Eighteen Vats of Water by Ji Li Jiang and Nadia Hsieh - ESSENTIAL

Eighteen Vats of Water by Ji Li Jiang, illustrated by Nadia Hsieh. BIOGRAPHY PICTURE BOOK. Creston Books, 2022. $19. 9781954354067

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Xian loved watching his father, the most famous Chinese calligrapher in all of China.  For Xian to study calligraphy he had to wait until he was 6 and then he could become his father's student.  He became his father's apprentice and his father explained that "No one can become a great artist without working hard."  In order to be an expert you have to fill up 18 vats of water and as the years go by you will become a master calligrapher.

This book is so charming and I was excited to show it to my Chinese teacher to use for her class.  The illustrations look like they have been done with a paint brush that is used to create Chinese characters.  It is beautifully done. All the people in this book are Chinese.

Emilee-Teacher Librarian