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The Magic Paintbrush #1
The Magic Paintbrush
In this highly illustrated series launch, Amy, a Chinese American girl picks up an ancient paintbrush and unwittingly unleashes the power to make her art real—and sometimes dangerous.
Amy has always loved art, but lately her drawings have been less than impressive. There's no passion, no personality, no...magic. Until Amy visits her Lao Lao, her grandmother, and finds an ancient paintbrush that brings anything Amy creates to life!
Now her creation Luna has taken over her bedroom and is running through the streets of Flushing, Queens. And launches an international adventure filled with an ancient Chinese legend, a greedy adversary and ghastly beasts!
Amy has always loved art, but lately her drawings have been less than impressive. There's no passion, no personality, no...magic. Until Amy visits her Lao Lao, her grandmother, and finds an ancient paintbrush that brings anything Amy creates to life!
Now her creation Luna has taken over her bedroom and is running through the streets of Flushing, Queens. And launches an international adventure filled with an ancient Chinese legend, a greedy adversary and ghastly beasts!
256 pages, Hardcover
Published May 21, 2024
15 people are currently reading
304 people want to read
About the author
Kat Zhang
25 books948 followers*Please do not message me through Goodreads! Instead, email me at katzhang3 AT gmail DOT com. I don't get on Goodreads often to check messages! Thank you :) *
Kat Zhang spent most of her childhood tramping through a world weaved from her favorite stories and games. When she and her best friend weren't riding magic horses or talking to trees, they were writing adaptations of plays for their stuffed animals (what would The Wizard of Oz have been like if the Cowardly Lion were replaced by a Loquacious Lamb?). This may or may not explain many of Kat's quirks today.
By the age of twelve, Kat had started her first novel and begun plans for her life as a Real Live Author (she was rather more confident at twelve than she is even now). Said plans didn't come into fruition until seven years later, when her agent sold her Young Adult trilogy, The Hybrid Chronicles, to HarperCollins. The series, about a parallel universe where everyone is born with two souls, concluded in 2014.
Her two upcoming Middle Grade novels will be released in 2017 and 2018 with Simon & Schuster. The first, The Emperor's Riddle, is about hidden treasure, lost aunts, and China. The second, The Memory of Forgotten Things, is about parallel universes (again), solar eclipses, and misfit children.
Kat is represented by Emmanuelle Morgen of Stonesong. She also contributes to Pub(lishing) Crawl, a site for aspiring writers to talk about books, storytelling craft, and the publishing process.
Kat Zhang spent most of her childhood tramping through a world weaved from her favorite stories and games. When she and her best friend weren't riding magic horses or talking to trees, they were writing adaptations of plays for their stuffed animals (what would The Wizard of Oz have been like if the Cowardly Lion were replaced by a Loquacious Lamb?). This may or may not explain many of Kat's quirks today.
By the age of twelve, Kat had started her first novel and begun plans for her life as a Real Live Author (she was rather more confident at twelve than she is even now). Said plans didn't come into fruition until seven years later, when her agent sold her Young Adult trilogy, The Hybrid Chronicles, to HarperCollins. The series, about a parallel universe where everyone is born with two souls, concluded in 2014.
Her two upcoming Middle Grade novels will be released in 2017 and 2018 with Simon & Schuster. The first, The Emperor's Riddle, is about hidden treasure, lost aunts, and China. The second, The Memory of Forgotten Things, is about parallel universes (again), solar eclipses, and misfit children.
Kat is represented by Emmanuelle Morgen of Stonesong. She also contributes to Pub(lishing) Crawl, a site for aspiring writers to talk about books, storytelling craft, and the publishing process.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 22, 2024
Thanks @prhinternational for the book.
When a Chinese-American girl visits her granny, the last thing she expects to happen is a revival of her passion for painting, which was otherwise dwindling with time. When she paints her childhood favourite 'Luna' using the beautiful Jade brush, Luna comes alive! The brush is magical for sure, but magic too has rules that are accompanied by unknown scary adventures.
