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The Truth About Dragons: (Caldecott Honor Book) Hardcover – Picture Book, August 15, 2023
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A Caldecott Honor Winner
Winner of the Asian Pacific American Award for Literature
An unforgettable lyrical picture book that celebrates biracial identity from the award-winning author of Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist.
Lean in close,
my darling bao bei,
and I will whisper
a most precious secret
about a powerful magic
that lives inside you.
Brought to life with lavish and ornate illustrations, The Truth About Dragons follows a young child on a journey guided by his mother's bedtime storytelling. He quests into two very different forests, as his two grandmothers help him discover two different, but equally enchanting, truths about dragons.
Eastern and Western mythologies coexist and enrich each other in this warm celebration of mixed cultural identity.
*A School Library Journal Best Book of 2023*
- Reading age4 - 8 years
- Print length40 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade level1 - 2
- Lexile measureAD910L
- Dimensions11.35 x 0.4 x 9.3 inches
- PublisherHenry Holt and Co. (BYR)
- Publication dateAugust 15, 2023
- ISBN-101250820588
- ISBN-13978-1250820587
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About the Author
Hanna Cha is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. She spent her childhood in both Korea and America, and currently lives in Boston where she loves crinkling her nose in the early morning breeze and snuggling her tiger-like cat, Hobac. She is the author and illustrator of Tiny Feet Between the Mountains.
Product details
- Publisher : Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (August 15, 2023)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 40 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1250820588
- ISBN-13 : 978-1250820587
- Reading age : 4 - 8 years
- Lexile measure : AD910L
- Grade level : 1 - 2
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 11.35 x 0.4 x 9.3 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #9,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Pure Magic combining Eastern and Western Mythology!
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A Must-Read for Little Dragon Enthusiasts: A Journey of Discovery
Emma
About the authors
JULIE LEUNG was raised in the sleepy suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, though it may be more accurate to say she grew up in Oz and came of age in Middle-earth.
By day, she is the marketing director for Random House’s sci-fi/fantasy imprint, Del Rey Books. By night, she writes.
In her free time, she enjoys furtively sniffing books at bookstores and winning at obscure board games.
Hanna Cha is a Caldecott Honor award-winning illustrator and writer with several books under her belt. She is the creator of her first book Tiny Feet Between the Mountains and illustrated Circle Round by Anne Sibley O’Brien. She was also the recipient of the Caldecott Honor and the APALA winner for The Truth about Dragons by Julie Leung and also part of the Junior Library Gold Standard Selection for The House Before Falling Into the Sea by Ann Suk Wang.
Born in America and a vagabond, she lived in tandem between Seoul, Korea, and many states in America. Since graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2017, she resided in Boston with her husband, and her tiger-like cuddly cat, Hobac. When she isn’t daydreaming and capturing moments with her soft washes, she is pointing and filing away at lil’ nooks of details to later conjure them into a daydream and inevitably a story.
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Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book's illustrations engaging and beautiful. They appreciate the cultural fusion and fantasy storyline that blends Western and Asian mythical dragons. The illustrations express the mood and theme of the story, and children love the dragon drawings.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers appreciate the engaging story and beautiful illustrations. They find the illustrations express the mood and theme of the story, bringing the characters to life. The illustrations pair rich colors with vivid detail to create a tapestry worthy of this extraordinary tale.
"...celebration of dual cultures is beautifully enhanced by the elaborate illustrations that pair rich colors with vivid detail to create a tapestry..." Read more
"...My daughter and SIL loved the story, illustrations and dedication to him from us. Kudos to the author and illustrator...." Read more
"The book offers a captivating tale that keeps readers interested from start to finish...." Read more
"Beautiful illustrations" Read more
Customers enjoy the cultural fusion in the book. They appreciate the stories that celebrate diversity and imagination. The blending of Western and Asian mythical dragons is a plus for fantasy lovers.
"...It’s a must-read for anyone interested in stories that celebrate diversity and imagination. Highly recommended!" Read more
"...My Amerasian daughter-in-law was so appreciative that her culture is reflected in this, and the children love the dragon drawings." Read more
"...Kindergarten children love stories about dragons and combining Western and Asian mythical dragons is a plus for fantasy lovers." Read more
"A beautiful celebration of dual cultures...." Read more
Customers enjoy the storyline. They say it blends Western and Asian mythical dragons in a fictional tale that explores the mysteries of dragon lore from both cultures. The children also enjoy the dragon drawings.
"...by Hanna Cha is a delightfully imagined story that delves into the mysteries of dragon lore from both European and Asian cultures through the eyes..." Read more
"...that her culture is reflected in this, and the children love the dragon drawings." Read more
"...Kindergarten children love stories about dragons and combining Western and Asian mythical dragons is a plus for fantasy lovers." Read more
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Such a beautifully Written story
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2024The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung with illustrations by Hanna Cha is a delightfully imagined story that delves into the mysteries of dragon lore from both European and Asian cultures through the eyes of a young biracial boy.
Inspired by his mother’s bedtime story, the child enters into a quest through an elaborate world of hobgoblins and will-o’-the wisps. His search brings him to a wise woman who feeds him sugar cookies and apple cider while she regales him with a tale of dragons—fearsome and fire-breathing, who hoard gold in caves underground. “And that would be one truth about dragons.”
This is only half the journey, his mother says. For in another forest of towering green bamboo, the young traveler will encounter nine-tailed foxes, converse with a white rabbit and come upon a palace overlooking a waterfall. There he finds another wise woman who serves him chrysanthemum tea in delicate porcelain and tells him dragons are majestic creatures who rule in the skies and rivers and command the rain to fall. “And that would also be a truth about dragons.”
Leung’s two narratives weave a spell of enchantment all by themselves, but the true essence of this heart-warming story is revealed in the mother’s final words. She reminds her child that many adventurers have only one story, but he has both worlds to explore.
This celebration of dual cultures is beautifully enhanced by the elaborate illustrations that pair rich colors with vivid detail to create a tapestry worthy of this extraordinary tale.
Here is a splendid book (Caldecott Honor winner and Asian Pacific American Award for Literature winner) that shares the joy to be found in discovering diverse cultures.
Highly recommended for home and school libraries.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2024Ordered this beautiful book for our grandson’s red egg and ginger celebration. My daughter and SIL loved the story, illustrations and dedication to him from us. Kudos to the author and illustrator. And the little boy character looks like my grandson!
- Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2024The book offers a captivating tale that keeps readers interested from start to finish. The storyline is both imaginative and insightful with beautiful illustrations. I love how the book beautifully merges elements from two different cultures. It provides a unique perspective and celebrates cultural diversity in a meaningful way. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in stories that celebrate diversity and imagination. Highly recommended!
- Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2024Beautiful illustrations
- Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2024When I heard the author speak on public radio, I knew I had to get this book for my Amerasian grandchildren. I ordered it, had it sent straight to them, and they loved it! My Amerasian daughter-in-law was so appreciative that her culture is reflected in this, and the children love the dragon drawings.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2024Wonderful illustrations and story.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2024I heard about this book on NPR and thought it would be great for a young man in our family. The artwork is beautiful! The story is beautiful! The intent and purpose of this book is beautiful! I highly recommend this book .
- Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2024A great addition to our dragon collection
Top reviews from other countries
- mimsterReviewed in Singapore on April 7, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book
I love all the books illustrated by Hanna Cha. And won a lot of prizes too!