Description
Long ago, a Chinese emperor challenges the children of his kingdom to show him the greatest power in the world, and all are surprised at what is discovered.
Status
Available
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Publication
New York : Margaret K. McElderry Books, c2004.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Nicole129672
Emperor ping asks all of the people in the land to show him the greatest power in the world. People go around making and buying him lavish gifts. A young girl who has nothing, shows the emperor a seed. While others are making fun of the girl, the emperor states that the greatest thing in life is
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life itself. The book shows that life is more than just items and things. This is a wonderful book that shows the importance of life. 3-4 Show Less
LibraryThing member hatease
The goal of trying to discover the greatest power.
Courage/ China
2-5
Courage/ China
2-5
LibraryThing member engpunk77
Another folktale starring Emperor Ping, this one shows that the greatest power is not in money, weapons, technology, or beauty, although that is what most people think when Ping gives his people yet another challenge.
LibraryThing member PuddinTame
Since this is by Demi, it can be taken almost as a given that the drawings are both beautiful and inventive. I did have one problem with it that would make me hesitant to read it to a child, because I couldn't explain the answer. It's a spoiler, so read no further unless you want to know the answer
SPOILER: After all the children have presented representation of money, the emperor, the empress, beauty, weapons, etc., one little girl comes along with only a lotus seed in her hand. She breaks the seed upon and show Emperor Ping the Nothing inside, and says that is the greatest power. When Ping asks how Nothing can be the greatest power, she replies that Nothing is the source of life, which renews itself endlessly. I admit to an unfamiliarity with lotus seeds, but I don't understand how it contains nothing. Maybe they are hollow. But it is the seed itself, the embryonic plant that represents life (or did until she broke it and now it might not grow.) It reminds me of the Taoist idea that usefulness arises from the void, but if someone asked me to explain how a seed is Nothing, I don't think I could.
Picky, picky, picky, or just too literal minded.
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to the question of what is the greatest power.SPOILER: After all the children have presented representation of money, the emperor, the empress, beauty, weapons, etc., one little girl comes along with only a lotus seed in her hand. She breaks the seed upon and show Emperor Ping the Nothing inside, and says that is the greatest power. When Ping asks how Nothing can be the greatest power, she replies that Nothing is the source of life, which renews itself endlessly. I admit to an unfamiliarity with lotus seeds, but I don't understand how it contains nothing. Maybe they are hollow. But it is the seed itself, the embryonic plant that represents life (or did until she broke it and now it might not grow.) It reminds me of the Taoist idea that usefulness arises from the void, but if someone asked me to explain how a seed is Nothing, I don't think I could.
Picky, picky, picky, or just too literal minded.
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Language
Original publication date
2004
Physical description
27 cm
ISBN
9780689845031