This middle-grade story is beautifully illustrated throughout the book and would be a great pick for fans of Chinese Legends. The imagination is top-notch, but the author made sure to add a touch of valid explanation (via rules) in this magical world. There is also an underlying message for children/adults reading it allowing them to build upon their acceptance level, being courageous and not being afraid to try new things. Call me old school but I do enjoy that touch in middle-grade books 🤗.
Besides, if art is your thing, I am sure you would be entertained by the plot and those ghastly creatures coming out of their paintings.
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
When a Chinese-American girl visits her granny, the last thing she expects to happen is a revival of her passion for painting, which was otherwise dwindling with time. When she paints her childhood favourite 'Luna' using the beautiful Jade brush, Luna comes alive! The brush is magical for sure, but magic too has rules that are accompanied by unknown scary adventures.
This middle-grade story is beautifully illustrated throughout the book and would be a great pick for fans of Chinese Legends. The imagination is top-notch, but the author made sure to add a touch of valid explanation (via rules) in this magical world. There is also an underlying message for children/adults reading it allowing them to build upon their acceptance level, being courageous and not being afraid to try new things. Call me old school but I do enjoy that touch in middle-grade books 🤗.
Besides, if art is your thing, I am sure you would be entertained by the plot and those ghastly creatures coming out of their paintings.
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
December 23, 2024
This was a truly delightful middle-grade story. I'm not as big a fan of middle-grade fiction as I used to be, but this one had a lovely atmosphere and touching characters. I appreciated the way it touched on hard subjects without making things too heavy, and I loved the way it depicted imagination and the joy of creativity. The illustrations were cute and fun and brought some of the more fantastical elements to life in a fresh way, and I appreciated that there were lovely, reliable adults involved who gave the children the space needed to grow and develop while still providing an appropriate amount of supervision and caretaking. I would recommend this book to young teens who are looking for a fun, clean, exciting adventure.
January 24, 2024
[4.5/5 stars]
Chinese American girl Amy is passionate about art but she also struggles with it - she wants to leave her childish works behind. At a spring break, she needs to spend a week with her grandma, who she isn't close to. One day, she finds a jade paintbrush that turns whatever she paints real.
From Flushing to the mountains of Guilin, Zhang delivers captivating characters - the childhood best friend Diego, the imaginary (not so imaginary) best friend Luna, Chen Wong (descended from Chinese Royalty and with an interesting bond with brush painting) and lovely grandma. I cherished the Chinese folklore and Chinese mythical creature. This is a fantastical journey in which Amy finds her own confidence and following her connecting with her grandma over art was a heartwarming experience.
THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH celebrates the magic in art and imagination. I was wholeheartedly delighted by this middle-grade fantasy.
- the lovely illustrations were pure treat!
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Random House kids . All opinions are my own ]
Chinese American girl Amy is passionate about art but she also struggles with it - she wants to leave her childish works behind. At a spring break, she needs to spend a week with her grandma, who she isn't close to. One day, she finds a jade paintbrush that turns whatever she paints real.
From Flushing to the mountains of Guilin, Zhang delivers captivating characters - the childhood best friend Diego, the imaginary (not so imaginary) best friend Luna, Chen Wong (descended from Chinese Royalty and with an interesting bond with brush painting) and lovely grandma. I cherished the Chinese folklore and Chinese mythical creature. This is a fantastical journey in which Amy finds her own confidence and following her connecting with her grandma over art was a heartwarming experience.
THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH celebrates the magic in art and imagination. I was wholeheartedly delighted by this middle-grade fantasy.
- the lovely illustrations were pure treat!
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Random House kids . All opinions are my own ]
May 22, 2024
I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Crown Books for Young Readers for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars!
TL;DR: The Magic Paintbrush is an action-packed, adventure-filled, Chinese mythology-inspired middle-grade fantasy with wonderful illustrations to accompany a fun and creative story! Amy was a relatable main character who was easy to root for and I loved her relationship with her Lao Lao and Luna—who is unquestionably my favourite character in this book. The story doesn’t dive too deep into character development and neither does it go too hard with its themes, but I think that is also what would make this a great pick for young readers who simply want an enjoyable and entertaining fantasy story. Overall, while this wasn’t my favourite as an adult reader of MG, it was still a terrific read that I would recommend to the young readers in my life.
