Lotus and Feather

by Ji-li Jiang, Julie Downing (Illustrator)

Overview

Inspired by the true story of a crane that rescued a Chinese village, and graced with sensitive watercolor illustrations, this lovely book about respecting nature offers deep emotion and delightful surprises.

A winter illness left Lotus, a little girl, without a voice and without friends. A hunter's bullet left Feather, a crane, injured and unable to fly. As Lotus nurses Feather back to health, their bond grows. Soon Feather is following Lotus everywhere, even to school! The bird dances to the girl's reed whistle, much to the delight of the other children. One day, when the village floods, Feather helps raise the alarm as Lotus and her grandfather urge their neighbors to get to high ground. Feather is a true friend to Lotus, but the time comes when Lotus must be a true friend to him — by encouraging him to migrate with the rest of the cranes. The next spring, Feather miraculously returns, and that's not all . . . he has brought new life to the nearby lake. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781423127543
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	12/13/2016
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	519,164
Product dimensions:	8.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Ji-li Jiang (www.jilijiang.com) was born in Shanghai, China. She brought her memories of the Cultural Revolution in China to life in her first book, Red Scarf Girl, which has become required reading in many schools. Following the success of Red Scarf Girl, she published her adaptation of Chinese classic folklore, Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven. Her picture book Red Kite, Blue Kite, illustrated by Greg Ruth, won an Asian/Pacific-American Award for Literature from the ALA. When she isn't writing or speaking, Ji-li devotes time to various cultural exchange programs, including leading group trips to China. She believes that a better understanding among people around the world is the only route to global peace. Ji-li lives in San Francisco, California.


Julie Downing (www.juliedowning.com) is an internationally published author and illustrator with over forty children's books to her credit. She is known for her innovative approach to illustrating traditional stories and has won many awards, including a Parent's Choice Award and the New York Public Library's Best Books Award. Julie lives in San Francisco, California.

Editorial Reviews

10/10/2016
Lotus lives in the rural marshlands with her grandfather. An illness has taken her voice, and her friends have drifted away. A magnificent crane is shot by a hunter, and, as Grandpa tends to it, Lotus and the crane she calls Feather grow to love each other: “When she whistled with her reed, Feather rubbed her cheek with his head.” Not long after, the crane foretells the danger of a flood, and Grandpa and Lotus alert the villagers; suddenly, they’re celebrities. And though Lotus must at last let Feather go, there’s a surprise in store for her the following spring. Jiang’s (Red Kite, Blue Kite) story is strengthened by its classic animal tale scaffolding—the lonely child discovering an ally in the wounded creature, the moment the animal must be returned to the wild. Downing’s (Don’t Turn the Page!) elegant spreads give the bird the grace of a dancer, and an environmental drama about the loss and recovery of wetlands underlies the story of Lotus’s struggle with loneliness. Readers will revel in the story’s double triumph. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Caryn Wiseman, Andrea Brown Literary. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

PRAISE FOR RED KITE, BLUE KITE

"Though this is told against the backdrop of a dark part of Chinese history, any child coping with separation from a loved one may find comfort in this story."— Kirkus

PRAISE FOR RED KITE, BLUE KITE

"A reassuring tale of a father-son bond strong enough to withstand a trying period of separation."— Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

PRAISE FOR RED KITE, BLUE KITE

"The detailed and colorful watercolor paintings paired with the deep emotions in the text make this an excellent read for young children, one that will spark curiosity and questions."— Library Media Connection

From the Publisher

★ 12/01/2016
K-Gr 2—Lotus lives near a lake with her grandfather, a basket maker. While the setting is unspecified, the students' red scarves suggest China during the Cultural Revolution. The protagonist has been ignored by her classmates since a "winter illness" rendered her speechless. Her grandfather mourns another kind of solitude: the absence of animals in their wetlands habitat, which has been "ruined by greedy fishermen and hunters." A single crane, and the offstage hunter who wounds it, transforms everything. The girl's ability to communicate in other ways reveals her resourcefulness, as when she pounds on a pail to scare the gunman away. Downing's watercolors are atmospheric: muted blue-grays, greens, and purples blend, creating a foggy, mystical backdrop. Varying page designs manipulate focus or indicate passing time. The color red (in the child's clothing and the bird's crown) visually connects the girl and the animal. Lotus carries the wounded crane home, where he is tenderly nursed back to health. Feather becomes a beloved companion, following her to school and dancing to her reed whistle in the falling snow—to the delight of the students. His crowing warns the sleeping family and then the villagers, saving everyone from rising floodwaters caused by a distant earthquake. Because a wild creature must heed the call of migration, there is an inevitable parting, but a stunning finale shows the crane's return, his family and flock descending upon the water. According to the jacket flap, this book is based on actual events. VERDICT Elegant storytelling and arresting compositions combine for a deeply satisfying emotional and aesthetic experience. Best shared one-on-one or in a small group so that children can pore over the lively and engaging artwork.—Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library

School Library Journal

2016-10-19
The rescue of a crane restores an unhappy girl as well.Left voiceless by a recent illness, Lotus' only companion is her reed whistle. Gathering reeds and playing her pipe on a lonely lake, the young Chinese girl sees a hunter shoot an endangered red-crowned crane. She rescues it and, with her grandfather, nurses the injured bird she calls Feather back to health. Still flightless, he follows her everywhere. When he dances to her music, her schoolmates dance along. One night, his warnings help save the villagers from a flood. In return, they work to keep hunters from the lake. By the time Feather flies free, Lotus has plenty of friends to keep her company. Downing's finely crafted illustrations perfectly complement this reassuring story. Done with watercolor, pencil, and paint and digitally collated, they have the look of Chinese paintings, with misty backgrounds and gently bending reeds. The rosy-cheeked children wear red scarves, alluding to the author's own childhood during the Cultural Revolution. The crane's many graceful poses are beautifully conveyed, seasons change, and the backgrounds lighten from gray to a celebratory rose. The environmental message, Grandpa's explanation that "greedy fishermen and hunters, and…ignorant people…took over land where animals once lived," is slightly contradicted by the satisfying ending when the cranes return, but it may resonate. Gracefully told and illustrated, a gentle, positive encounter with a beautiful bird in an unfamiliar world. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews