The Magic Pillow

by Demi, Demi (Illustrator)

Overview

Based on a famous Chinese folktale, The Magic Pillow tells the story of a poor boy named Ping who is given a magic pillow by a mysterious magician. Ping sees what a lifetime of wealth and power would be like, and discovers that the riches of family and freedom are much more valuable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416924708
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	06/03/2008
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Demi is the award-winning creator of numerous books for children, including The Empty Pot; Buddha; The Dalai Lama; The Legend of Saint Nicholas; Gandhi, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and received an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award; and Muhammad, which was named a Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice selection, a Booklist Editors’ Choice selection, one of the Booklist Top Ten Religion Books for Youth, and a Book Links “Lasting Connections” selection, and was cited in a Publishers Weekly starred review as a “timely, exceptionally handsome biography [that] serves as an excellent introduction to Islam.” Demi lives in Carnation, Washington.

Demi is the award-winning creator of numerous books for children, including The Empty Pot; Buddha; The Dalai Lama; The Legend of Saint Nicholas; Gandhi, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and received an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award; and Muhammad, which was named a Kirkus Reviews Editors’ Choice selection, a Booklist Editors’ Choice selection, one of the Booklist Top Ten Religion Books for Youth, and a Book Links “Lasting Connections” selection, and was cited in a Publishers Weekly starred review as a “timely, exceptionally handsome biography [that] serves as an excellent introduction to Islam.” Demi lives in Carnation, Washington.

Editorial Reviews

Demi's gilt-encircled, jewel-toned illustrations are beautiful as always, and her version of a 1,400-year-old Tang Dynasty story will resonate with children and adults alike. Taking refuge from a snowstorm in a mountain inn, poor young Ping meets a magician whose magnificent tricks leave the boy fretting that he will never achieve greatness. The magician lends Ping a pillow, upon which the lad dreams that he is rich and powerful, suffers a fall, regains his power, then sees his descendants do likewise over and over. Awakening with the insight that money "was like a flash of lightning in a summer cloud, power was like a flickering lamp, and fame lasted no longer than a bubble in a stream," Ping announces that he is now content with his lot, and makes his way home, singing. Some might have hoped to see a little more ambition in the boy, but many will appreciate the conclusion that "He who finds peace in his heart has found his palace of gold." (author's note) (Picture book. 7-9, adult)

Kirkus Reviews