Dragon Flower

Courage, kindness, and steadfastness serve a girl seeking to save her mother’s life in a simple tale turned epic quest inspired by Chinese mythology. Via horse-drawn cart, Mae and her parents travel the countryside looking for a healing flower that is the only cure for her mother’s illness. During an overnight stay at the base of a towering mountain, Mae’s mother tells her of the ruby red flower with four golden stamens, which “grows in a secret place guarded by monsters.” Mae awakens to a beam of light that draws her into ominous woods, to a cave, and through a whirlwind before the blooms appear. The arrival of a fire-breathing dragon poses a threat until Mae explains her mother’s condition, and the dragon makes a deal: she can keep the flowers if she saves his son, who has fallen into a narrow pit. Mae descends, following a trail of blood and skirting knife-sharp rocks to find the injured creature. Chen (The Tiger Prince) combines feathered, watercolor-like landscapes and tightly drawn renderings of human and dragon characters across a gray and green landscape—which resolve into clear blue skies as both girl and monster save each other. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)