Status
Available
Call number
Call number
PB Pul
Local notes
PB Pul
Collection
Genres
Publication
Scholastic (2006), 128 pages
Description
In a country far to the east, Chulak and his talking white elephant Hamlet help Lila seek the Royal Sulphur from the sacred volcano so that she can become a master maker of fireworks like her father.
Subjects
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Children's — 1999)
Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (1996)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1995 (text)
1999 (illustrations)
Physical description
128 p.; 7.62 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member avcr
Lila is the daughter of firework-maker Lalchand. Her Mother died when she was little and Lalchand teaches her to make the fireworks. But just when she really wants to move forward with the vocation, her Father insists that she is just a girl and needs to find a husband. Here is the typical story of
If You Liked This, Try: Clockwork by Philip Pullman, Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman, The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, The Broken Bridge by Philip Pullman, The Tin Princess by Philip Pullman.
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insurgent female equality rearing its ugly head against standard paternal constructs. Humorously told, Lila has after all the three gifts, which are talent, courage, and luck. One can only gain wisdom through suffering and risk, and Lila sparkles in the end. If You Liked This, Try: Clockwork by Philip Pullman, Count Karlstein by Philip Pullman, The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman, The Broken Bridge by Philip Pullman, The Tin Princess by Philip Pullman.
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LibraryThing member Lidbud
Lila is a young girl who lives in an unspecified Asian country "a thousand miles ago." She yearns to be a firework maker like her father, but he does not want her to follow in his footsteps and insists that she must find a husband when she is older. Annoyed, Lila sets off on a quest to a mountain
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grotto to face a Fire fiend. Along the way, she meets some fairly useless pirates, battles a tiger and learns all about courage. Nice story, probably suitable for children aged about 8. Show Less
LibraryThing member cars27
I really enjoyed this book because Lila had a very big adventure,I stated likeing this book when we did it for English comprehension at school.
LibraryThing member mark_14
I really disliked The Firework-Maker's Daughter by Philip Pullman. In fact, I hated it! The book talked about false things and had a bad story overall.I do not recommend this book to any one. It is one of the worst books I have ever read!
LibraryThing member nmhale
Pullman is best known for his epic fantasy the Dark Materials trilogy and other young adult novels, but he has also written books that can be read with a younger audience, and I find that I like these stories just as much as his more ambitious work. In this novella, a fireworker maker raises his
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daughter on his own after his wife passes away. He trains her in his art, and when she is older she tells him that she wishes to learn the final secrets that will make her a fireworks master as well. Her father is dismayed, and tells her that no girl should take up that trade, but should marry instead. Show Less
LibraryThing member Evalangui
I liked this one but it was not that clever, if you see what I mean. The descriptions are good but the story is fairytalishly formulaic and it does not manage to go beyond that.
LibraryThing member Salsabrarian
Lila has helped her father Lalchand create fireworks almost all her life and she wants to be a proper fireworks maker. But when Lalchand won’t reveal the secret to becoming a fireworks maker, she runs off to meet the fire-fiend of Mount Merapc to get the secret. She is forced to return home when
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she learns Lalchand has been arrested on suspicion of helping the king’s white elephant escape. The only way he can escape punishment by death is if they have the winning fireworks display at the fireworks contest. Good strong female story. Made me think of “My Father’s Dragon.” Show Less
LibraryThing member quondame
This one gets a whole star extra because of the illustrations by S. Saelig Gallagher. If the 3 non-southeast Asian characters hadn't appeared as big nosed closeset-eyed as the rest of the men than I'd feel guilty at the my delight in the illustrations. They are full of a whimsical joy which, alas,
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is not intrinsic to the text, which isn't bad but tries too hard. Show Less
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Pages
128