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Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China
This version of the Cinderella story, in which a young girl overcomes the wickedness of her stepsister and stepmother to become the bride of a prince, is based on ancient Chinese manuscripts written 1000 years before the earliest European version.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
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About the author
Ai-Ling Louie
8 books14 followersAi-Ling Louie is the author of the children’s classic, Yeh-Shen; A Cinderella Story from China (Philomel/Putnam). Her children’s biography series, "Amazing Asian Americans" currently contains three books: "Vera Wang, Queen of Fashion", "Yo-Yo and Yeou-Cheng Ma, Finding Their Way", and her book, the first children's biography published in the US about a South Asian American, "Astronaut Kalpana Chawla, Reaching for the Stars." In December 2018, "Patsy Mink, Mother of Title 9" will be published. All her books are for the elementary school child. The reading level is 4th grade
Ms. Louie was born in New York and became an elementary school teacher and children's librarian. Her pets are her aquarium fish.
Ms. Louie was born in New York and became an elementary school teacher and children's librarian. Her pets are her aquarium fish.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 320 reviews
October 12, 2016
If you think the Prince fell in love with Cinderella awfully fast, check out this version -- he falls in love without even meeting her! He finds her lost slipper, and it is so tiny he falls in love with the unknown woman. By fairy-tale luck, she is of course beautiful and good. But I did like that Yeh-Shen earns her reward by being kind to animals rather than just prettiness.
February 25, 2014
I have read many different interpretations of the classic “Cinderella” story. But imagine my delight when I find out that there was a “Cinderella” story that comes from China called “Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China,” which was retold by Ai-Ling Louie along with illustrations by Ed Young and man, was it one brilliant story to read!
A long time ago in China, there lived a young and beautiful girl named Yeh-Shen, whose mother had died when she was a baby. Unfortunately, her stepmother and her stepsister treated Yeh-Shen as poorly as they envied her beauty and they made her do all the housework. The only friend that Yeh-Shen had was a fish that she caught in the pond as the fish would give her anything she wanted. Unfortunately, the stepmother ended up killing and eating the fish after she discovered the fish’s secret and Yeh-Shen was left with no friend. However, the spirit of the fish continued to live on through its bones and it continued to help Yeh-Shen, despite having died at the hands of the stepmother. One day, the Spring Festival came to town and the stepmother and the stepsister went to the festival without Yeh-Shen. However, the spirit of the fish continued to help Yeh-Shen by giving her a beautiful gown to wear and Yeh-Shen went to the festival.
Will Yeh-Shen be discovered and will she finally find her happily ever after?
Read this book to find out!
Wow! This book was truly amazing! I loved the way that Ai-Ling Louie retold this ancient Chinese version of the classic “Cinderella” story, as the story feels so exotic with the Chinese setting and the characters were written truly well. I also loved the fact that in this version of the story, the “Cinderella” of this story, which is Yeh-Shen, has a pet companion in the form of a fish that grants Yeh-Shen’s greatest desires, even after death, which I found to be truly creepy and yet interesting at the same time! Ed Young’s illustrations were truly beautiful and creative at the same time! I loved the way that Ed Young illustrated the events of the story through various shapes of fish, such as having the characters’ hats represent the eyes of the fish and have the characters be drawn inside the shape of the fish.
Parents should know that the ending might be a bit disturbing for smaller children since it seemed to happen so unexpectedly. I will not say what exactly happened at the end, but let us just say that someone dies a gruesome death at the end and it was extremely jarring to see after the tone of the book had been mainly heartwarming for the most part.
Overall, “Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China” is a brilliant retelling of the classic “Cinderella” story and will be a huge favorite among fans of Chinese folktales and different retellings of “Cinderella.” I would recommend this book to children ages six and up due to the length of this book and the ending might disturb smaller children.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
A long time ago in China, there lived a young and beautiful girl named Yeh-Shen, whose mother had died when she was a baby. Unfortunately, her stepmother and her stepsister treated Yeh-Shen as poorly as they envied her beauty and they made her do all the housework. The only friend that Yeh-Shen had was a fish that she caught in the pond as the fish would give her anything she wanted. Unfortunately, the stepmother ended up killing and eating the fish after she discovered the fish’s secret and Yeh-Shen was left with no friend. However, the spirit of the fish continued to live on through its bones and it continued to help Yeh-Shen, despite having died at the hands of the stepmother. One day, the Spring Festival came to town and the stepmother and the stepsister went to the festival without Yeh-Shen. However, the spirit of the fish continued to help Yeh-Shen by giving her a beautiful gown to wear and Yeh-Shen went to the festival.
Will Yeh-Shen be discovered and will she finally find her happily ever after?
Read this book to find out!
Wow! This book was truly amazing! I loved the way that Ai-Ling Louie retold this ancient Chinese version of the classic “Cinderella” story, as the story feels so exotic with the Chinese setting and the characters were written truly well. I also loved the fact that in this version of the story, the “Cinderella” of this story, which is Yeh-Shen, has a pet companion in the form of a fish that grants Yeh-Shen’s greatest desires, even after death, which I found to be truly creepy and yet interesting at the same time! Ed Young’s illustrations were truly beautiful and creative at the same time! I loved the way that Ed Young illustrated the events of the story through various shapes of fish, such as having the characters’ hats represent the eyes of the fish and have the characters be drawn inside the shape of the fish.
Parents should know that the ending might be a bit disturbing for smaller children since it seemed to happen so unexpectedly. I will not say what exactly happened at the end, but let us just say that someone dies a gruesome death at the end and it was extremely jarring to see after the tone of the book had been mainly heartwarming for the most part.
Overall, “Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China” is a brilliant retelling of the classic “Cinderella” story and will be a huge favorite among fans of Chinese folktales and different retellings of “Cinderella.” I would recommend this book to children ages six and up due to the length of this book and the ending might disturb smaller children.
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
August 4, 2019
An original Cinderella story! You may wish to read this book aloud in at least two sittings (depending on the age of your children) as it is quite lengthy, but extremely enjoyable nonetheless!
