PICTURE BOOKS

Dragon Flower

by Chen Jiang Hong (text) & illus. by Chen Jiang Hong
NYRB. Oct. 2025. 42p. tr. from from French by Alyson Waters . Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781681379531. Gr 1-4
COPY ISBN
Gr 1-4–This picture book folktale from France tells the story of a brave girl on a mission to save her mom. We meet our protagonist, Mae (who could be East Asian), traveling with her family to find a magical flower to heal her mother’s illness. In a fantastical turn of events reminiscent of Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Mae goes on a heroic journey to find the flower, encountering dragons and danger on the way. While the illustrations are unique and beautiful, the story’s tone, style, and mood is timeless; the present-tense translation is jarring and takes readers out of the action.
VERDICT A secondary purchase where folktales are popular or in need of modern reinvigoration.
Reviewed by Maria Bohan , Oct 01, 2025

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