The Greatest Power

by Demi

Emperor Ping, the boy emperor known for his love of harmony, sets a challenge to the children of his show him the greatest power in the world. "To know the greatest power in the world is to know the greatest peace," Emperor Ping announces. "Whoever knows this harmony will become the new prime minister."
The children get to work right away and have many bright ideas. The greatest power must be weapons! It must be beauty! It must be money!
But as a young girl named Sing reflects upon the challenge, she wonders how any of those things, which cannot last forever, could be the greatest power in the world. She is certain there is something even more powerful, and the source of this power will surprise and delight her.
A companion to Demi's stunning picture book The Empty Pot, The Greatest Power continues the story of Ping now that he has become an emperor. With striking artwork and a lovely, lyrical text, this next chapter in Emperor Ping's life is sure to enrapture young readers.

Genres: Picture Books, China, Childrens, Asia, Fiction, Religion, Cultural

40 pages, Hardcover

First published February 24, 2004

About the author

Demi (September 2, 1942) born Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt, is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. During her career she has published over 300 titles.

Demi was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is the great-grand daughter of the American painter William Morris Hunt, and the great-grand niece of architect Richard Morris Hunt. Demi earned her nickname as a young child when her father started calling her demi because she was half the size of her sister.

She studied art at Instituto Allende, Mexico, and with Sister Corita at the Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles. She was a Fulbright scholar at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India where she received her Master’s degree.

Demi is known for her biographies for spiritual figures including Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu, Jesus, Mary (mother of Jesus), Muhammad, Rumi, Francis of Assisi, Gandhi, and the Dalai Lama.

In 1990, Demi and her husband Tze-si “Jesse” Huang represented the United States at the First Children’s International Book Conference in Beijing.

Source: Wikipedia

Reviews

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A parable to help the reader of this lovely picture book understand what is of real value in life.

[♥♣Mary♦♠ If She So Pleases · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice story time read.

[Meribeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Chinese boy emperor, Ping, from Demi’s earlier picture book, THE EMPTY POT, sends the children of his land on a quest. He challenges them to show him, within a year, what is the greatest power in the world. Known for his honesty and love of harmony, Young Emperor Ping is seeking a prime minister, whose wisdom he can trust, to bring the “harmony of the heavens” to his land.
The children construct creations demonstrating the greatest power. Except for one girl, Sing. She looks for patterns, remembering the emperor’s words, “A wise person must be able to see the unseen and know the unknown.” She thinks about power, wondering. How can anything that does not last be the greatest power?
Each child is certain he or she has the answer to Emperor Ping’s quest. At the end of the parade, other children laugh at Sing for having nothing to show. However, Sing’s explanation of the “nothing” she holds, which is also the greatest power in the world, brings the story to its surprising conclusion. And wins her the position of prime minister.
Although the young emperor’s riddle contains the complexity of great philosophical debate, Demi’s lyrical text and accompanying circular illustrations; sometimes fierce, sometimes bright, sometimes busy, always intriguing; convey the core of simplicity at the heart of life.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set long ago, in China, Emperor Ping was just a boy. Yet "already he was known throughout the kingdom for his honesty and his love of harmony."

He assembled all the children in the kingdom to launch a quest. This was designed to prove which child was the wisest in the land. "That wise chld would become the new prime minister," promised Emperor Ping.

The children were given one year to find "the greatest power in all the world."

GOODREADERS, ARE YOU FASCINATED YET?

If you could only see the amazing, detailed, so-beautiful drawings... very likely you would consider this book a keeper, a picture book to cherish and then to read over and over again.

WHOSE APPROACH TO THIS RIDDLE WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTING?

[A] little girl named Sing,
remembered the emperor's words,
"A wise person must be able to see the unseen
and know the unknown."

She thought and thought. Eventually Sing found her answer. She came last in the parade of children, then announced the answer that she found. Even demonstrating it, in a very simple way. The wisdom here made me go Ah!

FIVE STARS for this deeply spiritual book. My hunch is, this will be of special interest to children who are seekers of truth.

[Willow · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a neat story which really opens up some lines of deep thought. I don't know if I agree with the answer to the question, though. It seems a bit murky to me.