May 2, 2015
Yeh-Shen was certainly an interesting twist on our traditional Cinderella story. Written by Ali- Ling Louie, and illustrated by Ed Young, the story is about a Chinese based Cinderella who suffered a similar upbringing at the hands of her "evil" step mother. With the power of an elderly man and the bones of her dead fish, Yeh-Shen attends the town festival. She never meets a prince at a ball, and she doesn't have to be home before the clock strikes midnight, but worried that she may be noticed, she leaves in a hurry and loses a slipper in the process-just as our traditional Cinderella. The slipper is found, then sold, and finally given to the king who adores the small size of the slippers and begins a search for the owner.The king finally meets Yeh- Shen and they marry.The story is very similar with a few differences that I find fascinating.Yeh-Shen is described to be an overworked, lonely girl who is beautiful and kind hearted. Yeh Shen's step mother is as cruel as they come. Filled with jealousy and hatred of poor Yeh-Shen, the step mother goes to the extremes of taking away her only friend, her cherished fish.The first cultural reference that I noticed was the elderly man who approaches Yeh-Shen when her fish passed away. He let her know that the fish's bones contained a magical spirit that will help her when she was in need. The fact that they used a magical fish and an elderly man as their form of a fairy god mother, shows homage to the Chinese culture. In Chinese culture, they respect and honor those of old age, viewing them as the wise ones.Another feature that the reader can relate to the Chinese culture was having "little feet." Women with small feet are considered beautiful and worth making a bride of, so the king knew Yeh-Shen would be beautiful based on the size of her slipper; making him even more eager to find his future bride.Personally, I did not like the message this version of the story told. The king never spoke to Yeh-Shen but only noticed that the slippers fit her perfectly and based his admiration for her on her physical appearance. In this case beauty captures all, which I feel doesn't send a positive message to the children who read this. They need a story that sends positive messages about individuals.
As far as the illustrations, I really enjoyed the water colors and color pencil drawings Ed young provided. Young really captured the spirit of the magical fish in every page with the amazing colors that would interest any child. I feel that younger children would really enjoy this book, k-3rd grade. A way I would incorporate this into class would be to start group discussions; the topic could be what different animals would they have used in their own version of Cinderella. If they got a magical dress or an outfit, what color would it be? And in what ways would they include their culture, the way Ali- Ling Louie did. Trying to get the children to embrace other cultures and their own is very important especially at a young age. This book is a great way to expose children to a different version of the traditional Cinderella.
As far as the illustrations, I really enjoyed the water colors and color pencil drawings Ed young provided. Young really captured the spirit of the magical fish in every page with the amazing colors that would interest any child. I feel that younger children would really enjoy this book, k-3rd grade. A way I would incorporate this into class would be to start group discussions; the topic could be what different animals would they have used in their own version of Cinderella. If they got a magical dress or an outfit, what color would it be? And in what ways would they include their culture, the way Ali- Ling Louie did. Trying to get the children to embrace other cultures and their own is very important especially at a young age. This book is a great way to expose children to a different version of the traditional Cinderella.
October 6, 2020
Yeh-Shen is mistreated by her cruel stepmother in this Chinese
Cinderella
story, taken from the 9th-century collection, The Miscellaneous Record of You Yang. Made to do all of the work and dressed in rags, Yeh-Shen's only comfort is the magical fish she befriends. When this too is taken by her stepmother, she is in despair, until she discovers that the bones of her fish can still speak to her, and can grant her wishes. Using this magic to attend a festival, she leaves behind one of her golden slippers, and when this footwear finds its way into the hands of a king, her life is transformed...
Originally published in 1982, Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China was a tale handed down in author Ai-Ling Louie's family, and is one she was surprised to discover predated the European variant of the story (which first saw print in 1634 AD) by some centuries. She makes this point in her brief note, and includes a reproduction of the original Chinese text of her tale. It's interesting to note that Louie speculates that this tale-type might have traveled from Asia to Europe, given the difference of recorded dates between the two versions. I'm not sure what the state of research into the subject was, back in the 80s, but I think this idea is called into question by the existence of the Egyptian Cinderella story of Rhodopis, which was recorded in the late first century BC by the Greek geographer Strabo, and then in the work of the Roman author Aelian (ca. 175–235 AD). Of course, it is still possible that the story originated in Asia, and simply traveled west far earlier than Louie posited. But when it comes to the written record, the Egyptian variant of this story is certainly the earliest recorded, that we know of.
Leaving all of that aside, this was an engaging story, one with many familiar elements - the cruel stepfamily, the magical aid to the heroine, the dainty slipper which inspires a king to seek out its owner - and some others that were quite different from the version with which many western readers will be familiar. I was struck by the fact that the king in question becomes enchanted with Yeh-Shen simply by looking at her slipper, without ever having seen her in person. This was quite similar to the scenario in The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story , which relates an Iraqi version of the tale. It's clear that part of what enchanted the king here is the smallness of the slipper, making me wonder about the relationship of this idea - the desirability of small and dainty feet on women - to the Chinese practice of foot-binding. That is something I would have been interested to see explored, in the author's note, although sadly Louie does not mention it. The accompanying artwork from Ed Young, done in pastel and watercolor, has a delicate beauty that is well-suited to the tale, and add a sense of mystery and enchantment to the reading experience. Recommended to young folk and fairy-tale lovers, and to readers interested in Cinderella stories.
Originally published in 1982, Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China was a tale handed down in author Ai-Ling Louie's family, and is one she was surprised to discover predated the European variant of the story (which first saw print in 1634 AD) by some centuries. She makes this point in her brief note, and includes a reproduction of the original Chinese text of her tale. It's interesting to note that Louie speculates that this tale-type might have traveled from Asia to Europe, given the difference of recorded dates between the two versions. I'm not sure what the state of research into the subject was, back in the 80s, but I think this idea is called into question by the existence of the Egyptian Cinderella story of Rhodopis, which was recorded in the late first century BC by the Greek geographer Strabo, and then in the work of the Roman author Aelian (ca. 175–235 AD). Of course, it is still possible that the story originated in Asia, and simply traveled west far earlier than Louie posited. But when it comes to the written record, the Egyptian variant of this story is certainly the earliest recorded, that we know of.
Leaving all of that aside, this was an engaging story, one with many familiar elements - the cruel stepfamily, the magical aid to the heroine, the dainty slipper which inspires a king to seek out its owner - and some others that were quite different from the version with which many western readers will be familiar. I was struck by the fact that the king in question becomes enchanted with Yeh-Shen simply by looking at her slipper, without ever having seen her in person. This was quite similar to the scenario in The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story , which relates an Iraqi version of the tale. It's clear that part of what enchanted the king here is the smallness of the slipper, making me wonder about the relationship of this idea - the desirability of small and dainty feet on women - to the Chinese practice of foot-binding. That is something I would have been interested to see explored, in the author's note, although sadly Louie does not mention it. The accompanying artwork from Ed Young, done in pastel and watercolor, has a delicate beauty that is well-suited to the tale, and add a sense of mystery and enchantment to the reading experience. Recommended to young folk and fairy-tale lovers, and to readers interested in Cinderella stories.
