The Master Swordsman and The Magic Doorway
Retold and Illustrated by Alice Provensen
Simon & Schuster, $16.95
ISBN 068983232X

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Ancient tales provide modern wisdom

Ancient Chinese secrets come to life in Alice Provensen's newest book, The Master Swordsman and The Magic Doorway. Provensen, who, along with her late husband, received the Caldecott Medal for The Glorious Flight, illustrates two tales of heroism and honor with humorous, delightful text and beautiful, intricate drawings.

The first legend, The Master Swordsman, follows a small boy, Little Chu, as he searches for a renowned sword master to teach him how to protect his village from frequent, ravaging bandits. But to the young boy's chagrin, the sword master refuses to teach him how to fight. Instead, he puts young Chu to work on his farm "Carrying . . . Digging . . . Pitching . . . Washing." All the while, the master throws water jugs, wood and other large objects at the boy, often knocking him over. It is not until Little Chu gains the ability to dodge these various dangers without thinking that the master admits he has actually been teaching Little Chu how to defend himself all along. In this tale, we are reminded that patience, awareness and discipline are far better weapons than the blade of a sword.

The second tale, The Magic Doorway, a story of cunning and mastery, features an amazing artist, Mu Chi, who is commissioned to paint a picture for a selfish Emperor. While Mu Chi creates a magnificent and magical mural at the Emperor's palace, the Emperor plots Mu Chi's death -- after all, no one but the Emperor should be able to own such perfect paintings. But Mu Chi hears rumors of his fate, and instead of allowing the Emperor to execute him, he cunningly paints a doorway into his enchanted painting, which allows him to escape with his head still intact. Through Mu Chi's ingenuity, we learn that art can be not only beautiful, but magical as well, and that selfish acts are not rewarded.

Provensen's elaborate illustrations capture the enchantment of Chinese culture. Her retelling of these legends reminds us that long-revered Chinese secrets can still teach us a thing or two about life -- even in today's world.