The Rooster's Horns: A Chinese Puppet Play to Make and Perform

by Ed Young, Hilary Beckett

Presents the plot of a Chinese puppet play and includes directions for making shadow puppets and a theatre.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Ed Young is the illustrator of more than eighty books for children, seventeen of which he has also written. Among his books is the Caldecott Medal winner Lon Po Po, which he both wrote and illustrated. He says that his work is inspired by the philosophy of Chinese painting. He lives in Westchester County, New York.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book opens with the folktale and finishes with all the materials readers need to create a shadow puppet performance of the tale for an audience.

Rooster has the most beautiful horns Dragon and Worm scheme to trick Rooster into giving them away using flattery. Their plan works and Rooster has spent all the years since mourning his loss and hunting down Worm for his part in the trick.

Templates for the shadow puppets are included as well as step by step instructions for how to stage the performance and materials needed.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ed Young has crafted a cute children’s picture book about a gullible rooster, an envious dragon and a deceptive worm. Bold colors, line drawings and shadow illustrate the story. It also comes with instructions on how to make a shadow puppet story for its young audience. Patient adults and eager children can come together to re-create this story, thus heightening its enjoyment.