Dream-of-Jade

The Emperor's Cat

By: Lloyd Alexander, D. Brent Burkett (Illustrator)

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Hardcover | 11 August 2005

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No ordinary man is permitted to see the great Kwan-Yu, emperor of China, but this doesn't stop the beautiful, green-eyed Dream-of-Jade, since she is not an ordinary man, but a rather unusual cat. When Dream-of-Jade decides she wants to see His Highness, she simply slips into the empty throne room and sits upon the imperial throne. When Kwan-Yu arrives, she does not give up her seat, but does point out the dangerous state of the emperor’s ceiling. Thus begins the great friendship between an Emperor and a little white cat, who not only saves the emperor’s life at their first meeting, but knows how to cure his ailments, make him laugh, and entertain him, and whose greatest wish is to make Kwan-Yu the best emperor ever to rule China.

Lloyd Alexander has written this little masterpiece filled with details from ancient Chinese court life. With his sharp wit, tongue-in-cheek humor, and good-natured satire, he exposes the rigidity of ancient imperial customs and traditions. Dream-of-Jade’s no-nonsense solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems delight children and adults alike, making this tale an unforgettable reading adventure for the entire family.

Industry Reviews

A savvy, sassy little cat causes quite a stir when she defies Chinese custom and law to teach the Emperor how to be a wise and happy ruler in this gentle, satiric tale of friendship. Kwan-Yu, Celestial Emperor of China and Embodiment of the Nine Heavenly Virtues, lives in lonely seclusion behind the walls of the Forbidden City. Burdened by boredom and duties, Kwan-Yu is at the mercy of his unimaginative, obsequious advisors until Dream-of-Jade, a white cat with green eyes, saunters into the sacred Throne Room and dares to sit on the Emperor's throne. When Dream-of-Jade protects Kwan-Yu from a falling ceiling tile, he rewards her with the title of Imperial Cat and their friendship takes off. Motivated by common sense and her wish to see Kwan-Yu "become the best of all rulers," Dream-of-Jade cleverly wriggles her way around imperial tradition to make her wish come true. Full-color impressionistic illustrations lavishly capture court life in ancient China as well as Dream-of-Jade's feline essence. Absolutely first-class storytelling with a remarkable little heroine. (Fiction. 7-10) (Kirkus Reviews)

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