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The Paper Dragon
Mi Fei is a humble painter of scrolls. Between each day's sunrise and sunset, he paints scenes of the gods and their festivals' portraits of heroes and their deeds. Although the scrolls bring him fame, Mi Fei is content to live in his village, surrounded by people he loves. But one day a messenger enters the village with terrible news: the dragon Sui Jen has awakened from its hundred years' sleep and is destroying everything in its path. Someone must find a way to return Sui Jen to its slumber. To the villagers, only one among them is wise enough to confront the scaly beast -- Mi Fei.
The power of the artist's vision and the ever-sustaining nature of love are brought together in Marguerite W. Davol's beautiful story, strikingly interpreted by Robert Sabuda in a series of gatefold illustrations that convey the storytelling majesty of the Chinese narrative scrollmaker's art.
The power of the artist's vision and the ever-sustaining nature of love are brought together in Marguerite W. Davol's beautiful story, strikingly interpreted by Robert Sabuda in a series of gatefold illustrations that convey the storytelling majesty of the Chinese narrative scrollmaker's art.
60 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1997
1 person is currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 7, 2013
“The Paper Dragon” is about a Chinese artist who agrees to confront the dragon that is terrifying his village.
The story is written by Marguerite Davol. The biography of Mrs. Davol makes no mention of any links she may have to Asian (specifically Chinese) culture. However neither the story nor the pictures portray Chinese people in a way that would be stereotypical or offensive.
The theme in “The Paper Dragon” is courage. Mi Fei, the artist and main character in the story, decides to confront the dragon that is terrifying the villagers in his town. He is scared but overcomes his fear in order to save the villagers. The dragon is eventually put to rest by the “strongest thing in the world” love. Mi Fei tells the dragon that love can move mountains, stretch the sky, calm the sea, love brings light and life, and with these words the dragon disappears.
“The Paper Dragon” is a folktale. It is a culturally specific book. The antagonist in the story is a dragon. Dragons are a part of Chinese mythology therefore making the book culturally specific to the Chinese. However the story is written in such a way that the antagonist could have been anything or anyone including a different made-up creature. Additionally, the main character could have been from a different country and the setting could have been in a place other than a village. None of these changes would have altered the crux of the story.
My rating for this book is three stars. I liked the story. There was nothing special or unique about it but I liked the theme of overcoming fear to help others. I also liked the message that love is the strongest thing in the world. It may seem a bit corny for adults but makes a nice read for primary students.
The story is written by Marguerite Davol. The biography of Mrs. Davol makes no mention of any links she may have to Asian (specifically Chinese) culture. However neither the story nor the pictures portray Chinese people in a way that would be stereotypical or offensive.
The theme in “The Paper Dragon” is courage. Mi Fei, the artist and main character in the story, decides to confront the dragon that is terrifying the villagers in his town. He is scared but overcomes his fear in order to save the villagers. The dragon is eventually put to rest by the “strongest thing in the world” love. Mi Fei tells the dragon that love can move mountains, stretch the sky, calm the sea, love brings light and life, and with these words the dragon disappears.
“The Paper Dragon” is a folktale. It is a culturally specific book. The antagonist in the story is a dragon. Dragons are a part of Chinese mythology therefore making the book culturally specific to the Chinese. However the story is written in such a way that the antagonist could have been anything or anyone including a different made-up creature. Additionally, the main character could have been from a different country and the setting could have been in a place other than a village. None of these changes would have altered the crux of the story.
My rating for this book is three stars. I liked the story. There was nothing special or unique about it but I liked the theme of overcoming fear to help others. I also liked the message that love is the strongest thing in the world. It may seem a bit corny for adults but makes a nice read for primary students.
February 12, 2022
Beautiful illustrations and such a great folktale.
September 24, 2018
I didn’t know why I picked up this book but I’m glad I did because I loved the message this book brought. I didn’t really enjoy all the illustrations inside this book but I loved this books story and I liked how all the illustrations were three-page spreads. This ended up being a fun story.
Mi Fei was a humble painter in the village. One day, a messenger ran into the village warning them that a dragon had awaken from its hundred-year sleep. The dragon was destroying everything in its path. Someone needed to stop the dragon, but who?
Everyone is scared, how can they get the dragon to go back to sleep? Everyone looked to Mi Fei as he knew about heroes and gods and well, Mi Fei couldn’t refuse their worried faces. Mi Fei packs and sets off to face Sui Jen, the source of fire. Pleading with the dragon, Sui Jen makes Mi Fei nervous as he tells him that he will continue to stalk the countryside until someone can perform three tasks for him. Sui Jen informs Mi Fei that he will burn and trample everything in his path, until someone can complete all three tasks for him.
A scared Mi Fei asks the dragon what the three tasks are. A short conversation emerges in which Mi Fei learns what he must do to complete the first task. If he fails to complete this task, Sui Jen will eat him. As he completes the first task, the dragon will give him the next task. Mi Fei acts humble and he uses his wit to solve the tasks the dragon gives him. The illustrations show Mi Fei hard at work and the confrontation between the two. I didn’t like the whimsical feeling of the illustrations.
It is amazing how this humble painter is able to accomplish the tasks the dragon asks of him. As I read each task, I wondered what exactly the dragon was asking from the painter. As the painter thought through the words spoken from the dragon, he truly was a wise painter. The last task was a beauty and I loved how the painter came up with his answer.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the novel more than I loved the illustrations. A great folktale. 4.5 stars
Mi Fei was a humble painter in the village. One day, a messenger ran into the village warning them that a dragon had awaken from its hundred-year sleep. The dragon was destroying everything in its path. Someone needed to stop the dragon, but who?
Everyone is scared, how can they get the dragon to go back to sleep? Everyone looked to Mi Fei as he knew about heroes and gods and well, Mi Fei couldn’t refuse their worried faces. Mi Fei packs and sets off to face Sui Jen, the source of fire. Pleading with the dragon, Sui Jen makes Mi Fei nervous as he tells him that he will continue to stalk the countryside until someone can perform three tasks for him. Sui Jen informs Mi Fei that he will burn and trample everything in his path, until someone can complete all three tasks for him.
A scared Mi Fei asks the dragon what the three tasks are. A short conversation emerges in which Mi Fei learns what he must do to complete the first task. If he fails to complete this task, Sui Jen will eat him. As he completes the first task, the dragon will give him the next task. Mi Fei acts humble and he uses his wit to solve the tasks the dragon gives him. The illustrations show Mi Fei hard at work and the confrontation between the two. I didn’t like the whimsical feeling of the illustrations.
It is amazing how this humble painter is able to accomplish the tasks the dragon asks of him. As I read each task, I wondered what exactly the dragon was asking from the painter. As the painter thought through the words spoken from the dragon, he truly was a wise painter. The last task was a beauty and I loved how the painter came up with his answer.
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the novel more than I loved the illustrations. A great folktale. 4.5 stars
November 20, 2017
The story is about how a man, Mi Fei, who paints and is idolized by his village. One day a dragon awakes from his sleep and wreaks havoc, so the village is scared hoping for a hero. They then turn to Mi Fei, hoping to save them. Will he be able to save the village? Read to find out more!
The author and illustrator really outdid themselves by adding another page worth of drawings. Usually pages have 2, but they added a third every time I turned the page to show more of the illustrations. They took in to great detail of the illustrations, by paying attention and making sure the text matches the illustrations. It both complemented each other.
The plot and outline of the book went hand in hand. There was a hero, problem, and a solution. In that, there included a rising action. The element of making it a Chinese folktale meant my expectations. It included Chinese writing especially in the corners of the book which made it more surreal.
I definitely enjoyed this book and would highly recommend to read this, if you want to be on edge! This book caught my eye because of the design in the front of the book, the cover. Also it had something to do with Chinese since, I am learning Chinese, along with its culture. I am 1/4 Chinese so that is also why it peaked my interest.
The author and illustrator really outdid themselves by adding another page worth of drawings. Usually pages have 2, but they added a third every time I turned the page to show more of the illustrations. They took in to great detail of the illustrations, by paying attention and making sure the text matches the illustrations. It both complemented each other.