Honestly, I thought this was going to take a different direction and declare "love" as the greatest power. I feel like that would have been more satisfying (and possibly truer?).

I did like the concept Emperor Ping was getting at with his question, and at the very least, we are presented with many things that may seem powerful but in the end are transient and without true depth and meaning.

[Danielle T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty illustrations- did not realize this was a sequel to The Empty Pot but it does explain why there's a boy emperor who's looking for a fellow child to act as prime minister. Again, gorgeously illustrated. I prefer to interpret the lotus seed as potential rather than eternal life but with the cyclical nature of things it kind of works? idk.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was a companion book to 'The Empty Pot!' It's not necessarily a sequel, but Ping is back. I enjoy Demi's books because they are simple lessons in what's really important in life. I didn't think 'The Greatest Power' was as good as 'The Empty Pot,' but it was still a beautiful little story.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story presented like an old Chinese fable, Emperor Ping is looking for a Prime Minister, so he sets the challenge to the children of the kingdom: "What do you think is the greatest power in the world?" Groups of kids put together different presentations. One girl actually takes some time thinking about the answer.

[Haley Hoenke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Social Studies, Asia, China

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this companion to "The Empty Pot." This story is also written in the style of a folktale. I liked the paintings with the occasional gold paint accents.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute story with a good message. I love looking at the illustrations in detail.

[Samantha Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so meaningful! It makes me cherish life, and savor every moment (even the bad ones) and it makes me feel meaningful, for every part of my body to have life, the greatest power.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little harder to understand the moral of this story.

[Jaclyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

kind of a heady topic for littles

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely think this story has such a great message to it. The emperor wants to find the wisest child in the land. So he brings them all to the kingdom and asks them to find the greatest power. Children bring money, flags, silks, and gold. But one child brings a lotus seed and says that it is the greatest power on earth because it represents life. Such a well written story. I would use this along with Tikki Tikki Tembo to have students come up with their own proverbs from their culture.

[Marcie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Kate for having this in your book log. I always loved The Empty Pot as a great read aloud, but think this makes an even better beautiful and powerful respect book.
As a 2004 I can still use it in class. I would love to have students find or even better write their own definitions of harmony, power, and peace.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emperor Ping, the boy emperor known for his love of harmony, sets a challenge to the children of his kingdom: show him the greatest power in the world. "To know the greatest power in the world is to know the greatest peace," Emperor Ping announces. "Whoever knows this harmony will become the new prime minister."
The children get to work right away and have many bright ide...more

[Jessica Wenninger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was such a fun read and the pictures were really well drawn. This book has a deep meaning when you think about life as the greatest power of all. The Chinese culture has many stories much life this one where they talk about very complex yet simple ideas. I really think this would be a great book for getting students to think deeply.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another folktale starring Emperor Ping, this one shows that the greatest power is not in money, weapons, technology, or beauty, although that is what most people think when Ping gives his people yet another challenge.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The emperor of China calls for all children to complete a quest. The child who is able to correctly represent the greatest power in all the world in a parade will become the Prime Minister in China. Will the answer be weapons? beauty? technology? money? or does the answer lie within a lotus seed?

[Margaret Chind · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great and just as lovely sequel to The Empty Pot with another valuable lesson on life in general. I like it.

[Mitchell Ary · Rating 3 out of 5]

i liked this book it held some philosophy for younger children to break down and dissect so they to can reach enlightenment. but other than that it was kind of frightening having small boys make weapons. i laughed at that part. i might consider adding this to my shelf.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely sequel to "The Empty Pot." Ping is now Emperor and looking for a wise Prime Minister. He puts the children of his kingdom to the test by asking what is the greatest power in the world.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this a disappointing sequel to The Empty Pot, which is one of my favorite children's books ever.

[SARAH · Rating 3 out of 5]

VERY similar to the empty pot...although wisdom rather than honesty is the order of the day

[Moe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in church.

[Ubalstecha · Rating 4 out of 5]

With illustrations that while eastern in flavour are reminiscent of illuminated pictures of medieval Western texts for its use of gold. Story is not Demi's best.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice. A little girl knows what the greatest power in the world comes from.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking with great illustrations.

[Abby Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story full of Chinese symbolism and wisdom