Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China

Great story for a 2nd grader.

This isn't quite the oldest version of the story we call "Cinderella" in English -- the oldest is the ancient Greek story of Rhodopis, from 7 B.C. -- but the Chinese story of Yeh-Shen is undeniably part of the same tradition. It is a very short story, nowhere near as long or as detailed as the version to which most readers are accustomed. Even with as few pages as this book contains, there is very little text per page, and many pages contain no text at all. I suppose that's fairly common for children's books though, and it more than compensates for the lack of text by being beautifully illustrated. For anyone who appreciates Fairy Tales of any kind -- and especially those of non-European origins -- I highly recommend this book.

Bought this for my son. He had one as a child and we lost it in a move. This book is truly beautiful. The art and quality is fantastic. Get for the art and story. Love it. Can’t get this quality easily truly worth the price. Actually a bargain.

I would recommend this! I got this for a friend adopting a child from China. The pictures are crisp and clear- definitely drawing a child's attention in. The print is just the right size and font (standard)- not too bunched up or spaced far apart either. It will make a great book for a parent to read to a child, and later in life, a child to read on their own.

This is the oldest known version of Cinderella. It dates back to 9BC China. Having taught a unit on the history of Cinderella to my class every year around Holiday time, I'm pleased to finally have a copy of the book -- the copy from the Minneapolis Public Library is missing -- because it teaches children that not every version is about pumpkin coaches and glass slippers. Beautifully illustrated by Ed Young, the theme of the fish/fairy godmother character plays throughout the book. Enjoy this version, along with Shirley Chimo's Egyptian and Korean Cinderellas, The Turkey Girl, The Rough Face Girl, Sootface, and of course, the old classic versions. This book is an excellent addition to your multicultural children's collection!

The story is wonderful. However, I wish that the author would've gone with a different illustrator. The illustrations lack the knowledge about Chinese culture and you don't feel like you are being transported to an ancient and exotic land.

Yeh-Shen is a really great way of introducing children to the Chinese culture. They are able to relate to a version of Cinderella that they are more familiar with and see how it is applied to the Chinese culture. The illustrations are incredibly beautiful and visually appealing. A wonderful book to be used by teachers during a Cinderella unit.

I purchased this as a Christmas present so the recipient will not be receiving it until December 2015. The book is beautiful and I cannot wait to read it to them! The story is wonderful and considering it is a very old story, that makes it more enjoyable. The illustrations are calm and soothing colors and are perfect for the story.

Alternative to the usual Cinderella story. Used this as a comparison when doing stories from other cultures. Nicely illustrated.

Another one to add to my Cinderella collection!

This is a great book and fit in beautifully with the literacy unit I taught on stories from other cultures. Would recommend it.