The plot and outline of the book went hand in hand. There was a hero, problem, and a solution. In that, there included a rising action. The element of making it a Chinese folktale meant my expectations. It included Chinese writing especially in the corners of the book which made it more surreal.
I definitely enjoyed this book and would highly recommend to read this, if you want to be on edge! This book caught my eye because of the design in the front of the book, the cover. Also it had something to do with Chinese since, I am learning Chinese, along with its culture. I am 1/4 Chinese so that is also why it peaked my interest.
September 20, 2022
"The Paper Dragon" follows a man who is on a quest to defeat a dragon. However, this quest isn't like many other fairytales. Our main character, Mi Fei, has to go through many different quests to prove his and his town's worth in being able to survive the mighty dragon and its wrath.
This book has a strong plot and is easy to follow for the most part. The main character has a minimal background, and his background doesn't contribute much to the story's entirety. It follows an Asian village and incorporates culture into the story that is important to the main theme of the story. However, I feel like the story is more of a read-aloud book rather than a book that a younger child would read on their own. The pages are lengthy and include a large vocabulary that most children wouldn't understand. The pictures in the book go along very well with the story and would make up for the lack of reading on the child's part.
This book has a strong plot and is easy to follow for the most part. The main character has a minimal background, and his background doesn't contribute much to the story's entirety. It follows an Asian village and incorporates culture into the story that is important to the main theme of the story. However, I feel like the story is more of a read-aloud book rather than a book that a younger child would read on their own. The pages are lengthy and include a large vocabulary that most children wouldn't understand. The pictures in the book go along very well with the story and would make up for the lack of reading on the child's part.
July 1, 2017
This is a lovely story that is really beautifully illustrated and utilizes the interactive nature of fold-out pages very well.
What is a bit weird about it is that the story seems very Western in structure (down to dragons who pillage towns. I'm nothing near an expert on Chinese dragons but I'm pretty sure there's more of a difference there?). There's nothing clearly offensive or disrespectful in this, it just seems odd in something set in China.
What is a bit weird about it is that the story seems very Western in structure (down to dragons who pillage towns. I'm nothing near an expert on Chinese dragons but I'm pretty sure there's more of a difference there?). There's nothing clearly offensive or disrespectful in this, it just seems odd in something set in China.
September 27, 2021
A fun story set in medieval China, with an artists who is chosen to face a destructive dragon to save his village (using the power of Art and Love and stuff like that). It's a fun story. But it is not a particularly authentic one, and I feel like it is pretending to be one, so I knocked it down from 5/5 to 4/5 for that . . .
March 7, 2019
This book is about a painter who is tasked with getting a dragon to fall back asleep before it destroys his town. The book has themes of love conquering all and following your passions. This book takes place in china so it would be a good way to introduce diversity to a child or classroom.
November 3, 2018
The author used something about Chinese background to tell about the story.
January 23, 2022
A story that's stayed with me since childhood. It's so sweet and the art is brilliant.
September 8, 2025
A humble artist outsmarts a fierce dragon, showing that creativity and wisdom can be stronger than brute strength. A hidden gem with gorgeous illustrations.
July 17, 2019
This is a book that I will keep in my permanent collection. The illustrations are stunning, and very unique. I love folktales and this one is told clearly and simply. Lovely children’s book. Highly recommend for 3 and up.
July 29, 2022
Huge, brightly colorful pictures, a big dragon, and the rule of three make it a story any kid will enjoy, the format with wide fold out pages makes it especially suited to reading to a group facing the reader because the text is on the back when the picture is folded out.
April 7, 2025
This is such a nice story. In a village in China lived Mi Fei, an accomplished painter of scrolls. One day news came that a destructive dragon, Sui Jen, had awakened, and the villagers pleaded with Mi Fei to convince the dragon to go back to sleep. This is a beautiful story of how he did that. Gorgeous illustrations.