March 29, 2019
Name: Yeh-Shen
Genre: Fairy Tale/Folk Lore
Version: China/ culture (This one pre-dates of all other versions I've read so far. This originates from somewhere between 600 -900 A.D. during the T'ang dynasty. So, this predates the earliest known European version by 700-something years.)
Cinderella: Yeh-Shen
Magical element/"fairy godmother": A magical koi fish
Glass Slipper: Golden shoes
The ball: The spring festival
Message:
May 27, 2019
Intense!
February 18, 2016
Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China is one of the 700 stories with the tale type 510. Like most traditional literature, Yeh-Shen has a spare plot with strong characters. An evil stepmother, the rival, is jealous of her step-daughter, the heroine, and her beauty. As a result, the step-mother gives Yeh-Shen the hardest chores and, so her biological daughter would receive all of the attention from potential suitors, does not allow Yeh-Shen to participate in the spring festival. She even tracks does Yeh-Shen's only friend, a magical fish (the helper), and serves him for dinner. The fish bones are left over and become the magical aid that helps Yeh-Shen to attend the festival. The powerful spirit that lives in the bones transforms Yeh-Shen into the most beautiful woman in the kingdom. She is fitted with golden shoes that fit her tiny feet. When Yeh-Shen sees her step-sister at the festival, she runs away so as not to be noticed, leaving one of her golden shoes behind. The king is fascinated with the tiny shoe, eventually finds Yeh-Shen is the owner, and marries her. The plot covers the classic Cinderella motifs involving the wicked stepmother, the lost slipper, and the magical aid.
Yeh-Shen is told from members of the Chinese culture. Both Ai-Ling Louie, who retold the story, and Ed Young, the author and illustrator, are of Chinese descent. Ai-Ling is Chinese American and her grandmother would tell her the story of Yeh-Shen as she was growing up. Ed Young spent the first 20 years of his life in China before coming to the U.S. Ai-Long identifies her grandmother as her first source, but Ed Young also includes the results of his research on the copyright page, stating that the Chinese version of Cinderella is the oldest telling of the story. He even includes a sample of the original block-printed page of the story. Both the storyline and illustrations are representative of Chinese culture. The story is retold and illustrated in panels like a folding parted screen. Yeh-Shen has small feet, which were- and perhaps still are- seen as beautiful and feminine. The magical fish is a symbol of hope of prosperity in Chinese culture, and the fish guides Yeh-Shen to royalty. In fact, the golden shoes are a symbol of royalty. Even more, the bones of the fish are filled with the spirit in ancient Chinese culture and integral to Yeh-Shen’s success. The illustrator reminds us of this by placing a hidden fish on each oil pastel and watercolor illustration.
In a second or third grade classroom, students can compare this version of Cinderella to other versions using a Double Bubble Thinking Map. In a fourth or fifth grade classroom, students can begin to investigate how culture and time period influenced the folktale.
Yeh-Shen is told from members of the Chinese culture. Both Ai-Ling Louie, who retold the story, and Ed Young, the author and illustrator, are of Chinese descent. Ai-Ling is Chinese American and her grandmother would tell her the story of Yeh-Shen as she was growing up. Ed Young spent the first 20 years of his life in China before coming to the U.S. Ai-Long identifies her grandmother as her first source, but Ed Young also includes the results of his research on the copyright page, stating that the Chinese version of Cinderella is the oldest telling of the story. He even includes a sample of the original block-printed page of the story. Both the storyline and illustrations are representative of Chinese culture. The story is retold and illustrated in panels like a folding parted screen. Yeh-Shen has small feet, which were- and perhaps still are- seen as beautiful and feminine. The magical fish is a symbol of hope of prosperity in Chinese culture, and the fish guides Yeh-Shen to royalty. In fact, the golden shoes are a symbol of royalty. Even more, the bones of the fish are filled with the spirit in ancient Chinese culture and integral to Yeh-Shen’s success. The illustrator reminds us of this by placing a hidden fish on each oil pastel and watercolor illustration.
In a second or third grade classroom, students can compare this version of Cinderella to other versions using a Double Bubble Thinking Map. In a fourth or fifth grade classroom, students can begin to investigate how culture and time period influenced the folktale.
November 29, 2017
Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China is a lyrical retelling of a story first recorded in an ancient Chinese manuscript during the T’ang dynasty (618-907 A.D.), which means that this Cinderella version is “at least 1,000 years older than the earliest known Western version.”
Since the story itself is set “before the Ch’in and the Han dynasties” (222-206 B.C.), it predates the introduction of foot-binding, and thus there’s no mention of this practice in the tale. Nevertheless, the most admirable characteristic of Yeh-Shen seems to be her exceptionally tiny feet, because the king first falls in love with Yeh-Shen’s "impossibly small" golden slipper and only later with its owner.
Ed Young’s well-researched, gentle watercolor and pastel illustrations are “set in panels like those of a folding painted screen,” and each spread includes a silhouette of Yeh-Shen’s pet fish/spirit guardian. All of these features contribute to creating a traditional and mystical atmosphere:
Since the story itself is set “before the Ch’in and the Han dynasties” (222-206 B.C.), it predates the introduction of foot-binding, and thus there’s no mention of this practice in the tale. Nevertheless, the most admirable characteristic of Yeh-Shen seems to be her exceptionally tiny feet, because the king first falls in love with Yeh-Shen’s "impossibly small" golden slipper and only later with its owner.
Ed Young’s well-researched, gentle watercolor and pastel illustrations are “set in panels like those of a folding painted screen,” and each spread includes a silhouette of Yeh-Shen’s pet fish/spirit guardian. All of these features contribute to creating a traditional and mystical atmosphere:
July 4, 2017
A charming Chinese variation of Cinderella where there is no fairy godmother but a pair of magical shoes, which is a reminder of some of the original older Cinderella stories.
The illustrations were in a sense both disappointing and beautiful. They were disappointing since until the end you didn't have a lot of details when viewing the characters. I would have enjoyed seeing more the faces.
But the pictures were also beautifully executed. Every set of pages you could view either one or two carps woven in. And so it became a game to find them no matter how vague they may have been.