The story is told from two POVs: our MC, Amy and the villain of our story, Chen. Amy is a young girl who aspires to be a great artist whose work is taken seriously. In her quest to achieve this, she feels the need to leave behind her old art because she deems it too childish and unserious, but as a result, she struggles with creating art that feels authentic to her. I feel like the tumultuous emotions Amy experience is something young readers will be able to relate to, especially if they read this around the same age as her because at that age, they experience so many changes in their lives. If I remember correctly, everything experienced in the early teen years is a pretty big deal whether or not that’s truly the case. 😂 Still, I loved how she came back to loving her art through this wild journey and it certainly helped that she had Lao Lao and Luna by her side.
I loved that Lao Lao was a deceptively frail-looking grandma but was an absolute warrior when it came down to it. At one point, she’s likened to an exotic house plant with teeth and I have to say, that’s spot on, lol. As an artist and enthusiast, there is much to bond over with Amy and it was sweet to see how their relationship grew. However, my favourite character was Luna. I loved his enthusiasm with everything and I couldn’t help but smile every time he would appear on the page. His positivity was also infectious! There is a humorous tone woven into the story but I found it especially obvious when Luna was involved and it made for some great chuckle-out-loud moments.
I’d never heard of the magic paintbrush story before, so I thought this book’s concept was quite cool! I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a paintbrush that can bring your creations to life—whether it be fantastical creatures, wondrous inventions, far-flung fantasy settings, or delicious foods? The younger me would’ve been thrilled at the idea of owning something so magical! I love how Zhang was able to give the paintbrush character through the story and it added more meaning to the belief behind the magic. This message was woven in smoothly with the fears and doubts that Amy was facing as a young artist. In the most literal sense, to find the magic in art again, she had to believe in her talent without overthinking/worrying about creating something perfect because nothing ever is.
The other POV is Chen, the villain of the story. He’s a spoiled rotten rich young man who parties too hard, has no concept of responsibility or respect, has zero morals, and is pathetic. He’s a narcissist and driven purely by greed and I think what made him scary was that he’s the kind of person that would go to any length to get what he wants simply because he wants it. That kind of evil drive is terrifying and I was so worried thinking about what he’d do next. I was honestly a bit disappointed that he was so one-dimensional but if the goal was to make it easy for young readers to understand why he’s so unlikeable and how you shouldn’t grow up to be like him, the author did a good and straightforward job of making that statement.
I’m not sure if this will be a series but with the way the story ends, I have a feeling it will be! Overall, I’m glad this was put on my radar. I honestly wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to parents/teachers/anyone who wants a recommendation for a diverse, well-written and illustrated story for their young readers.
TL;DR: The Magic Paintbrush is an action-packed, adventure-filled, Chinese mythology-inspired middle-grade fantasy with wonderful illustrations to accompany a fun and creative story! Amy was a relatable main character who was easy to root for and I loved her relationship with her Lao Lao and Luna—who is unquestionably my favourite character in this book. The story doesn’t dive too deep into character development and neither does it go too hard with its themes, but I think that is also what would make this a great pick for young readers who simply want an enjoyable and entertaining fantasy story. Overall, while this wasn’t my favourite as an adult reader of MG, it was still a terrific read that I would recommend to the young readers in my life.
The story is told from two POVs: our MC, Amy and the villain of our story, Chen. Amy is a young girl who aspires to be a great artist whose work is taken seriously. In her quest to achieve this, she feels the need to leave behind her old art because she deems it too childish and unserious, but as a result, she struggles with creating art that feels authentic to her. I feel like the tumultuous emotions Amy experience is something young readers will be able to relate to, especially if they read this around the same age as her because at that age, they experience so many changes in their lives. If I remember correctly, everything experienced in the early teen years is a pretty big deal whether or not that’s truly the case. 😂 Still, I loved how she came back to loving her art through this wild journey and it certainly helped that she had Lao Lao and Luna by her side.
I loved that Lao Lao was a deceptively frail-looking grandma but was an absolute warrior when it came down to it. At one point, she’s likened to an exotic house plant with teeth and I have to say, that’s spot on, lol. As an artist and enthusiast, there is much to bond over with Amy and it was sweet to see how their relationship grew. However, my favourite character was Luna. I loved his enthusiasm with everything and I couldn’t help but smile every time he would appear on the page. His positivity was also infectious! There is a humorous tone woven into the story but I found it especially obvious when Luna was involved and it made for some great chuckle-out-loud moments.
I’d never heard of the magic paintbrush story before, so I thought this book’s concept was quite cool! I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a paintbrush that can bring your creations to life—whether it be fantastical creatures, wondrous inventions, far-flung fantasy settings, or delicious foods? The younger me would’ve been thrilled at the idea of owning something so magical! I love how Zhang was able to give the paintbrush character through the story and it added more meaning to the belief behind the magic. This message was woven in smoothly with the fears and doubts that Amy was facing as a young artist. In the most literal sense, to find the magic in art again, she had to believe in her talent without overthinking/worrying about creating something perfect because nothing ever is.
The other POV is Chen, the villain of the story. He’s a spoiled rotten rich young man who parties too hard, has no concept of responsibility or respect, has zero morals, and is pathetic. He’s a narcissist and driven purely by greed and I think what made him scary was that he’s the kind of person that would go to any length to get what he wants simply because he wants it. That kind of evil drive is terrifying and I was so worried thinking about what he’d do next. I was honestly a bit disappointed that he was so one-dimensional but if the goal was to make it easy for young readers to understand why he’s so unlikeable and how you shouldn’t grow up to be like him, the author did a good and straightforward job of making that statement.
I’m not sure if this will be a series but with the way the story ends, I have a feeling it will be! Overall, I’m glad this was put on my radar. I honestly wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to parents/teachers/anyone who wants a recommendation for a diverse, well-written and illustrated story for their young readers.
August 13, 2024
the magic paintbrush focused highly on the plot and the connection to art. amy’s art felt dull and unimpressive lately, ever since she started to take art seriously. when amy visited lao lao while her parents are on a holiday, she found an ancient paintbrush that gave life to the things she drew. one of the art that came alive was luna, part eagle and part tiger. however, amy soon finds out when the paintbrush was activated by her, an ancient painting of a scary beast came alive and is out to hunt down the paintbrush’s current user. the book is filled with ancient chinese lore which i absolutely loved. although it was a quick read, the author managed to develop amy’s relationship with lao lao and showed that art is best when there’s freedom of expression.
overall thoughts:
it was cute and i adored lao lao who has always urged amy to trust amy's own art. when art comes to live, it's a whole new experience.
overall thoughts:
it was cute and i adored lao lao who has always urged amy to trust amy's own art. when art comes to live, it's a whole new experience.
May 12, 2024
This was a book I knew I needed once I saw that stunning cover. It is so pretty and magical and I just knew I would like this story. And I did, but I did not love it like I had hoped to. So it ended up being a three star for me. It was such a quick read, though, and the writing was truly wonderful. The artwork was fully gorgeous.
This book takes place over just a few days. It's a story that is told mostly during the same moment. Which I did like, as it was such a fast read. But it also made me care less about everything. I felt like I didn't get to know the characters enough. It all felt a bit too rushed. But the story was still magical to me and I did truly like it.
I'm honestly not sure what to write about this book. I do not want to share spoilers. And this book was so short. But there are still some things that I can share, I think. As I mentioned, the writing was perfect. I also liked the main girl a whole bunch too. It is told from the point of view of twelve-year-old Amy. She's being forced to spend a week with her grandma, her Lao Lao, as her parents go off on an arctic cruise. She's not very close with her grandma, and so she is not all that excited to spent time with her. I did like how that changed, how Amy started to care more about her grandmother and how they then got closer. It was cute. With bonding over painting and art. So yes, I liked that a whole lot. But I did also feel like there was too little of it, with how short the book was. I would not have minded more family time. As I adored it.
