This beautiful folktale, set in ancient China, tells the story of Han Gan, the horse he paints so masterfully, and a warrior that takes advantage of Han Gan's artistic skill. The illustrations, also done by the author, are absolutely outstanding. Painted directly onto silk, the images bring the story to life with their vivid colors and wonderful style.

I think this book would give a nice opportunity for students to share their perspectives on what the magic horse should do. By explaining their ideas, the students may touch upon some of the values that the tale seeks to draw out. ( )

A unique look at life in China 1200 years ago. May be inspiring to many aspiring artists who believe they can bring their drawing to life.

Han Gan is a poor child who works for an innkeeper. One day a famous painter notices his sketching of a horse and arranges for him to be able to paint as much as he'd like. He's eventually summoned by the Emperor to join the painting school, where he is whispered about because of his choice to only paint tethered horses. A warrior visits him one night and gets Han Gan to paint him a horse that comes alive. The warrior does not care for it correctly, though, and it returns to Han Gan to be part of his art again.

This was a pleasant fantasy story that begins as a realistic tale and then moves into a fantasy of a painting that comes to life. I enjoyed the illustrations which added greatly to the story. I could use this to teach about Chinese culture as Han Gan is a real artist and painter of horses but also to teach of how hard work and determination can help you achieve your goals.

Summary: The story is based on a Chinese legend. It tells the story of a boy named Han Gan who lived in China thousands of years ago and grew up as a very poor child. He enjoys drawing pictures of horses and one night he gets a message from a great warrior asking to bring one of his horse drawings to life. He goes to burn his artwork, and the horse he has drawn comes to life. Towards the end of the story, the horse retreats back to its page because the world where Han Gan lives is too corrupt.

Personal reflection: I really enjoyed this book because I had never read a Chinese legend tale before. It introduces a lot of important ideas like putting all of your passion into the hobbies that you love to do. The creativeness of the book made it really fun to read and stay interested in.

Class use: Text set on legends, introduction to chines culture, Text set on artwork and its place in society