The runaway wok : a Chinese New Year tale

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Title:

The runaway wok : a Chinese New Year tale

Author:

Compestine, Ying Chang, author.

Serra, Sebastià, 1966- illustrator.

Summary:

On Chinese New Year's Eve, a poor man who works for the richest businessman in Beijing sends his son to market to trade their last few eggs for a bag of rice, but instead he brings home an empty--but magic--wok that changes their fortunes forever. Includes information about Chinese New Year and a recipe for fried rice.

General Note:

Retelling of The gingerbread man.

Edition:

1st ed.

Physical Description:

1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. : 24 cm.

Genre:

Picture books.

Subject Term:

Kitchen utensils -- Juvenile fiction.

Magic -- Juvenile fiction.

Chinese New Year -- Juvenile fiction.

Fairy tales -- Adaptations -- Juvenile literature.

Fairy tales -- China.

Geographic Term:

China -- Juvenile fiction.

Author(s):

Serra, Sebastià, 1966-

Publisher:

Dutton Children's Books,

Publication Date:

2011

ISBN:

9780525420682

Publication Information:

New York : Dutton Children's Books, 2011.

Call Number:

P COMPESTINE

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607002556200	Picture Books	COMPESTINE	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

When a boy goes to the market to buy food and comes home with an old wok instead, his parents wonder what they'll eat for dinner. But then the wok rolls out of the poor family's house with a skippity-hoppity-ho! and returns from the rich man's home with a feast in tow!

With spirited text and lively illustrations, this story reminds readers about the importance of generosity.

Author Notes

Ying Chang Compestine grew up in China. She is the author of cookbooks for adults and children's books that introduce Chinese culture and food, including The Real Story of Stone Soup. She lives with her family in California.
Sebasti Serra lives in Barcelona, Spain.This is his first American picture book.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

K-Gr 4-This Chinese twist on a Danish folktale introduces a helpful wok that takes from the rich and gives to the poor, bringing rice, toys, and money so the community can celebrate the New Year. Lively acrylic paintings and a satisfyingly repetitive text showcase Chinese New Year customs. (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

Inspired by the Danish folktale, The Talking Pot, Compestine's (Boy Dumplings) jaunty story takes place long ago in Beijing, which Serra (A Pirate's Night Before Christmas) portrays as a bustling, cheerful village. On Chinese New Year's Eve, a poor couple send their son to market to trade their last eggs for rice so they can make a meal for their neighbors. Instead, Ming swaps the eggs for a smiling, singing wok that boasts, "I am more than what you see!" The wok hops off to the home of a stingy rich family whose servants fill it with food, then delivers the feast to the needy family, chanting, "Skippity-hoppity-ho!/ To the poor man's house I go." After the sneaky wok brings them the greedy rich son's toys and gold the man has cheated others out of, Ming's family shares their bounty with poor villagers. The sight of the insouciant wok carrying away the miserly family-stuck inside headfirst, legs waving in the air-will make kids snicker. They'll also chime in, since the wok's refrain begs for audience participation. Ages 6-8. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.