Nine Color Deer

August 1, 2022
In this picture book based on an ancient Buddhist tale and translated from Chinese, a magical deer shows humans the power of compassion and integrity. In this tale set long ago, deep within a secret forest in the Kunlun Hills--a mountain range from Chinese mythology--there lives a deer with snow-white antlers and fur of many colors. The Nine Color Deer, as she is known, has awesome powers and acts as a guardian spirit to keep the country flourishing. One day, an act of kindness on behalf of the deer is repaid with a broken promise. After agreeing never to reveal the deer's home, a young man helps the king bring an army to capture the creature. Arrogance and greed drive the efforts of humans in their quest, a contrast to the honorable, benevolent deer, who ultimately teaches the people respect for the natural world. The moralistic tone of the book reflects its roots as a Mugao Cave mural painting inspired by an Indian Buddhist Jataka story. The illustrations mimic the texture of cave paintings, bringing visual interest and reinforcing the connection to the source material. Artistic choices like the king's larger-than-life appearance in several spreads and an ethereal palette of tranquil greens and pale earth tones make this adaptation distinct and aesthetically pleasing. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An elegant retelling of a timeless story of humility and conservation. (translator's note) (Picture book/folktale. 5-9)

COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 1, 2022
"Deep in the Kunlun Hills, there lived a mystical deer," the Nine Color Deer, so called because of the varied colors in her fur. One day she saves a drowning man (by leaping from wave to wave and walking on water), and in return asks only that he not tell anyone where she is. He keeps his promise until the imperial palace announces that the queen had dreamt of a magical deer with great powers that can "help our kingdom prosper," and the king summons assistance to find the deer. The lure of the reward money, which would aid his poor family, causes the man to break his long-held promise, and he leads the king and soldiers to the Nine Color Deer. The deer's magic saves her ("a dazzling white light blossomed around her") from the soldiers' arrows; the kingdom and the man she'd once saved realize the errors of their ways. Translator Tiang's fascinating closing note relates that this story's first iteration is from two thousand years ago; Duan's version is inspired by the famous Dunhuang paintings in China's Mogao Caves. Her textured illustrations (painted with a "comprehensive technique, involving acrylic, mineral color and Photoshop"), using a soft, subdued palette, honor the style of the original cave paintings; they are wispy and fine-lined and capture the delicacy and eloquence of the mystical deer and her world. A beguiling and welcome new telling of a traditional tale. Julie Danielson

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2022
"Deep in the Kunlun Hills, there lived a mystical deer," the Nine Color Deer, so called because of the varied colors in her fur. One day she saves a drowning man (by leaping from wave to wave and walking on water), and in return asks only that he not tell anyone where she is. He keeps his promise until the imperial palace announces that the queen had dreamt of a magical deer with great powers that can "help our kingdom prosper," and the king summons assistance to find the deer. The lure of the reward money, which would aid his poor family, causes the man to break his long-held promise, and he leads the king and soldiers to the Nine Color Deer. The deer's magic saves her ("a dazzling white light blossomed around her") from the soldiers' arrows; the kingdom and the man she'd once saved realize the errors of their ways. Translator Tiang's fascinating closing note relates that this story's first iteration is from two thousand years ago; Duan's version is inspired by the famous Dunhuang paintings in China's Mogao Caves. Her textured illustrations (painted with a "comprehensive technique, involving acrylic, mineral color and Photoshop"), using a soft, subdued palette, honor the style of the original cave paintings; they are wispy and fine-lined and capture the delicacy and eloquence of the mystical deer and her world. A beguiling and welcome new telling of a traditional tale.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)