The illustrations were in a sense both disappointing and beautiful. They were disappointing since until the end you didn't have a lot of details when viewing the characters. I would have enjoyed seeing more the faces.
But the pictures were also beautifully executed. Every set of pages you could view either one or two carps woven in. And so it became a game to find them no matter how vague they may have been.
November 26, 2013
This book was quite different than the traditional Cinderella tale I am used to, but loved it. The protagonist is a young girl named Yeh-Shen. Her father is a chief, who married two women. He dies and leaves Yeh-Shen in the care of her step mother. Yeh-Shen is nicer and prettier than her step sister and this causes her step mother to treat Yeh-Shen Horribly. Yeh-Shen has a fish that she talks to and feeds everyday. Her step mother hears about the fish and disguises herself as Yeh-Shen and takes the fish and kills it for supper. Yeh-Shen was very upset about this. As she is crying a man appears wearing a corset and long hair. He tells her that the bones of the fish are filled with a special spirit and that anytime she desires something, she must kneel over and tell the bones what she desires. Soon, it is time for a festival where people go to find wives. Yeh-Shen is never allowed to go because the step mother fears that Yeh-Shen will find a husband sooner than the step daughter. Yeh-Shen wants to go really bad and tells her desires to the bones. Soon she is dressed beautifully with golden shoes. She wears these golden shoes to the festival, but loses one when she runs away in fear of being caught/seen by the step sister and step mother as they near her (they think they recognize her). She leaves one golden shoe behind. Soon the King gets a hold of her shoe and wants to find who it was that owns this shoe. Many try to fit into this shoe, but cannot. One night, Yeh-Shen goes to get the shoe and gets caught. The King is outraged that someone would try to steal the shoe. He can not believe that someone wearing rags would assume ownership of this shoe. Will she prove she is the owner of the shoe? Will she finally get the fairly tale ending? Without telling the ending, I think this was a great twist on the traditional fairy tale that I am used to.
I think that this could be taught to grade 1 and up. I think that this could be used to teach traditional literature. Students could read multiple versions of Cinderella across different cultures and compare and contrast them. This is one of the Common Core Standards for second grade.
The illustrations appear to be done in watercolor and portray the Asian culture in an authentic way. The colors are quite beautiful!
I think that this could be taught to grade 1 and up. I think that this could be used to teach traditional literature. Students could read multiple versions of Cinderella across different cultures and compare and contrast them. This is one of the Common Core Standards for second grade.
The illustrations appear to be done in watercolor and portray the Asian culture in an authentic way. The colors are quite beautiful!
February 9, 2010
Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China, retold by Ai-Ling Louie, is a picture book intended for readers in preschool through grade 3. I gave it four stars. Yeh-Shen is a beautiful, dark-haired, orphaned girl who, with the help of her magic fish bones, is transformed into a beautiful woman draped in a magnificent azure gown and golden, fish-scaled slippers. Ultimately, the King falls in love with Yeh-Shen after the Spring Market Festival upon finding her to be the owner of the lost fish-scaled slipper. Her stepfamily, who had ruled over Yeh-Shen with laborious chores, is left to their ultimate death in their desolate cave. The theme of the good being rewarded and the evil receiving punishment is well-rooted in this tale. Also, the idea that magic can come from unlikely sources leads the reader to believe that simple things may carry enormous powers. The illustrations are colorful but simple, which I believe resemble Yeh-Shen, who was simplicity made her beautiful. The cultural dress and facial features of Yeh-Shin help the reader transport themselves to Southern China’s markets, caves, and natural landscapes. An added theme is the idea that we always carry part of our friends with us, whether it be a memory or a cherished item, as Yeh-Shen did with her fish-scaled slippers. Touches of violence in the text could be a bit surprising and controversial, with the event of the stepmother stabbing the magic fish with a dagger and the last line of the book detailing the death of Yeh-Shen’s family, as “they were crushed to death in a shower of flying stones.” Ultimately, students will recognize the good versus evil theme throughout this text, with clear examples on both sides.
February 5, 2013
Yeh –Shen: A Cinderella Story from China is a story about a girl name Yeh-Shen who after her mother dies, then her father dies is left to live with her father other wife and Yeh-Shen half sister. Yeh-Shen is over worked and treated badly by her stepmother and her only friend is a fish. Yeh-Shen stepmother finds out about her fish friend and become angry and kills the fish and cooks it for dinner. There a twist, Yeh-Shen doesn’t have a fairy God mother, but although her fish is dead, the fish is still able to help Yeh-Shen and helps her find her true love.
This story is about survival, receiving your just rewards, kindness and compassion and the illustrations are done with soft and warm colors, which helps carry the story on every page.
This would be a good book for students in grade 4 – 8 / Ages 9 – 13 and can be use in the classroom to discuss Chinese culture. Students can create their short story version of the Cinderella story and read aloud their story to their class mate.
A usually twist to the Cinderella stories, this story has a man with two wives and both wives give birth to girls. Teachers reading this story to younger children, I would recommend leaving out the part about the two wives. This is a long text version of the Cinderella story and instead of magical events, this story present events that could actual happen.
Yeh –Shen: A Cinderella Story from China won the School Library Best Book of the Year, ALA notable Book and IRA-CBC Children’s Choice Book
I found a small clip of Yeh –Shen: A Cinderella Story from China on video at http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A...
This story is about survival, receiving your just rewards, kindness and compassion and the illustrations are done with soft and warm colors, which helps carry the story on every page.
This would be a good book for students in grade 4 – 8 / Ages 9 – 13 and can be use in the classroom to discuss Chinese culture. Students can create their short story version of the Cinderella story and read aloud their story to their class mate.
A usually twist to the Cinderella stories, this story has a man with two wives and both wives give birth to girls. Teachers reading this story to younger children, I would recommend leaving out the part about the two wives. This is a long text version of the Cinderella story and instead of magical events, this story present events that could actual happen.
Yeh –Shen: A Cinderella Story from China won the School Library Best Book of the Year, ALA notable Book and IRA-CBC Children’s Choice Book
I found a small clip of Yeh –Shen: A Cinderella Story from China on video at http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A...
October 28, 2012
Summary: This is a chinese twist on the traditional Cinderella story in which the fairy godmother is the spirit of a fish that was cared for by Yeh-Shen, but murdered by her step-mother. The glass slipper is an impossibly tiny golden shoe and the king never actually sees Yeh-shen. Rather, he falls in love with the size of her feet.
Critique: The illustrative style of this book is in keeping with the culture from which the story derives. The 3 pane example evokes traditional chinese screen art where scenes from stories, history, or everyday life are illustrated on multiple panels. The use of this white space, most especially on the last page, evokes the beautiful nature scenes often found on water color panels in traditional chinese art.
Curricular TIe: This would be a wonderful addition to any fairy tale unit. Comparing and contrasting similar stories across cultures is important for pointing out commonalities between cultures while celebrating diversity in the classroom. I would note, however, that it would be important - especially for older kids - to have a conversation about foot-binding prior to reading this tale. The possibility of a king falling in love with the size of a shoe requires suspension of disbelief far outside what may be possible. But, by discussing the custom of foot binding - it make make the story more plausible.
Critique: The illustrative style of this book is in keeping with the culture from which the story derives. The 3 pane example evokes traditional chinese screen art where scenes from stories, history, or everyday life are illustrated on multiple panels. The use of this white space, most especially on the last page, evokes the beautiful nature scenes often found on water color panels in traditional chinese art.
Curricular TIe: This would be a wonderful addition to any fairy tale unit. Comparing and contrasting similar stories across cultures is important for pointing out commonalities between cultures while celebrating diversity in the classroom. I would note, however, that it would be important - especially for older kids - to have a conversation about foot-binding prior to reading this tale. The possibility of a king falling in love with the size of a shoe requires suspension of disbelief far outside what may be possible. But, by discussing the custom of foot binding - it make make the story more plausible.
November 18, 2014
Yeh-Shen based on the fairytale Cinderella, but takes place in China. Yeh-Shen is a beautiful orphan who lives with her evil step-mother, who is jealous of Yeh-Shen's beauty. Her only friend is a beautiful fish, whom her stepmother kills. However, the fish bones are magical and can make Yeh-Shen's wishes come true. On the day of the festival, the fish bones give her two golden slippers, which turns he rags into a beautiful feathered gown. She panics that she will be recognized at the festival and loses a slipper. Not long after, the king finds her and realizes that she is the owner of the slipper. They fall in love and get married, while her step mother is crushed to death.
I really enjoyed this version of Cinderella. I liked the slight differences, but still being able to relate it to the original fairy tale. I felt calm and relaxed while reading this book. There was something about the flow of the words and the illustrations that were soothing. I really liked how Ed Young subtly ties in the fish on each page of illustrations. The cover of the book is what really caught my eye. It took me a little bit to realize that the fish was her gown. I think that this is a great cultural story to share with kids, who will tie the connections with the original story.
I really enjoyed this version of Cinderella. I liked the slight differences, but still being able to relate it to the original fairy tale. I felt calm and relaxed while reading this book. There was something about the flow of the words and the illustrations that were soothing. I really liked how Ed Young subtly ties in the fish on each page of illustrations. The cover of the book is what really caught my eye. It took me a little bit to realize that the fish was her gown. I think that this is a great cultural story to share with kids, who will tie the connections with the original story.
September 25, 2012
A young girl befriends a fish that she had no idea was magical. One day, her jealous stepmother finds out about her friend and kills the fish. Yeh-Shen is sad that she lost a friend and would talk to the bones of the fish and in return the fish granted her wishes. One day she gets dressed in luxurious clothing and golden slippers to attend a festival. The king is marveled at the golden slippers and wants to find the maiden with tiny feet.The pictures are in triads and I absolutely love the water color affect that it gives.
I really believe that this Cinderella story is the most relevant to the culture. Tiny feet are tied heavily to beauty in the Asian cultures. The fact that the king wants to find and marry the woman with the tiniest feet in the land is easy to believe.
For the classroom I would do a project that allows the students to compare the different Cinderella stories around the world and find out what elements are similar(ie makes it a Cinderella story) and what features are unique to that story.
This book is 840 L AD GR level P and appeals to Kindergarten readers.
I really believe that this Cinderella story is the most relevant to the culture. Tiny feet are tied heavily to beauty in the Asian cultures. The fact that the king wants to find and marry the woman with the tiniest feet in the land is easy to believe.
For the classroom I would do a project that allows the students to compare the different Cinderella stories around the world and find out what elements are similar(ie makes it a Cinderella story) and what features are unique to that story.
This book is 840 L AD GR level P and appeals to Kindergarten readers.
March 10, 2015
I picked up this book because 1- I had heard the first cinderella story was recorded in China and 2- because I am soon going to China and I am interested in anything that has to do with it. I loved this story because it was so different from all of the other stories. She didn't have a fairy god mother she had special fish bones that she could wish on. She didn't marry a prince at the festival but rather just asked for a night out. She didn't have slippers made of glass but rather slippers made of gold. However, she did end up marrying the King, who had stumbled upon the beautiful shoe and was determined to find the mysterious owner, having not even gone to the festival. I do like that it does make more sense in the story about the small feet. In China, they believe the most beautiful women have small feet. When nobody could fit the gold slipper, it made more sense that the beautiful Yeh-Shen was able to with her small feet. In Cinderella, you are like, what? This was a beautiful telling or retelling of the story and the artwork was magnificent to look at. Highly recommended!!
February 9, 2010
"Be sure you do not lose your golden shoes," said the spirit of the bones. This story of Cinderella is based from a story passed on by generations in China. The main character is named Yeh-shen who lives with her awful stepmother after her father passes away. Ed Young continues the tradition of a mean step mother but this Cinderella only has one sister. Instead of a fairy godmother, Yeh-shen meets an old man when she is in despair. The text is ideal for a 3rd or 4th grader. The pages are formed into to panels. Watercolors illustrate the story of a young girl in search of love.A student will be surprised of the differences in this story but it still carries the underlining meaning of the traditional text.
February 15, 2010
Retold by: Ai-Ling Louie; Illustrated by: Ed Young; Age: 8-10; This story is similar to the Western version of Cinderella. There are small detail differences, with this story predating the West by 1000 years. The ball is Chinese Festival, and there is only one sister. Yeh-Shen is orphaned after her parents die, and she must live with her mean step-mother, etc.
I respect the tradition in the story, but the overall read seemed as though it were something from 1000 years ago. The story had no life for me, it read slow and remained. However, this story is actually part of a shortened 3rd grade curriculum, and would be great for students to compare and learn how to shorten a story, but keep the main parts as not to lose the content.
