School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-A story set in long-ago China. Ma Jiang's family earns their living by selling orange ants to farmers who use them to protect their orchards from other destructive insects. The child's father and brothers climb high into the trees to cut down the nests of the fierce biting ants and her mother sells them at market in the rush-mat bags that she weaves. When war is declared, all the men must serve in the emperor's army, leaving Ma Jiang, her mother, and baby brother to fend for themselves. The society discouraged women from learning to climb trees so the family's orange-ant business seems doomed. Ma Jiang is a quick-witted heroine who invents a low-hanging trap after noticing hundreds of ants drawn to a drop of spilled honey. When her father and brothers return home, they applaud her survival skills and creative thinking. Porte deftly blends history and storytelling, including some lovely turns of phrase and subtle humor. Cannon's impressive watercolor, gouache, and sepia-ink illustrations depict the daily life of centuries-old China and capture the changing emotions of the family. A reader's note gives more information on the use of ants in farming both past and present. A captivating tale with a charming heroine who will speak to today's children.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
When her father and brothers are conscripted into the army, Ma Jiang finds a new way to continue the family business, trapping ants to sell. An author's note provides information about this actual ancient Chinese practice. Although the narrative is somewhat compelling, it's overlong, but the watercolor and gouache paintings are appealing. From HORN BOOK Spring 2001, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Porte and Cannon previously collaborated on Tale of a Tadpole (1997); this time their focus is on a different sort of tiny creature: orange ants, who play an important role in an original tale set in ancient China. Ma Jiang is a little girl from a small village who lives with her parents, older brothers, and baby brother, Bao. Her father and brothers keep busy climbing trees to capture nests of orange ants, used by orange growers to keep pests away from the fruit. Jiangs mother sells the ants in the market while Jiang cares for her baby brother. When her father and older brothers are called away to fight in a war (and work on the Great Wall), Jiang and her mother have no ants to sell, and they must struggle to survive on the small amount her mother can earn selling woven bags and baskets. Jiang and little Bao accidentally discover that all ants like honey, and Jiang devises a new way to trap the orange ants using honey and one of her mothers woven bags, thus restoring her familys finances. The family is reunited when her father and brothers return in time to celebrate the New Years festival with a traditional feast. Portes story is well-written and accurately researched (source notes appended), but Cannons expressive illustrations done in watercolor, gouache, and sepia ink take center stage. Teachers of kindergarten through third grade will find this an interesting story to integrate into thematic studies of ants, insects in general, or China. A fascinating story to read for the Chinese New Year, too, perhaps with a slice of orange for each young listener. (Picture book. 5-9)
Booklist Review
Ages 5^-8. Young Ma Jiang's family make a comfortable living harvesting carnivorous, tree-dwelling "orange" ants and selling them to fruit growers for pest control. When Ma Jiang's father and brothers are conscripted, Ma Jiang and her mother must struggle to make ends meet. Because she is a daughter, Ma Jiang has never been taught how to gather ants, but seeing them swarming around a glob of honey spilled by baby Bao gives her an idea; the ant traps she devises by smearing honey inside rush-mat bags turn the family fortunes around. Cannon illustrates the tale in pale, thinly brushed grays and browns, depicting Ma Jiang and her family realistically, with expressive, clearly drawn faces. A joyful reunion just before the New Year's celebration ends the tale on a happy note, and Porte closes with both explanatory and source notes. Children may be intrigued by this glimpse of an ancient, natural horticultural practice, and while Ma Jiang may not go off to fight like Mu Lan, she displays at least as much ingenuity. --John Peters
