An enchanting tale of hidden beauty and fierce courage, retold in the style of T’ang Dynasty poetry and illustrated with charm and graceread full description
reviews
Sep 19, 2011
Denise
rated it: 
I loved this book.
A young chinese girl is sent from her empire to marry a King.
"I am a child with my hair yet cut across my forehead, but soon I will marry the king of far Khotan".
She really does not want to leave her beautiful land, which she so loves but her Father insists she leaves to become Queen. The story tells of how the princess takes a piece of her land with her to Khotan.
This book is so beautifully illustrated that it portrays the ancient chinese cul More...
A young chinese girl is sent from her empire to marry a King.
"I am a child with my hair yet cut across my forehead, but soon I will marry the king of far Khotan".
She really does not want to leave her beautiful land, which she so loves but her Father insists she leaves to become Queen. The story tells of how the princess takes a piece of her land with her to Khotan.
This book is so beautifully illustrated that it portrays the ancient chinese cul More...
Oct 02, 2009
Tim
rated it: 
Genre: Historical Fiction
Copyright: 2007
"Red Butterfly" follows a young Chinese princess just before she is to be wed to a prince in Khotan. She longs to bring a part of her country with her but knows it is forbidden.
The book gives readers a chance to see how life was like in ancient China. There are parts throughout the book that describe the beauty that China possesses and the culture of the Chinese people. The illustrations were good and the colors Soph More...
Copyright: 2007
"Red Butterfly" follows a young Chinese princess just before she is to be wed to a prince in Khotan. She longs to bring a part of her country with her but knows it is forbidden.
The book gives readers a chance to see how life was like in ancient China. There are parts throughout the book that describe the beauty that China possesses and the culture of the Chinese people. The illustrations were good and the colors Soph More...
Jul 18, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
Poignant and tender, this story tells the tale of a young Chinese princess who smuggled the secret of silk from home in China to her intended's kingdom far away.
The illustrations are beautiful, complementing the subtly heartbreaking tone of the story, and the pictures and words are perfectly balanced. Though I wouldn't recommend this book for very young children, I would encourage older children to read and reflect on it's content.
The illustrations are beautiful, complementing the subtly heartbreaking tone of the story, and the pictures and words are perfectly balanced. Though I wouldn't recommend this book for very young children, I would encourage older children to read and reflect on it's content.
Jun 06, 2009
Janet
rated it:
What a lovely, poetic picture book. From the quiet repetition (“In my father’s kingdom there are many splendors”) to the diction (“rustling in red silk, rustling”) to the gorgeous painterly illustrations, this book has it all. A wonderful story of longing and loss, and of one princess’s daring in trying to take with her memories of her home, this is a small masterpiece.
May 01, 2010
Karissa
rated it: 
I really enjoyed this book and there are numerous ways to use it in the classroom. This is a folktale about how silk was smuggled out of China and is full of beautiful illustrations, poetic text, and Chinese culture. There is also an author's note in the back of the book about the history of silk.
Aug 17, 2010
Jamila
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
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Jun 22, 2009
Jen
rated it:
"If you must go, with you hair yet cut across your forehead, from all you know, take with you some small piece of brightness, some shining memory, for the world is large, little butterfly, and the road is long. "
Feb 15, 2011
Sandi
rated it:
This was a fun book with great illustrations. The author uses a lot of descriptive words. This would be a geat book to use in a lesson that introduces how and when to use descriptive words.
Feb 16, 2011
Fabulous
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I really enjoyed this book and loved the history behind it. The pictures were beautiful as well. I do think the concept and words used were a bit over my 6 year old's head though.
Aug 06, 2010
Kelli
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A visual treat that teaches about cadence of language, the customs of a culture, and the human experience of life changes.
Jul 31, 2009
Emily
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picture - I really liked this book. It was interesting and very captivating. I really enjoyed it.
Jun 07, 2009
K.A.
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I read the book aloud because the language is so beautiful and soft, it begs to be heard. Very lovely
Oct 09, 2007
JustOneMoreBook.com
rated it:
Delicately depicted in mint, peach and red, this beautifully worded tale shares the solitary heartbreak and secret unraveling of a young girl who shines light into her own uncertain future.
Other books mentioned:
* Goodnight Moon
* Gleam and Glow
Listen to our chat about Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China on our JustOneMoreBook.com Children's Book Podcast:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/2007/10/1...
More...
Other books mentioned:
* Goodnight Moon
* Gleam and Glow
Listen to our chat about Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China on our JustOneMoreBook.com Children's Book Podcast:
http://www.justonemorebook.com/2007/10/1...
More...
Mar 04, 2010
Hilary
rated it:
Fleshes out the folk tale of how the secret of silk was smuggled out of China. Good marriage of text and illustration. Appealing. Absorbing. Thought-provoking.
May 30, 2009
Dolly
rated it:
This is a wonderful story, woven with gorgeous illustrations and a story that is more poetry than pure narrative. It is simple enough to keep children engaged, but it is sophisticated enough for adults too. This is a great story to read aloud; the words are almost musical off the tongue.
We've borrowed this book a couple of times from the library. Our oldest daughter really loves it!
We've borrowed this book a couple of times from the library. Our oldest daughter really loves it!
Dec 14, 2007
Joenna
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A beautiful book with lovely illustrations. The text is poetic and flows very nicely. Not a read aloud book, but good for an older child. One learns a lot about the Chinese culture.
Oct 26, 2008
Jordan
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It's just so peaceful, and I like how it has so much detail. And it's about my favorite country.
Mar 15, 2008
Michelle
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Beautiful pictures and poetic language. Not necessarily a story time book but I enjoyed it.
Feb 03, 2009
Khris
rated it:
Beautifully illustrated by I'm not so sure the text would appeal to younger children
Dec 31, 2011
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