Helena Clare Pittman

When Pong Lo - the son of a humble farmer - appears before the Emperor of China to ask for Princess Chang Wu's hand in marriage, the mighty ruler is outraged. But his gentle daughter convinces her father to offer the young man a job in the storeroom, and soon Pong Lo is making himself useful in ways both large and small. Using an old family recipe to cure Chang Wu, when she becomes ill, Pong Lo is offered a reward by the Emperor, and - the hand of the Princess still being refused him - he show more asks for one hundred days of rice. On the first day he shall receive one grain of rice, on the second day, two grains, with the amount doubling on each successive day. Soon the emperor begins to wonder if there is enough rice in the world to fulfill his side of the bargain!

After reading and enjoying Demi's One Grain Of Rice, which retells a traditional Indian folktale with a similar story (and mathematical theme), I was excited to discover that there were other variants out there. Sadly, it turns out that this is not actually a Chinese folktale, or, if it is, Pittman was unaware of it. Described as "an original story set in fifteenth century China" on the dust-jacket, A Grain of Rice appears to have been the author's own reinvention of the Indian tale (the stories are simply too similar for it to have been a coincidence), transplanted to China.

Although a fairly engaging story in its own right, Pittman's narrative lacks the moral strength of the Indian tale, in which the rice is won for the hungry people. Here it is used as a stratagem to win a bride. Still, this was an entertaining tale, and the black and white illustrations - they looked to be done in pencil - were quite pleasant. All in all, a winsome little fairy-tale, though not quite what I was expecting. show less

Pong Lo bravely asks for the hand of the daughter of the Emperor in marriage. He, of course, is refused because he is a peasant. But his cleverness is rewarded with a job in the palace. He slowly works his way up with his talents and cleverness, but he is still not a prince. As a reward for saving the life of the princess he asks for a grain of rice, to be doubled each day for 100 days. The mathematical trick is soon found out and his newfound wealth earns him the title of prince (and the show more hand of the princess). show less

This would be a good picture book for 3rd or 4th graders. The text in it is somewhat long. Raul Colon does a fantastic job with his illustrations. He adds a lot of emotion with the expressions on the boys and snowman/woman's face. The colors and lines in it are used really well also (the pictures look so realistic that you could almost jump into the picture so to speak).

An intelligent peasant asks the emperor for his daughters hand in marriage. When denied, he finds another way.