March 14, 2017
This book's format is quite different from other books, first, the book's pages are folding, they can be pulled out, which means the illustrations in the book is large and detailed enough for children to read as well as copy from the book. Second, the illustrations of this book are all designed based on paper-cut, which means that children can also learn how to do the same things. Besides, illustrations are really close to reality as well as beautiful. The materials in this book is a little bit old-fashioned, in my opinion, but it still teaches the children about the good aspects of humanity.
This book is more than a multicultural book, the materials in this book is a common sense for all kinds of cultures, for example, love, brave, loyalty, smart, hard-working, etc. In my opinion, the author knows something about Chinese background, the names and locations in the book are based on Chinese pronunciations, on the other hand, it is hard for both readers and auditors to understand as well as read this book.
This book is more than a multicultural book, the materials in this book is a common sense for all kinds of cultures, for example, love, brave, loyalty, smart, hard-working, etc. In my opinion, the author knows something about Chinese background, the names and locations in the book are based on Chinese pronunciations, on the other hand, it is hard for both readers and auditors to understand as well as read this book.
February 6, 2017
A Chinese calligrapher/scribe is respected by the people of his village. When a local dragon awakes, they ask him to see what he can do.
The dragon presents 3 challenges. The scribe finds answers in books and in his heart.
The pictures are vibrant. The patterned colors remind me of Eric Carle's in The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Every 2 page spread is actually 4 pages. The right page folds out so you have 3 full pages of illustration. The other side of the right page is the text.
The dragon presents 3 challenges. The scribe finds answers in books and in his heart.
The pictures are vibrant. The patterned colors remind me of Eric Carle's in The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Every 2 page spread is actually 4 pages. The right page folds out so you have 3 full pages of illustration. The other side of the right page is the text.
November 13, 2012
I love Robert Sabuda's illustrations. This is a wonderful story of the power of artistic vision and creativity over that of might and ferocity. The story is well told and the illustrations are wonderful paper collages that fold out with each page. I read it to kids ages 5 though 9, and each opening of the fold out was greeted with oohs and aahs. One of the boys copied the Chinese characters in the front of the book.
February 27, 2015
Wow! Was this ever a great one! The pictures all fold out and they're so colorful. They look a little like the guy who drew the firefly and caterpilar books [Eric Carle] except they're Chinese. And there are a lot of words but what you do is, you read the words and then fold out the pictures. And it's a good story, too, about dragons and love. So YES!!! A good one! FIVE stars!
March 27, 2008
This is officially the best book ever! I was drawn into the story right away. The story, so sweet and the illustration, AMAZING and delightful. I'm sure the child who left crumbs for me between the pages totally agrees.
September 29, 2008
A humble artist named Mi Fei agrees to confront the terrifying dragon that threatens to destroy his village. By using paper to transport light (a lantern), wind (a fan) and other clever tricks, Me Fei outwits the dragon! ALAN 1998, GKA 1997
September 29, 2008
Humble artist Mi Fei agrees to confront the terrifying dragon that threatens to destroy his village. By using paper to transport light (a lantern), wind (a fan), and other clever tactics, Me Fei outwits the dragon! (Review from Bas Bleau).
December 28, 2014
I read this to lots of elementary-aged students a few summers ago. It is a very beautifully illustrated and suspenseful book with clever twists. There is also a very positive message about what is "most important."
January 9, 2013
Gorgeous illustrations, innovative design with the fold-out pages (although ours got nested incorrectly and I ended up reading a later page ahead of an earlier page). I love the tale of ingenuity, discovering the depths of one's own strength, and learning what's truly important.
December 23, 2014
This was really nicely done with double pages that unfold to show pictures illustrated by Sabuda of pop up fame. A classic story of how love is the most powerful weapon anyone can wield. Good addition to a toddler's library.
March 5, 2008
My son's favorite. Illistrations are to die for. The story is really great, even if the moral is a little corny. I'm glad I own it.
December 10, 2008
Beautiful illustrations. Lovely story.
November 30, 2009
A wonderful little fairy tale with fantastic artwork. A delight for adults and children.
June 2, 2011
Kindergarten - Paper
October 12, 2012
fun to read.
September 28, 2014
fantastic read-a-loud, especially to a group
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews