The Peasant Prince

by Li Cunxin

'This is your one chance. You have your secret dreams. Follow them! Make them come true . . .'

In a poor village in northern China, a small boy is about to be taken away from everything he's ever known. He is so afraid, but his mother urges him to follow his dreams. For soon he will become a dancer, one of the finest dancers in the world . . .

So begins The Peasant Prince,, The true story of Li Cunxin's extraordinary life. Based upon his internationally best-selling memoir, Mao's Last Dancer, this remarkable picture book captures the essence of one of the most inspiring stories to come from China in many years.

With hauntingly beautiful illustrations by award-winning artist Anne Spudvilas, Li's journey of courage and determination is simply told, and as powerful as any fairytale.

1 audio disc (CD) (approximately 15 min.)

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, China, True Story, Asia

1 pages, Audio CD

First published December 1, 2008

About the author

Li Cunxin (pronounced “Lee Schwin Sing”) is a remarkable man borne of a remarkable story. He has published a remarkable book about his extraordinary life. In his runaway best selling autobiography, Mao' s Last Dancer, Li recounts his determination, perseverance, vision, courage and hard work, and in particular, the sacred family values and integrity that he learned in poverty-stricken China, which has driven him to become one of the best dancers in the world. He tells of how the sixth of seven sons born to peasants grew up worshipping Mao Zedong before defecting to the United States.

Read more: http://www.licunxin.com/

Reviews

[Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustration was amazing and I really enjoyed this book.

[Irina · Rating 3 out of 5]

If your child is into dancing - it’s an absolute must to read. Otherwise I’m not sure whether kids would understand and appreciate the story. The proper book Mao’s Last Dancer is a true inspiration though! I’d wait till they’re old enough to read it.

[Alisha Brook · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

[C-rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Li Cunxin’s The Peasant Prince, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas, answers a demand made by parents and teachers after the success of Li’s 2003 multiple award-winning memoir, Mao’s Last Dancer. An immediate hit when it was published in Australia, that story of a Chinese boy plucked from poverty to become an international ballet star (and defector) was appealing enough, but meanwhile Li had also married an Australian ballerina, moved to Melbourne, and retired from ballet to become a stockbroker. No wonder he was a popular motivational speaker. And no wonder teachers and parents clamored for a picture book version.

The picture book tells the story through the use of two vivid images, one of a boy tying his wishes to a kite and the other of a frog living in a “deep dark well” and longing to see the world above. The magic of Spudvilas’ tender brush paintings brings those images and Li’s story alive for young children.
Describing his family’s desperate poverty, Li mentions hating his brothers’ “feet in my face” as they slept crowded together in their tiny room; the illustration also shows newspapers covering the walls of the room. When he leaves home at age 11 to attend the Beijing Opera school, “I could feel my mother’s love as she held me tight in her arms,” Li writes, and the soft blues and delicate gestures of Spudvilas’ brushwork convey the scene’s powerful emotion.

Drab blues brighten to yellows and browns in Beijing, where Li’s flexible young body is trained and he makes a lifelong friend. For the illustrations of Li's life in the U.S. Spudvilas changed her medium from Chinese brushes on rice paper to oil painting, "to achieve the rich and glossy colour of the big city, in contrast to the low key colours of the Chinese scenes." Still, the colors are relatively muted until the wonderful day when Li’s parents can come to see him dance in Houston. Throughout this inspiring, beautiful story, images of Li’s leaps and extensions express the joy and freedom that dance gave both to Li, and ultimately, to his family. The book is a great writer-illustrator collaboration, with images and text equally carrying the narrative.

A page of information “About Li’s China” gives children some background about China’s isolation and poverty during Li’s childhood and about subsequent changes in the country. Penguin will publish the book in the U.S. in 2008 as Dancing to Freedom. Li’s story is also being made into a film by Bruce Beresford.
[This review originally appeared at www.papertigers.org.

