog and the characteristics that go with those born under the dog. It also explains about the stone relief artwork. The tale itself is simple and short, but the story is a good one with a lesson about love and family." -Crafty Moms Share blog
