Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Hunter Hai Li Bu saves the life of a snake and is rewarded with the ability to understand animal languages. When this gift causes Hai Li Bu to learn of an impending flood, he makes the ultimate sacrifice to save his fellow villagers. Young's spare, elegant artwork, rendered in gouache and pastel on textured earth-toned paper, lends a traditional look to this tale. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

K-Gr 3-Hai Li Bu, a hunter from a drought-stricken village in mythic China, rescues a small pearly snake from the beak of a crane. The snake tells the young man that she is the daughter of the Dragon King of the Sea, and takes him to visit her father's undersea palace. When the Dragon King tries to reward him with fabulous jewels, Hai Li Bu asks only to understand the language of animals, so that he may provide more food for the starving inhabitants of his village. The Dragon King complies, but on the condition that Hai Li Bu must not reveal his secret, or he will turn to stone. Hai Li Bu restores his famished community to health, but when the animals warn him of an approaching flood, the hunter cannot convince the villagers to leave their homes without exposing his source of information. The tale of his sacrifice is well told in measured, poetic prose, unified by repeating word patterns. Young's spare calligraphic illustrations, ink against a muted golden-brown background that recalls old silk, are more suggestive than representational. Pastels add touches of color to art steeped in the tradition of Chinese brush painting. While sophisticated, the artwork is accessible and perfectly suited to the tale. A red seal appears in the corner of each double-page spread. The ancient characters within each one, all translated below the source note, comment on the story while reminding readers of its original language. A handsome addition to any folktale collection.-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.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Ages 4^-8. In a Chinese village, a drought scorches the countryside and starves the people. Hai Li Bu, a hunter, tries to find food. One day, he saves a small snake from a crane, and in return the snake brings him to the bottom of the sea, where the snake's father, the Dragon King of the Sea, lives. The Dragon King offers rubies and emeralds as a reward, but Hai Li Bu wants only to understand the language of animals so that he can be a better hunter and feed his village. The Dragon King grants the request on the condition that there will never be a whisper of what has transpired. This agreement works until Hai Li Bu overhears the birds and animals chattering about a huge flood that will destroy the village. The hunter tries to warn the people, but they don't believe. Hai Li Bu finally realizes that to save the villagers he must tell them how he knows about the flood. Heroically, he recounts the whole story--as he slowly turns to stone. Casanova, who lists several sources for the story, tells the tale in a dignified yet moving way that is complemented by the stark artwork. Arid-looking, dun-colored paper is the background for Young's masterful brush strokes, which evoke the spirit of each spread. Fingers of color represent the quixotic climate that can burn or soak. With never a wasted line, Young brings to life the hunter, who in the final spread becomes one with the rocky landscape. And in the corner of each page is a bright red box with Chinese calligraphy that proclaims the essence of the tale: "suffer drought," "downpour," "trust." --Ilene Cooper

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

In this spare retelling of a Chinese folk tale, a hunter receives a wonderful gift that ultimately costs him his life. When Hai Li Bu rescues a small snake who turns out to be the daughter of the Dragon King of the Sea, her grateful father gives the young hunter the ability to understand the language of animals—with a warning that he will turn to stone if he ever reveals his secret. One day the animals herald the approach of a devastating storm. Hai Li Bu is unable to convince the local villagers to flee until, at last, he resolutely tells his story, turning to stone bit by bit before their horrified eyes. Against almost featureless flecked backgrounds in which warm, subtly modulated browns are the dominant colors, Young (A Pup Just For Me/A Boy Just For Me, 1999, etc.) places figures formed by strong, economically brushed outlines; their placement opens up great depth and space in each scene, and both the dragon's spiky hugeness and Hai Li Bu's quiet heroism are clear to see. A Chinese ideogram or two in the bottom corner of each spread adds a thematic caption, explained in a key. After the catastrophe, the chastened villagers return to rebuild, erect Hai Li Bu as his own monument, and forever after are careful to "listen to every person, even the youngest child." As much about the changing character of Hai Li Bu's community as about his own selflessness, this multilayered tale will leave readers moved and thoughtful. (Picture book/folk tale. 7-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.