I respect the tradition in the story, but the overall read seemed as though it were something from 1000 years ago. The story had no life for me, it read slow and remained. However, this story is actually part of a shortened 3rd grade curriculum, and would be great for students to compare and learn how to shorten a story, but keep the main parts as not to lose the content.
November 2, 2017
This is a spin-off of the classic tale of Cinderella. Overall it was an enjoyable book to read. Although to me it did not seem to have as much of the "wonder" and "magic" as Disney's version, I'm sure that it is still capable of grabbing hold of some young female readers. The tale does have somewhat of a dark/sinister portrayal of the stepmother, but this is to be expected given its background. The stepsister, on the other hand, does not seem to play such a spiteful role towards her sister in comparison to Disney's version. I will say that I did not foresee how this particular version would come to an end and it did throw me for a small loop. It is something else to see how different cultures tell a similar story and how their methods of displaying the overall morals of the story.
October 10, 2009
I thought it interesting that the magical being that helps the Cinderella-type character in this story is the spirit of a fish and not a magical person. It is interesting to note that in the book The Golden Sandal: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story by Rebecca Hickox, the magical being that assists the heroine is also a fish. Magical fish can be found in other stories as well, such as The Fool and the Fish: a Tale from Russia retold by Lenny Hort and the Grimms brothers tale of The Fisherman and His Wife . It makes sense that cultures who depend on fishing for livelihood and food would revere such creatures, weaving them into tales of magic and mystery.
July 5, 2008
The author worked in the same library as a friend of mine, who got me an autographed copy. I'm not aware of anything else which this author ever wrote, which is a shame, because she's a good teller of Chinese tales.
November 19, 2018
Annotated Bibliography Entry: Yeh Shen: A Cinderella Story from China retold by Ai-Ling Louie
Summary:
Yeh Shen is the beautiful daughter of the late Chief Wu and one of his wives whom died shortly after Yeh was born. Yeh grows up as an orphan with her step mother and step sister who are both jealous of her for being more beautiful, than both of them. She is always given the unpleasant, grueling chores around the house and she lives a very sheltered lifestyle. She has no friends except a fish, but that quickly ends when the step mother stabs the fish and cooks it for dinner out of spite. The only thing devastated Yeh has left is the bones of the fish that was left behind. The bones turn out to be magical and grant Yeh anything she could possibly want. When the spring festival comes up, Yeh wishes she could attend and magical bones turn her rags into riches. She attends the festival where everyone is stunned by how beautiful she is, however she gets nervous and leaves afraid her step mother and step sister will recognize her. In haste, she leaves behind a golden slipper, which is eventually sold to the King who orders a manhunt of sorts to find the rightful owner of the slipper. Eventually, Yeh goes to the pavilion to try on the shoe and it fits her perfectly. She takes it back with her and the King eventually locates her. They are married and the step mother and step sister end up being crushed to death by stones.
Personal Response:
This story is entirely different from the original Cinderella and even the fragmented Cinderella that I read. In terms of the traditional story it is almost a completely different story in and of itself. There are some similarities, such as the mean step mothers and step sisters (though the ones in this version are much nastier than the ones in the traditional, they are abusive) and making Cinderella (Yeh Shen) do all the chores. I like that this is a completely different version because it comes off as more cultural to me. They mentioned the Spring Festival being a gathering where women go and meet the man they hope to marry. It all comes across as being extremely cultural and I like that. I especially like the fish because I know the fish is big in Chinese culture with the zodiac symbols and such. Definitely like the cultural aspect of this one. You can tell it was passed from generations to generations. It reads as such!
Descriptions of Illustrations:
In terms of illustrations, there is not much to look at. This book doesn't have big, vibrant pictures that draw you in and take up the entire page. The pictures here are much more obscure in the sense that it is often hard to tell what they are depicting. The pictures are pretty much just shades of color. It is hard to tell what/who it is exactly, but I liked it. The illustrator used nice juxtapositions of contrasting colors and that made the pictures stand out a little bit. I do think that these illustrations might not be appealing for some kids, but it may be appealing to older kids who are starting to read more chapter books and less picture books.
Classroom Connections:
I wanted to mention that I think this book would be best to share with older students as I feel the story line for this one would go over the younger kids' heads. They may not be able to understand the story as well. A teacher could use this book as a way of comparing various versions of Cinderella, such as the traditional tale and the even the fragmented tale of Cinder Edna. They make a venn diagram comparing and contrasting the two stories. There are definitely things to contrast as this version is completely different from the traditional. Students could also compare and contrast character traits of the characters in this version to the ones in other versions. For example, in my opinion the step mother is worse to Yeh Shen than the step mother is in other versions of Cinderella I have read. The one in this version is just abusive. I think this would be a good center idea as well and teachers could set up different centers where students could get time reading other versions of Cinderella and doing activities for each. This is much like what we did in class and I think that is something teachers could do for older students to examine traditional literature, such as this one.
Summary:
Yeh Shen is the beautiful daughter of the late Chief Wu and one of his wives whom died shortly after Yeh was born. Yeh grows up as an orphan with her step mother and step sister who are both jealous of her for being more beautiful, than both of them. She is always given the unpleasant, grueling chores around the house and she lives a very sheltered lifestyle. She has no friends except a fish, but that quickly ends when the step mother stabs the fish and cooks it for dinner out of spite. The only thing devastated Yeh has left is the bones of the fish that was left behind. The bones turn out to be magical and grant Yeh anything she could possibly want. When the spring festival comes up, Yeh wishes she could attend and magical bones turn her rags into riches. She attends the festival where everyone is stunned by how beautiful she is, however she gets nervous and leaves afraid her step mother and step sister will recognize her. In haste, she leaves behind a golden slipper, which is eventually sold to the King who orders a manhunt of sorts to find the rightful owner of the slipper. Eventually, Yeh goes to the pavilion to try on the shoe and it fits her perfectly. She takes it back with her and the King eventually locates her. They are married and the step mother and step sister end up being crushed to death by stones.
Personal Response:
This story is entirely different from the original Cinderella and even the fragmented Cinderella that I read. In terms of the traditional story it is almost a completely different story in and of itself. There are some similarities, such as the mean step mothers and step sisters (though the ones in this version are much nastier than the ones in the traditional, they are abusive) and making Cinderella (Yeh Shen) do all the chores. I like that this is a completely different version because it comes off as more cultural to me. They mentioned the Spring Festival being a gathering where women go and meet the man they hope to marry. It all comes across as being extremely cultural and I like that. I especially like the fish because I know the fish is big in Chinese culture with the zodiac symbols and such. Definitely like the cultural aspect of this one. You can tell it was passed from generations to generations. It reads as such!
Descriptions of Illustrations:
In terms of illustrations, there is not much to look at. This book doesn't have big, vibrant pictures that draw you in and take up the entire page. The pictures here are much more obscure in the sense that it is often hard to tell what they are depicting. The pictures are pretty much just shades of color. It is hard to tell what/who it is exactly, but I liked it. The illustrator used nice juxtapositions of contrasting colors and that made the pictures stand out a little bit. I do think that these illustrations might not be appealing for some kids, but it may be appealing to older kids who are starting to read more chapter books and less picture books.
Classroom Connections:
I wanted to mention that I think this book would be best to share with older students as I feel the story line for this one would go over the younger kids' heads. They may not be able to understand the story as well. A teacher could use this book as a way of comparing various versions of Cinderella, such as the traditional tale and the even the fragmented tale of Cinder Edna. They make a venn diagram comparing and contrasting the two stories. There are definitely things to contrast as this version is completely different from the traditional. Students could also compare and contrast character traits of the characters in this version to the ones in other versions. For example, in my opinion the step mother is worse to Yeh Shen than the step mother is in other versions of Cinderella I have read. The one in this version is just abusive. I think this would be a good center idea as well and teachers could set up different centers where students could get time reading other versions of Cinderella and doing activities for each. This is much like what we did in class and I think that is something teachers could do for older students to examine traditional literature, such as this one.
February 9, 2025
Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China by author Ai-Ling Louie provides an alternative telling to the traditional Cinderella fairy tale. Yen-Shen is left to be cared for by her stepmother and step-sister after the passing of her mother and later her father. Yeh-Shen catches and cares for a large fish whom her stepmother later kills. Yeh-Shen is later visited by an old man who tells her that the bones of her fish are very powerful. When Yeh-Shen's stepmother and stepsister leave Yeh-Shen alone while they go to the spring festival Yeh-Shen speaks to the bones of her fish in hopes of being able to attend. When the rags that Yen-Shen is wearing are transformed into a beautiful gown and golden slippers are placed on her feet she is finally able to attend with one stipulation; the golden slippers must be returned. But what happens when Yeh-Shen's stepmother and stepsister recognize her at the festival?
This book provides an excellent alternative telling to the traditional Cinderella fairytale and would be great for both upper or lower elementary classrooms.
This book provides an excellent alternative telling to the traditional Cinderella fairytale and would be great for both upper or lower elementary classrooms.
February 17, 2021
Yeh-Shen is a orphaned girl who is left with her mean step-mother who is jealous of the beauty she has compared to her own daughter. This version of the classic Cinderella story has beautiful cultural references to China. I listened to this read aloud on Youtube and the video did a great job of showing the text as well as the illustrations of the book. The reader had a nice pace during the reading and read with appropriate emotions. I would use this text to compare and contrast with another Cinderella like book as well as to teach my students about how traditional tales sometimes have similar plots even with them being from different parts of the world. This book can be used for 1st graders-5th graders in my opinion. It was a little lengthy in the text so maybe a little long for a read aloud for one sitting for younger students.
May 27, 2016
3 stars.
Think Cinderella began with the Brothers Grimm? Think again! The tale is actually much older than their 19th c. Germany . . . or Charles Perrault's late 17th c. France . . . or even Giambattista Basile's early 17th c. Italy. In fact, one of the oldest recorded versions of the tale comes all the way from ancient China.
Recorded sometime during the T’ang dynasty (618-907 A.D.) by the author Tuan Ch'eng-Shih, Cinderella—known as Yeh-Shen or Ye Xian in China—is a story with some very old Chinese roots. Which, honestly, makes a lot of sense, as it would finally explain the story’s weird preoccupation with tiny feet. China has a looooooong history of prizing tiny feet as a symbol of feminine beauty—hello, foot-binding—so it seems fitting that the tale may have originated there. (Key word being "may", but more on that later.)
So, how does the Chinese Cinderella go? In a nutshell . . .
Long ago, even before the Ch’in and Han dynasties, there lived a cave chief and his two wives in what is now southern China. Each wife bore the chief a daughter: one, Yeh-Shen, was as lovely as her mother, the first wife, while the other was as ugly as her mother, the second wife. Tragically, the first wife and the cave chief both passed away, leaving only the cruel second wife to care for poor little Yeh-Shen.
The second wife and her daughter hated Yeh-Shen for her beauty. In fact, Yeh-Shen’s only friend in the whole wide world was her pet fish, an enormous koi with golden eyes that Yeh-Shen fed every day, even though her stepmother barely gave her enough food to feed herself.
But one day, alas, Yeh-Shen’s stepmother discovered the fish and so killed and cooked it. (Told you she was cruel!) The fish’s spirit, however, lived on in its bones. Moreover, it promised to grant Yeh-Shen a wish when she was most in need, a wish Yeh-Shen redeemed to go to the local village's festival, the fish’s spirit magically providing her with beautiful blue robes and slippers of actual gold.
Yeh-Shen had a lovely time at the festival. At least, that is, until her stepsister almost recognized her and she was forced to flee, accidentally leaving behind one of her precious slippers. Luckily, an astute villager pocketed it to sell to a merchant, who, in turn, presented it to the ruler of the nearby island
kingdom of T’o Han. The king, enchanted by the tiny thing, determined to marry the lady whose foot fit into the slipper.
Naturally, a great search ensued, Yeh-Shen was eventually found, and the king married her, presumably to live happily ever after. As for the stepmother and stepsister? For being cruel to Yeh-Shen, the king forbade them from ever visiting the palace. They spent the rest of their days in their cave, until one day they were crushed to death by an avalanche.
The end.
Obviously, this version of Cinderella is a little—um—rough around the edges—especially when compared to the highly romanticized version of today, which owes more to Walt Disney and the aforementioned Perrault than the ancient Chinese. I mean, polygamy? A dead fish instead of a fairy godmother? No pumpkin carriage? And Yeh-Shen doesn’t even meet the friggin’ king at the friggin’ festival?!
Still, Yeh-Shen is undeniably a proto-Cinderella, what with the cruel stepmother and stepsister, the party, the king, and, last but certainly not least, the golden slippers—making this a must-read for any true fairytale fans, young and old alike!
And yet.