Amy has a love for art. She loves drawing, mostly on her tablet, as she can then erase more easily. She used to draw more freely when she was younger. She was more creative then, drawing more fantasy and magical creatures. Now she's trying to be more grown up, and it's not as easy to draw for her. We get to know a little about her life, like her best friend Diego. I liked him too. They had been best of friends since they were small. Diego is in this book way too little, though. But I very much adored their easy friendship.
This book is about the week Amy has to spend with her Lao Lao. Her grandma encourages her to draw more, to show her what she's working on. While putting her stuff in the guest room, she comes across a paintbrush that looks different. She thinks she broke it. But when she puts the ends together, it becomes whole. Like magic. Which Amy does not really believe in. Still. She then uses this paintbrush to draw like her grandma told her to. So she draws her old imaginary friend, Luna. A mythical and magical creature.
And then he is suddenly alive. In her bedroom. Full sized and talking. I liked this twist, as it was pretty cute. I loved how her imaginary friend came to life. As you can see, he is on the cover. And Luna is truly beautiful. But this magical paintbrush is no easy thing. It's fully complicated. Especially when something else comes alive too, in a different part of the world. We get to read from the point of view of this young man. The villain, I suppose. I did not like him one bit. But he was also a bad villain, ha. Not at all scary.
I'm not going to say much more about this book. The story was so easy to read and I kind of wish it had been more complicated, haha. But it was a fan story even so. I loved how Amy and Luna became close. How Luna remembered being her imaginary friend for all those years. How quickly they bonded. It was cute. But yeah. There was a villain, who also wanted the magical paintbrush. It was a little silly at times, yet interesting too. And I really did enjoy reading this book. I only wish there had been a little more of it.
Thank you so much to PRH International for gifting me this free book to read as an eARC via Edelweiss. I'm so glad that I was able to read this story. While I did not fully love it, I found The Magic Paintbrush to be all kinds of magical. The story was sweet. A little dangerous at times for kids, which I liked. The family relationship was wonderful. And the artwork was truly stunning. I loved what was included in the book. It was just as pretty as the cover. I think you should all give this one a try. I'm glad that I read this cute story.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2024...
This book takes place over just a few days. It's a story that is told mostly during the same moment. Which I did like, as it was such a fast read. But it also made me care less about everything. I felt like I didn't get to know the characters enough. It all felt a bit too rushed. But the story was still magical to me and I did truly like it.
I'm honestly not sure what to write about this book. I do not want to share spoilers. And this book was so short. But there are still some things that I can share, I think. As I mentioned, the writing was perfect. I also liked the main girl a whole bunch too. It is told from the point of view of twelve-year-old Amy. She's being forced to spend a week with her grandma, her Lao Lao, as her parents go off on an arctic cruise. She's not very close with her grandma, and so she is not all that excited to spent time with her. I did like how that changed, how Amy started to care more about her grandmother and how they then got closer. It was cute. With bonding over painting and art. So yes, I liked that a whole lot. But I did also feel like there was too little of it, with how short the book was. I would not have minded more family time. As I adored it.
Amy has a love for art. She loves drawing, mostly on her tablet, as she can then erase more easily. She used to draw more freely when she was younger. She was more creative then, drawing more fantasy and magical creatures. Now she's trying to be more grown up, and it's not as easy to draw for her. We get to know a little about her life, like her best friend Diego. I liked him too. They had been best of friends since they were small. Diego is in this book way too little, though. But I very much adored their easy friendship.
This book is about the week Amy has to spend with her Lao Lao. Her grandma encourages her to draw more, to show her what she's working on. While putting her stuff in the guest room, she comes across a paintbrush that looks different. She thinks she broke it. But when she puts the ends together, it becomes whole. Like magic. Which Amy does not really believe in. Still. She then uses this paintbrush to draw like her grandma told her to. So she draws her old imaginary friend, Luna. A mythical and magical creature.
And then he is suddenly alive. In her bedroom. Full sized and talking. I liked this twist, as it was pretty cute. I loved how her imaginary friend came to life. As you can see, he is on the cover. And Luna is truly beautiful. But this magical paintbrush is no easy thing. It's fully complicated. Especially when something else comes alive too, in a different part of the world. We get to read from the point of view of this young man. The villain, I suppose. I did not like him one bit. But he was also a bad villain, ha. Not at all scary.
