Reviews

From Booklist , May 15, 1999
This heartwarming story is based on a tale told by Raymond Chang's mother in Shanghai. Da Wei lives with his father in northern China, where the land is harsh and the magistrate demands much of their harvest. They treasure a rock that looks like a miniature mountain with a tiny house on top. Just before Da Wei's father dies, he tells his son to look for a light from the house. One night, a tiny cart rolls out of the house, and by morning, it is large enough to use. Da Wei takes the cart to the sea, where it trundles down to the waterline. He follows it, the waters part, and he is led to a grand house, where he dines, accompanied only by an orange kitten. When he leaves, he takes the kitten, who, he soon discovers, is an enchanted lady. They marry, and her embroidery skills bring them riches and the wrath of the magistrate, from whom Da Wei's wife rescues him with the help of a paper tiger. The text faces full-page oils, whose lusciously thick colors and strong shapes echo Monet's impressionism and chinoiserie. GraceAnne A. DeCandido
Copyright© 1999, American Library Association. All rights reserved

From Kirkus Reviews
This enchanted adventure tale from the Changs (The Beggar's Magic, 1997, etc.) rolls along smoothly, telling of a poor but thoughtful and diligent son of a peasant in China. Da Wei has inherited a stone from the sea, given to his father by a fisherman he once befriended; the stone is rumored to have wealth-bestowing powers. It's truethe stone sparks an adventure that leads Da Wei to a mansion beneath the sea. Although he leaves the mansion with only a kitten, it turns into a fabulously talented embroideress from the Jade Court, Lian Di, who had a spell cast on her by jealous rivals. Lian Di's embroidery and Da Wei's hard work ensure their joy and wealth. A last episode, in which a greedy magistrate threatens their happiness and Lian Di works yet another bit of wizardry to save them, overplays the element of magic and diffuses all dramatic tension; readers will have to take on faith Da Wei's cleverness, diligence, and intelligence. McElrath-Eslick's artwork is handsome and evocative, dreamy but with enough detail to keep readers' eyes busy. (Picture book. 5-9) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Synopsis
In this retelling of a traditional Chinese tale, a boy finds a treasure in an unexpected place.

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