The Emperor's Egg

A wondrous and richly illustrated reimagining of an ancient Chinese folktale about integrity, courage and patience from the creator of Pancakes for Plum.

'I wonder what kind of creature will hatch,' Ren says.

'A tiger with wings!' Pei says.

'A dragon with gold teeth!' Ping says.

'Now, now,' Papa says. 'We'll just have to wait and see.'

Looking for a worthy successor to his throne, an ageing emperor gives all the children in his kingdom an egg. After thirty days, he will judge what each child delivers to him and choose his heir.

Ren brings his egg home and takes the best care of it. He reads to it, sings to it, sleeps with it and keeps it warm. Ren waits and waits, but his egg never hatches, while all around him wondrous hatchlings are emerging from other children's eggs.

In a hall full of magical creatures, how can Ren present his unhatched egg to the emperor?

About the Author

Rae Tan was born in Singapore and now lives in Perth with her husband. She holds a BA in international politics from King's College London, and performance diplomas for both the piano and violin from Trinity College London. Currently, she is a music teacher working with young children. She is passionate about creating beloved characters and imaginative stories. Working mainly in pastels and watercolour, Rae's illustrative style is bold and loose, yet meticulous when it comes to expressing moods and emotions.