I'm not going to say much more about this book. The story was so easy to read and I kind of wish it had been more complicated, haha. But it was a fan story even so. I loved how Amy and Luna became close. How Luna remembered being her imaginary friend for all those years. How quickly they bonded. It was cute. But yeah. There was a villain, who also wanted the magical paintbrush. It was a little silly at times, yet interesting too. And I really did enjoy reading this book. I only wish there had been a little more of it.
Thank you so much to PRH International for gifting me this free book to read as an eARC via Edelweiss. I'm so glad that I was able to read this story. While I did not fully love it, I found The Magic Paintbrush to be all kinds of magical. The story was sweet. A little dangerous at times for kids, which I liked. The family relationship was wonderful. And the artwork was truly stunning. I loved what was included in the book. It was just as pretty as the cover. I think you should all give this one a try. I'm glad that I read this cute story.
---
This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: https://carinabooks.blogspot.com/2024...
March 13, 2024
Zhang, Kat, The Magic Paintbrush. Pgs. 256. Penguin Random House, 2024
Amy loves when she visits her grandmother Lao Lao in Flushing. The two bond over art. Painting one day with one her grandmother’s jade paintbrushes, she learns that they are magical. When she paints a tiger, it come to life until she breaks the brush. Once she repairs it, it fixes. She continues to explore her painting with the brush. Meanwhile, nearby Chen’s painting of a taotie comes to life. He soon puts two and two together and is determines to stop the reckless painter. When he sees a video Amy posts, he realizes that she’s that painter and it alerts him to Amy’s whereabouts. Determined to put an end to Amy’s painting and get his paintbrush back, Chen comes after Amy with his taotie. Can Amy stop Chen?
The plot is simple, engaging, and magical. The characters are a little underdeveloped but are likable and engaging. Th world building is well done and helps bring Amy’s world to life. Illustrations are detailed, vivid, and help bring the story to life. Fans of fantasy, adventure, and art will want to pick this one up. Recommended for library collections where fantasy adventures are popular. 4 stars, Gr 2 to 4.
Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.
Amy loves when she visits her grandmother Lao Lao in Flushing. The two bond over art. Painting one day with one her grandmother’s jade paintbrushes, she learns that they are magical. When she paints a tiger, it come to life until she breaks the brush. Once she repairs it, it fixes. She continues to explore her painting with the brush. Meanwhile, nearby Chen’s painting of a taotie comes to life. He soon puts two and two together and is determines to stop the reckless painter. When he sees a video Amy posts, he realizes that she’s that painter and it alerts him to Amy’s whereabouts. Determined to put an end to Amy’s painting and get his paintbrush back, Chen comes after Amy with his taotie. Can Amy stop Chen?
The plot is simple, engaging, and magical. The characters are a little underdeveloped but are likable and engaging. Th world building is well done and helps bring Amy’s world to life. Illustrations are detailed, vivid, and help bring the story to life. Fans of fantasy, adventure, and art will want to pick this one up. Recommended for library collections where fantasy adventures are popular. 4 stars, Gr 2 to 4.
Please note: This was a review copy given to us by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No financial compensation was received.
July 24, 2024
🎨 Thanks @prhinternational for the book 🎨
Esta novela se lee rapidísimo. Es una historia juvenil que trata sobre los vínculos con nuestros mayores, sobre la confianza con uno mismo, el arte, y cómo podemos prejuzgar a las personas.
The Magic Paintbrush es una combinación perfecta entre escritura y arte, ya que a medida que vamos leyendo la historia nos vamos encontrando con unas ilustraciones divinas que nos muestran exactamente qué estamos leyendo y decoran las paginas de una manera única.
Se lee super rápido y me gusta mucho el vinculo que se va formando entre nuestra protagonista, Amy, y su abuela. La confianza que se tienen una a la otra, como van descubriéndose y acompañándose en esta gran travesía. No hay nada más lindo que eso.
