The Little Peacock's Gift: A Chinese Folk Tale

Little Peacock gives his tail feathers to an old man to help him fan away the heat, a few more to a shabby girl so she can pretty herself for her beau, and the rest to a canopy maker so that he will avoid the wrath of the emperor. Then Little Peacock comes upon a sick child and goes to the Peacock Fairy, with all the others like him, for help. She chooses him above all other peacocks, and teaches him to rise into the air with a glowing new tail to celebrate the Spring Festival. Denman's luminescent colors celebrate the radiance of spring and the grandeur of peacock feathers. The pages seem to sparkle with color and pattern. But the pictures decorate a folktale that bears only one reading. The real interest for readers will be the beauty of the illustrations. Ages 4-8. (April)