First published 1968
Young readers enter a world where Chinese folklore comes alive through sixteen interconnected tales. Chrisman draws from traditional stories to create adventures featuring clever children, wise emperors, and magical creatures in ancient China. Each story presents characters who face challenges that require wit, courage, and kindness to overcome. A boy must outwit a dragon. A poor fisherman discovers unexpected treasure. Children learn lessons about honesty and perseverance through encounters with spirits and talking animals. The tales blend humor with gentle moral instruction, showing how ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things through determination and good character. These stories capture the wonder of childhood while introducing readers to Chinese culture and values through vivid storytelling that makes distant places feel immediate and real.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, folklore
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, ordinary-people-extraordinary-things
Setting: China
Period: Ancient
221 pages · Paperback