Jade Stone, The: A Chinese Folktale

by Caryn Yacowitz (Adapter), Ju-Hong Chen (Illustrator)

Named a Best Picture Book by San Francisco Chronicle and Book Links
Selected for California Collections by California Readers, 2000
ACCELERATED READER PROGRAM SELECTION

"A tale of artistic integrity told with artful simplicity."--Kirkus Reviews starred review

"Visually it advances like the unrolling of an oriental scroll . . . A satisfying tale, whether read aloud or pored over alone to pick up the whimsical humor of the illustrations." --School Library Journal

"The author masterfully retells the story . . . Combined with Chen's delightful ink and watercolor paintings, it makes reading the book like watching a well-done play." -The San Francisco Times

Chan Lo is a humble stone carver who is given a perfect piece of green and white jade to carve by the Great Emperor of All China. Is there a dragon in the stone, as the emperor demands? What does Chan Lo hear the stone say? What does it want to be? When Chan Lo finally succumbs to the stone's true wishes, the emperor is furious and throws him in prison. Can the spirit of the jade stone save the stone carver's life?

Warmly illustrated by painter Ju-Hong Chen, this Chinese folktale offers a clear and gentle message of artistic truth and a lesson in staying true to one's self.

Genres: Picture Books, Asian Literature, Folk Tales

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1992

About the author

Caryn Yacowitz is a playwright, speaker, and the author of several picture books. She lives in California.

Reviews

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Chan Lo is given a piece of jade to carve, with instructions to make a fiery dragon, he listens to what the stone tells him it wants to be. Alas, the stone does not want to be a dragon! What will Chan Lo do?

I like the way Yacowitz tells this Chinese folktale. When Chan Lo talks to the stone, it's in the form of a rhyme. The stone responds with sounds, not words, which Chan Lo must interpret. A great store is set by dreams, for both the Emperor and Chan Lo use them to learn what they should do. The wood block illustrations are accompanied by Chinese characters for each figure, the key to which is in the front of the book.

A note at the end of the book indicates that Yacowitz learned of this story from a book on jade, which I think I must read now. Recommended especially for those who love Chinese folklore.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jade Stone- a Chinese folk tale- Ju-Hong Chen Illustrator, Caryn Yacowitz Adaptor, - Children’s book- I have read this book in Hindi language. The story is as follows- King of China finds a beautiful Jade stone. He invites Chan Lou, a Stone carver to carve a Dragon showing strong wind and fire. The working pattern of this stone carver is that he places his ear on the stone and enquires what is hiding inside the stone. The stone replies to him and he carves birds, deer, buffalos etc. on the coloured stones. People arrives at his school and purchase these carved stones. The book has been made interesting to children by adaptation of a Chinese legend by use of sound in this piece that really gives the story its flair. The stone carver listens to the stone he is to carve in order to determine what is hiding inside it. The carver hears three different sounds emitted by the rock: “pah-tah, pah-tah,” “bub-bubb-bubble,” and “s-s-s-ah, s-s-s-s-s-ah, s-s-s-s-s-s-s-ah”. These sounds are repeated again. Stone carver understands that these sounds mean First sound means a small fish splashing water from her fin with the sound of pah, pah. Second sound means a fish swimming silently in deep water with a sound of bub bub. Third sound when a person is moving his hand the fins of a stork fish, sas- sas. These three items which emanated from the sound were carved on the jade stone. When the carving was presented before the King, his ministers viewed it before the King. As Dragon and Fire were not visible, they jailed the creator carver. Within three days, the king was the three items in his dream. He appreciated the Stone Carver, he praised, respected, awarded him and sent him back to his residence. An American Businessman named A L Gump from California visited Beijing, China to purchase jade stone for his shop in the year1917. The locals narrated to him this story. His son Richard narrated this story by the name Stone from Heaven. This story has been narrated in coloured pictured for the children to love and understand.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appealing to all, not just those driven by artistic/ creative passion. A little simplistic, a little repetitive, but it would make a good story for 'telling' and it would also make a good class play.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting folk tale about an artist who must follow his instincts about sculpting what the stone itself wants to become, despite the fact that the king has ordered something else! Uh oh.

[Tarin Wittig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

[Stacy Nyikos · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adaptation of a Chinese legend, it is Yacowitz’s use of sound in this piece that really gives the story its flair. The stone carver listens to the stone he is to carve in order to determine what is hiding inside (Homage to Michelangelo who said the figure was in the marble. He was only releasing it when he carved.) The carver hears three different sounds emitted by the rock: “pah-tah, pah-tah,” “bub-bubb-bubble,” and “s-s-s-ah, s-s-s-s-s-ah, s-s-s-s-s-s-s-ah” (12-13). These sounds are repeated again later in the story giving it a whimsical musicality that makes it almost impossible for the reader not to join in and say out loud.

[Gay Lynn]

Bold stone carver reminds me of the Hong Kong students appealing to Beijing and THE PARTY to adhere to promises ... right now 2014. Would that Beijing sleep on it like the Emperor and then approve the free thinking of the protesters as the Emperor did.

[Greta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chinese folktale has much to say about verity of creative process and listening to your true creative spirit.

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a class assignment and felt it had a good message of respect. Respect for nature (listening to the stone), for others (the king to the sculptor), etc.

[Stephanie Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story. I love children's books!