Yeh-Shen

Written by Ai-Ling Louie

A magical fish's spirit helps a mistreated girl attend a life-changing festival.

5.3/7 Bookroo expert·4.1/5 Goodreads · 2,917 ratings

32 pages· 1,398 words· Est. 11 min read-aloud

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Bookroo's summary

Yeh-Shen, mistreated by her stepmother, finds solace in a magical fish. When the fish is killed, its spirit remains, granting her a gown and golden slippers for the spring Festival. As she arrives, the crowd is captivated by the mysterious beauty. Will this enchanted night change her fate forever? Discover the magic and mystery in this Chinese Cinderella tale.

From the publisher

“…A worthwhile addition to picture book collections.” – Booklist.”Executed with chromatic splendor–a unique combination of brilliance and restraint.” – The Horn Book”Every library will be enriched by it.” – School Library Journal.

Awards

Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor (1983)

At a glance

Format: Paperback
Pages: 32
Words: 1,398
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture

Themes & topics

Books about cinderella stories Books about princesses Books about princes Books about China Books about places and regions

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.3

out of 7

5.3

“A beautifully told Cinderella story from China. The very sensitive reader may be alarmed by the stabbing of Cinderella's beloved fish and how the stepmother and stepsister are crushed by rocks in the final line, but these are the only two gruesome incidents. The illustrations are lovely and the recurring pattern of the fish is original.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one