School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-In old Tibet, two poor but honest men become embroiled in a dispute that only the wisest judge can settle. An oil seller leaves his oil jar on top of a rock while he rests. His neighbor's donkey, laden with wood, knocks it from its precarious perch. (Demi meets Jackson Pollock in the spread for this scene, as paint drops spatter across the orderly page.) Who is to blame for the oil seller's loss? The king, famous for his justice, questions the men and decides to arrest both the donkey and the rock. Curiosity seekers fill the court, seeking entertainment from the spectacle of an unlikely trial, but the king has the last laugh as he resolves the conflict to both men's satisfaction. A source note traces the lineage of the ubiquitous tale, told in many ways all over Asia. Whether she paints processions of priests, a mystical god-king, children in line dances, or the crowded courtroom filled with people and animals both mythological and real, Demi's firm control over composition and pattern offer children a fresh, authentic interpretation of Tibetan art that perfectly complements this simple fable. Exterior scenes set small, brightly dressed figures against watercolor swaths that suggest the bright sky, snow, and shadows of a mountain landscape. Interior scenes are depicted in rich, colorful patterns drawn from Tibetan art. Valuable as an entertaining, well-told story, as well as an introduction to Tibetan culture.-Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Demi (The Dragons Tale) deftly adapts a story that allegedly originated in India in 550 B.C. to a Tibetan setting for this retelling, notable for its spare, repetitive language and versatile artwork. A Tibetan king known for his fair judgment must settle an argument between two good and honest men, each the father of 10 children. One of the men owns a donkey that has accidentally knocked over a jar of precious oil belonging to the other. Sagely realizing that neither fellow is at fault, the ruler instead imprisons the donkey and the rock on which the oil was set. When word of this apparent folly spreads, people come from all over the kingdom to witness the trial. The king extracts payment from each of them for their silly curiosity and thus recompenses the man who lost his oil. The absurdity of this pageantry wont be lost on youngsters, who will happily follow the antics of the 20 energetic offspring who bound across these pages. The illustrations range from spare and airy, cool-toned mountain scenes to lavish, bustling pictures of palace interiors, punctuated with brilliant reds and golds; one breathtaking spread features a sumptuous floral pattern as backdrop. Demi delivers a worthwhile message with humor. Ages 3-7. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
A Tibetan king puts a donkey and a rock on trial, ostensibly to judge which was at fault for breaking an expensive jar of oil. His intent, however, is to fine those silly enough to attend the trial, raising money to repay the jar's owner. The story is told with Demi's usual deft humor, and the illustrations, reminiscent of Chinese paper cut-outs, are aptly supplemented by Tibetan details. A source note is included. From HORN BOOK Fall 1999, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Ages 4^-8. Placing his urn of oil on a rock, one hardworking man rests. Another approaches from the opposite direction, driving his heavily laden donkey. When the donkey accidentally shatters the jar of oil, the two men quarrel and finally agree to consult the king. The king listens, then arrests the donkey and the rock, announcing they'll be tried in court. Curious to witness the absurd trial, people rush to the courtyard, where the wise king charges each person 10 coins, enough to compensate for the spilled oil. As apropos today as it was in 550 B.C., this clever story is a lesson about idle curiosity. Demi's gouache, ink, and watercolor illustrations teem with activity. In her characteristic cartoon-style art, figures are easily identified, even in the congested courtyard on the day of the trial. She traces the probable Buddhist origin and evolution of the tale, then provides a spare retelling that retains both the humor and the serious moral of the story. Even libraries owning the similar Cheng Ban Qioa Tries a Rock (1986) will welcome this silly yet serious slice of Asian folklore. --Linda Perkins