¿Qué es el Pincel Mágico en la historia china?
La historia china de "El pincel mágico" cuenta la vida de Ma Liang, un joven pobre y talentoso que recibe un pincel mágico como recompensa por su bondad. Este pincel tiene el poder de hacer realidad todo lo que dibuja. Ma Liang utiliza el pincel para ayudar a su comunidad, pero un codicioso emperador se entera de su poder y lo captura, queriendo utilizar el pincel para su propio beneficio. A través de su ingenio, Ma Liang logra engañar al emperador y finalmente escapa, continuando su misión de usar el pincel para el bien de los demás.
Esta novela se lee rapidísimo. Es una historia juvenil que trata sobre los vínculos con nuestros mayores, sobre la confianza con uno mismo, el arte, y cómo podemos prejuzgar a las personas.
The Magic Paintbrush es una combinación perfecta entre escritura y arte, ya que a medida que vamos leyendo la historia nos vamos encontrando con unas ilustraciones divinas que nos muestran exactamente qué estamos leyendo y decoran las paginas de una manera única.
Se lee super rápido y me gusta mucho el vinculo que se va formando entre nuestra protagonista, Amy, y su abuela. La confianza que se tienen una a la otra, como van descubriéndose y acompañándose en esta gran travesía. No hay nada más lindo que eso.
¿Qué es el Pincel Mágico en la historia china?
La historia china de "El pincel mágico" cuenta la vida de Ma Liang, un joven pobre y talentoso que recibe un pincel mágico como recompensa por su bondad. Este pincel tiene el poder de hacer realidad todo lo que dibuja. Ma Liang utiliza el pincel para ayudar a su comunidad, pero un codicioso emperador se entera de su poder y lo captura, queriendo utilizar el pincel para su propio beneficio. A través de su ingenio, Ma Liang logra engañar al emperador y finalmente escapa, continuando su misión de usar el pincel para el bien de los demás.
June 15, 2024
This adventurous and character-forward action story features Amy who, upon discovering a paintbrush at her Grandma (Lao Lao)'s house in Queens realizes that anything she does with the paintbrush makes it come to life when the paintbrush (after breaking) gets put back together and that includes her imaginary friend from forever ago.
Now there's a quest that takes Amy and her not-so-imaginary friend Luna and a real friend Diego to faraway places where they'll encounter beasts of Chinese mythology and folklore.
It's a delightful romp with an artistic focus as Amy's art hadn't been her passion for a while until she visited her grandma and saw all of the art she had in the apartment.
Now there's a quest that takes Amy and her not-so-imaginary friend Luna and a real friend Diego to faraway places where they'll encounter beasts of Chinese mythology and folklore.
It's a delightful romp with an artistic focus as Amy's art hadn't been her passion for a while until she visited her grandma and saw all of the art she had in the apartment.
July 4, 2025
I am always looking for new books to offer my students for read alouds and this title is going on the list in September. Based on an ancient Chinese legend about a justice minded paintbrush, the author paints a tale filled with compelling human and mythological characters. A huge battle between good and evil is set in the every day lives of very different families and the fantasy blends effortlessly with the realistic minutiae of day to day life. It will also be an excellent prompt to look up the original myth and discuss it after completing the book. Added bonus: a brave and resourceful grandmother-granddaughter duo.
September 17, 2024
As someone who doesn't typically read or enjoy much middle grade fantasy, I'll admit that I usually go in to these books with relatively low expectations. However, it is arguably my students' favorite genre, so I am constantly looking for strong additions for my classroom library. I genuinely enjoyed The Magic Paintbrush and found it to be a quick, fun read. Kat Zhang is also a fantastic writer who hooked me from the very first page. I'm looking forward to introducing my students to this book, and I would happily read more from Zhang in the future.
June 23, 2025
Amy is struggling with her art, until she finds a magical paintbrush at her Lao Lao's that brings her drawings to life - but when a monster attacks, she and her now non-imaginary friend Luna must use its power to save her family from someone who seeks to abuse the brush for their own greedy ends. Zhang, Darnell and Zhong bring readers a sweet and exciting story whose incorporation of Chinese lore and wonderful illustrations makes for a quick yet endearing read. Can Amy trust her measly skills when art becomes the key to protecting her loved ones?
May 24, 2024
👧🏻 reviews: I have always been fascinated with Chinese calligraphy and artwork because they have so many fascinating strokes and textures. While reading this, it gave me the idea to plan and visit Flushing, NY where most of the Chinese-American population live. This adventure book has some gorgeous illustrations and the storyline is funny and adventurous especially learning about the Chinese tradition and culture. It is an amazing book.
August 10, 2024
This was such a good book, I couldn’t put it down. Everything was so vibrant and fun! From the story to the world but ESPECIALLY the characters! They were so dynamic and wonderfully written that they truly came to life. The choices they made truly made the story what it was! I just…I can’t get over the choice that villain made it was that good! Anyways! I LOVED it and CANNOT WAIT to read the next one!
October 18, 2024
So much to like about this book. The premise is really creative. I loved that Amy and her Lao Lao work together, trust each other, and defend each other even though they didn't know each other very well when their time together began. This fantasy book will appeal to readers who enjoy art, intergenerational stories, books with mythic creatures, and good-vs-evil plots. Read-alikes might include "Inkling" by Oppel and "A Brush with Magic" by Ahn.
May 30, 2025
When Amy Lee has to visit her grandmother, she worries she will be bored. However her grandmother is full of energy and excitement. When Amy stumbles upon a magic paintbrush her life changes forever. Full of whimsy and imagination this book will be perfect for middle grade fantasy lovers.
Since I listened to the book, I am sure I missed key visual details. I will have to see if I can find a copy to see all the fantastical characters in person.
Since I listened to the book, I am sure I missed key visual details. I will have to see if I can find a copy to see all the fantastical characters in person.
March 5, 2024
What a beautiful, beautiful book, filled with emotions and feelings, and art! This is a beautifully written middle-grade chapter book with adorable drawings. This book is filled with with fantasy, adventure, and a hefty touch of China. This is perfect for young readers who love their stories to be filled with some art and magic.
June 30, 2024
Solid read. I loved the illustrations. I enjoyed the perspective of both the MC and the antagonist. The writing was very well done and I loved the growing relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. I thoroughly enjoyed the themes of learning to do what you love for fun and for imagination sake.
March 19, 2025
Amy used to love art, but now she is so worried about doing it "wrong" that she can't do it at all. This phase is very common in tween girls, so I was glad to read a story about dealing with it (even in the fantastical way of paintings coming to life). Lots of adventure and a greedy, selfish rich guy as a villain. Give this to 4-6th graders.
April 2, 2025
Fantasy, self confidence, grandparent/child relationships
Amy is sent to stay with her grandmother over spring break, where she discovers a magical paintbrush and ends up traversing the globe trying to stop evil from stealing it.
Amy is sent to stay with her grandmother over spring break, where she discovers a magical paintbrush and ends up traversing the globe trying to stop evil from stealing it.
September 4, 2024
Mandarin-Asian American main character
September 25, 2024
Quick moving plot, great imagination, love the heavy use of illustrations and Amy and Lao Lao's relationship. Totally appealing for the intended audience, but feels very Disney shallow, somehow.
November 17, 2024
Super fun, and bonus points for mentioning Flushing, Queens NYC (my mom grew up there, and I was born nearby).
February 5, 2025
Interesting concept and I appreciate the relationship between Amy and her grandmother, but this just wasn't that interesting to me.
February 17, 2025
Fun and Imaginative a great start to the series. I can't wait to read book 2.
August 27, 2025
entertaining and cute
September 12, 2025
My kid and I loved this book. The plot keeps you guessing, the characters are great, and there is so much heart throughout.
Bonus: The focus on not being perfect when creating art.
Bonus: The focus on not being perfect when creating art.
September 25, 2025
This was a fun book that is similar to the Rick Riordan Presents books, but is much more original. The characters are well developed and the story is very engaging.
November 24, 2025
My kid liked this quite a bit. I think it appeals to everyone who ever dreamed of their imaginings coming to life.
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