[Dimity Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly utterly divine. Anne's carefully executed and exquisite illustrations breathe new life into this most remarkable of tales. My 10-year-old had to pass me tissues twice as I wavered through Li's now familiar, uplifting story of triumph and dreams come true. I've read his novel memoir but this picture book is something to treasure and ideal to share with the little people in your life.

[Charles Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is truly an inspiration. I feel that anyone who reads this book will walk away the better for it. This book allows us to see that no matter what, when we really put our mind to something we can do anything. I love this book, and highly recommend it to anyone.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Li Cunxin’s remarkable life has already reached thousands of readers throughout
the world, a story that was first published in 2003 as Mao’s Last Dancer. But it has always been
a story about childhood, and now, with the publication of this picture book version, Li’s story will
be enjoyed by very young children as well.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

The picture book version of Mao's last Dancer does a nice job of telling the story, clearly at an age appropriate level and having nice illustrations with it. A nice well done book.

[PisilaAnthony Packman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE IT

[Jack Kirby and the X-man · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the picture book version of Mao's Last Dancer, following the in the footsteps of the Young Readers Edition (Mao's Last Dancer - Young Readers' Edn). I haven't read either of these - but they have been massively popular in Australia.

Follows the hopes and dreams of a young boy into realisation as an adult. A pretty inspirational story.

The darkness of the illustrations of Li Cunxin's time as a poor young boy in Qingdao hint at the Anne Spudvilas's previous work Woolvs in the Sitee. The change in format as Li arrives in the US is dramatic - and really changes the mood of the book.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a poor village in northern China, a small boy is about to be taken away from everything he's ever known. He is so afraid, but his mother urges him to follow his dreams. Soon he will become a dancer, one of the finest dancers in the world . . .

So begins The Peasant Prince, the true story of Li Cunxin's extraordinary life. Based upon the internationally best-selling memoir Mao’s Last Dancer this remarkable picture book captures the essence of one of the most inspiring stories to come from China in many years.

Li’s journey of courage and determination is simply told and as powerful as any fairytale.

[Kimberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The Peasant Prince’ is the true, illustrated story of Li Cunxin’s journey from hardship and communism to becoming an internationally known ballet dancer. With amazing watercolour pictures, this book sums up every single detail of ‘Mao’s Last Dancer’ in 36 pages, no more. Finally, people can see how hard it was for Li Cunxin as a pauper to survive poverty and to eventually become a famous dancer studying ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy; a place he never knew existed, let alone thought he would be able to attend. ‘The Peasant Prince’ is certainly a wonderful story of a peasant boy soon to become as well-known and talented as a prince.

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book for so many reasons. Firstly, the story was very special and very well told. It was easy to read and understand. I liked the little story that he continued to refer to because of it's content and how it inspired him throughout his life. This is a great life lesson for kids. I also really liked the pictures. I think they were really appropriate for the type of story being told. Overall, this book is a fantastic read and would be excellent for use in the classroom.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read "Mao's Last Dancer" I was so excited to find that a children's version had been written. My daughter and I read this and just loved it. The illustrations are just exceptional and complement this beautiful story perfectly. It also teaches children that if you work hard and follow your dreams, you can achieve anything, but also teaches the importance of family. Just a wonderful, wonderful story that I never tire of reading.

[Nita · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book (beautifully illustrated) follows the journey of Li Cunxin, a young Chinese boy, as he leaves his home to enter the Beijing Dance Academy and then become the principal dancer for the Houston Ballet.

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this in school, and then decided to buy it to read again. Short (because it's a childrens book) but absolutely briliant and the illustrations are wonderful.
Excellent story.

*Read 2013

[Aldo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book, very touching.

[Bindu]

i love his books

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a book that stays with you after the last page is finished. A simple story with a lot of depth.

[Mckinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of Li Cunxin better known as Mao's last (ballet) dancer. How he got into dancing. Does not go into politics or his adult issues.

[Mandabplus3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great children's book. It opened quite a discussion about cultural differences and poverty in the older children who were listening in to the read aloud.