Set-in old-world China, Ling Li’s Lantern is the
heart-warming story of Ling Li who is the youngest of three children and the
only daughter. Her father only wants his children to live a good, kind, honest life and to discover wisdom.
Her father, Da Zhi often sets challenges to foster wisdom in his children. Today’s challenge is each child is given a moderate sum of money and they must each fill one of the three pagodas with anything.
With the words spend wisely
ringing in their ears they all set off.
Jingming the eldest son fills one pagoda with bamboo – his father awards him with astute wisdom.
Miao, the youngest son fills a pagoda with bundles of duck feathers and is awarded clever wisdom.
Ling
Li’s quest takes her down a different path - wherever she goes she discovers
people who need help. With acts of kindness she spends small amounts of money;
eggs for a young boy who broke his, bamboo rice for a young distressed girl who
had lost her mother and donating a few coins into a struggling magician’s bowl.
Ling
Li still hasn’t come up with an idea of how to obtain wisdom. With her last
coins, she buys a lantern to begin the long dark walk home empty handed. How
will she face her father and will Ling Li ever achieve wisdom like her
brothers?
Steve Heron’s story shows compassion, kindness and the true nature of wisdom. The illustrations are original and transport the reader back to a time when the world was simpler.
Title: Ling Li's Lantern
Author: Steve Heron
Illustrator: Benjamin Johnston
Publisher: Midnight Sun Publishing, $29.99
Publication Date: 1 September 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781925227673
For ages: 3 - 7
Type: Picture Book
