The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks (Picture Puffins)

Here is a beautifully illustrated tale of a Mandarin duck who is captured by a lord and kept as a beautiful curiosity until some unlikely heroes hatch a plan to spare the duck and return it to its mate.

This lovely book maeasures up to every standard one can reasonably expect. The artwork is skilled and enjoyable. The story has kindness, altruism, moral dilemma and resolution, reward, and a big touch of magic. There's a pleasant realism about story, too. It shows a number of details of Japanese life, in passing, to give a storybook kid views of a life [s]he might never have seen in person. And, although the words "happily ever after" never actually appear, the last page shows the young couple deep in their old age. The book, as a whole, meets every objective standard of what I like to see in a children's book. For me, though, this book goes way beyond reasonable standards, well into the things I favor in a very personal and subjective way. I take immense pleasure ukiyo-e prints, the classical Japanese woodcut style that these modern artists imitate. I first saw the picture of the sleeping couple as a greeting card, and found it affectionate and romantic, with a tiny chaste hint of very grown-up love - that image led me to hunt this book down. The one-eyed samurai has meaning in my family, too. And the "madarin ducks" of the title, traditional symbols of fidelity, have a strong and affectionate significance for me for utterly personal reasons. So I recommend this book to anyone with a read-to-me kid. It's very easy for anyone to like. For me, though, a striking set of coincidences make this a truly memorable work. //wiredweird

This Japanese story has everything - good vs evil, vice vs virtue, love, wildlife, and family. It seems at first to be "no good deed goes unpunished" as humane treatment of the title ducks brings a death sentence for two good people from an evil Lord. But an unexpected intervention apparently by the Emperor leads to a fairy tale happily ever after ending. And as frosting on the cake, the beautiful illustrations in the Japanese style make the book worth its price as a picture book, even if you never read it!

I really enjoyed this book

I work as a children's librarian and as I was looking through my folktale and fairytale collection I came across this gorgeous book in poor condition and I purchased another copy so the children in my library's community could continue to enjoy this lovely work of art. Sybil Blazej-Yee, Librarian and Artist and Children's Book Author

Great condition. Very happy to have. I love the artwork.

I loved this story and have bought several copies to give as gifts. Touched by love shown in the story. The illustrations are wonderful as well.

This Chinese tale reflects the symbolism of Mandarin ducks of fidelity and marital love. It is beautifully illustrated and touching in its intrinsic drama. Ducks and other poultry have an enduring appeal. Small flock keepers enjoy the literary and mythological importance of the birds which exert such an attraction on them. Start your own small flock with How To Raise Chickens: Everything You Need To Know (How to Raise...) . How to Raise Poultry, including ducks, will be available in Spring 2009.

Recently purchased it for a friend's baby shower, this beautifully illustrated and written story has stuck with me my whole life.