As much as I approve of Louie bringing new light to this old tale—along with some much needed diversity to today's lily-white fairytale landscape!—it's hard not to feel a little underwhelmed by this particular book. Its problems are two-fold: 1) its lackluster illustrations, and 2) its misleading author's footnote.
First, the illustrations. While I commend Ed Young's inspired choice of Chinese-style watercolors for the book's artwork, I can't help but wish his end product was a little more . . . magical. Because that is the essence of Yeh-Shen's story—magic and beauty—so it would be nice to see that reflected in the story's artwork—especially when it comes to captivating younger readers! Yet Young's artwork underwhelms. The colors are muddy; the details, faint.
Even worse, however, is Louie's downright misleading author's note, which heavily implies Yeh-Shen is the oldest written Cinderella story on record. It's not. That honor actually belongs to the
story of Rhodopis, and it annoys my nitpicky heart (shut up) to see it implied otherwise. (Although I still think the Cinderella story probably did originate in China. Because, again, footbinding.)
But, those caveats aside, this is a story that deserves to be read. By me. By you. By everyone. After all, it hasn't survived the last 1300 years (and counting!) by being terrible. So check it out, why don't ya? And see what all of the hubbub is about!
Think Cinderella began with the Brothers Grimm? Think again! The tale is actually much older than their 19th c. Germany . . . or Charles Perrault's late 17th c. France . . . or even Giambattista Basile's early 17th c. Italy. In fact, one of the oldest recorded versions of the tale comes all the way from ancient China.
Recorded sometime during the T’ang dynasty (618-907 A.D.) by the author Tuan Ch'eng-Shih, Cinderella—known as Yeh-Shen or Ye Xian in China—is a story with some very old Chinese roots. Which, honestly, makes a lot of sense, as it would finally explain the story’s weird preoccupation with tiny feet. China has a looooooong history of prizing tiny feet as a symbol of feminine beauty—hello, foot-binding—so it seems fitting that the tale may have originated there. (Key word being "may", but more on that later.)
So, how does the Chinese Cinderella go? In a nutshell . . .
Long ago, even before the Ch’in and Han dynasties, there lived a cave chief and his two wives in what is now southern China. Each wife bore the chief a daughter: one, Yeh-Shen, was as lovely as her mother, the first wife, while the other was as ugly as her mother, the second wife. Tragically, the first wife and the cave chief both passed away, leaving only the cruel second wife to care for poor little Yeh-Shen.
The second wife and her daughter hated Yeh-Shen for her beauty. In fact, Yeh-Shen’s only friend in the whole wide world was her pet fish, an enormous koi with golden eyes that Yeh-Shen fed every day, even though her stepmother barely gave her enough food to feed herself.
But one day, alas, Yeh-Shen’s stepmother discovered the fish and so killed and cooked it. (Told you she was cruel!) The fish’s spirit, however, lived on in its bones. Moreover, it promised to grant Yeh-Shen a wish when she was most in need, a wish Yeh-Shen redeemed to go to the local village's festival, the fish’s spirit magically providing her with beautiful blue robes and slippers of actual gold.
Yeh-Shen had a lovely time at the festival. At least, that is, until her stepsister almost recognized her and she was forced to flee, accidentally leaving behind one of her precious slippers. Luckily, an astute villager pocketed it to sell to a merchant, who, in turn, presented it to the ruler of the nearby island
kingdom of T’o Han. The king, enchanted by the tiny thing, determined to marry the lady whose foot fit into the slipper.
Naturally, a great search ensued, Yeh-Shen was eventually found, and the king married her, presumably to live happily ever after. As for the stepmother and stepsister? For being cruel to Yeh-Shen, the king forbade them from ever visiting the palace. They spent the rest of their days in their cave, until one day they were crushed to death by an avalanche.
The end.
Obviously, this version of Cinderella is a little—um—rough around the edges—especially when compared to the highly romanticized version of today, which owes more to Walt Disney and the aforementioned Perrault than the ancient Chinese. I mean, polygamy? A dead fish instead of a fairy godmother? No pumpkin carriage? And Yeh-Shen doesn’t even meet the friggin’ king at the friggin’ festival?!
Still, Yeh-Shen is undeniably a proto-Cinderella, what with the cruel stepmother and stepsister, the party, the king, and, last but certainly not least, the golden slippers—making this a must-read for any true fairytale fans, young and old alike!
And yet.
As much as I approve of Louie bringing new light to this old tale—along with some much needed diversity to today's lily-white fairytale landscape!—it's hard not to feel a little underwhelmed by this particular book. Its problems are two-fold: 1) its lackluster illustrations, and 2) its misleading author's footnote.
First, the illustrations. While I commend Ed Young's inspired choice of Chinese-style watercolors for the book's artwork, I can't help but wish his end product was a little more . . . magical. Because that is the essence of Yeh-Shen's story—magic and beauty—so it would be nice to see that reflected in the story's artwork—especially when it comes to captivating younger readers! Yet Young's artwork underwhelms. The colors are muddy; the details, faint.
Even worse, however, is Louie's downright misleading author's note, which heavily implies Yeh-Shen is the oldest written Cinderella story on record. It's not. That honor actually belongs to the
story of Rhodopis, and it annoys my nitpicky heart (shut up) to see it implied otherwise. (Although I still think the Cinderella story probably did originate in China. Because, again, footbinding.)
But, those caveats aside, this is a story that deserves to be read. By me. By you. By everyone. After all, it hasn't survived the last 1300 years (and counting!) by being terrible. So check it out, why don't ya? And see what all of the hubbub is about!
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December 4, 2020一本成语很有意思。如果你想成中文看书，我很举荐这本小说。
May 19, 2019
Yeh-Shen is a young girl from China wh0 lost both of her parents and was forced to live in a cave with her stepmother and daughter. She took on all the chores around the home and made friends with a fish she caught and kept in a nearby pond. She brought the fish food daily and it grew in size. Until one day, Yeh-Shen's stepmother finds the fish, stabs it, and takes it home to cook for dinner. Yeh-Shen is devastated and keeps the bones only to find out how magical they become. Her life is transformed and she begins to see how all of her hard work pays off. This version of a Cinderella story shares the customs and symbolism of Chinese traditions while still focusing on a traditional story.
January 10, 2021
Beautiful retelling of the fairy tale. I loved the illustrations that really made the cultural setting really.
February 15, 2022
*read for ENGL 249 at Concordia University
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