It is my hope that little readers will learn that heroism isn’t just about grand gestures or having superpowers. A true hero is also someone who is honest and brave enough to stand by their values
even in the face of challenges and temptations. Quiet heroism is also often found in our everyday efforts – whether it is standing up for a friend or sharing your toys and snacks,
these little actions speak of bravery and kindness! Rae Tan Good Reading
Looking for a worthy successor to his throne, an ageing emperor gives all the children in his kingdom an egg. After thirty days, he will judge what each child delivers to him and choose his heir. Ren brings his egg home and takes the best care of it. He reads to it, sings to it, sleeps with it and keeps it warm. Ren waits and waits, but his egg never hatches, while all around him wondrous hatchlings are emerging from other children's eggs. In a hall full of magical creatures, how can Ren present his unhatched egg to the emperor? Teacher's Notes
Image source: Instagram Rae Tan
The author Rae Tan, who was born in Singapore but now lives in Perth, is also the illustrator. Her particular art style, which is mainly in pastels and watercolours, displays the Asian culture and highlights moods and emotions through her figures. She holds a BA in international politics from King’s College London, and performance diplomas for both the piano and violin from Trinity College London. Currently, she is a music teacher working with young children. She is passionate about creating beloved characters and imaginative stories.
Here is an interview with Rae Tan where she talks about her book Pancakes for Plum.
My brain often thinks about book pairs and so as soon as I read this book a couple of months ago while browsing in a city bookstore I knew the perfect companion book. You could read the three books from this post as a part of a mini unit with your Grade One or Two students. And perhaps then add in another wonderful book by Julia Donaldson (that is not as well-known as her famous titles) The Magic Paintbrush. I also have a Pinterest of Picture Books with an Asian focus.
You might also look for this one:
In a faithful retelling of an ancient Chinese folktale, Peng faces a dilemma. The emperor is old and childless, so he has decided to choose a successor from among the children. Calling them together, he gave each child a single seed and instructed them to nurture it for a year. After that time, they were to return to the palace and show what had grown. Despite careful and loving care, Peng’s seed has failed to even germinate. To avoid public humiliation, he tells his parents he doesn’t want to return to the palace. They tell Peng he should go and tell the emperor that he tried his best but failed. Each of the other children arrive carrying luxuriant plants with colorful flowers. The emperor inspects each one, but when he sees Peng’s vase and hears his report, he declares Peng his heir and discloses that the seeds he distributed could never sprout. Honesty and bravery are the qualities he sought in his successor. Only Peng had the courage to bring an empty vase and tell the truth. Source
No comments:
Post a Comment