"Before you go out into the world," Ming Miao told her five kittens, "you must know the true story of your ancestors...."
And so begins the story of Sagwa of China, a mischievous, pearl white kitten. Sagwa lived in the House of the Foolish Magistrate, a greedy man who made up rules that helped only himself. One day, Sagwa fell into an inkwell and accidentally changed one of the Foolish Magistrate's rules. Little did Sagwa know she would alter the fate — and the appearance — of Chinese cats forever!
Synopsis
"Before you go out into the world," Ming Miao told her five kittens, "you must know the true story of your ancestors...."
And so begins the story of Sagwa of China, a mischievous, pearl white kitten. Sagwa lived in the House of the Foolish Magistrate, a greedy man who made up rules that helped only himself. One day, Sagwa fell into an inkwell and accidentally changed one of the Foolish Magistrate's rules. Little did Sagwa know she would alter the fate -- and the appearance -- of Chinese cats forever!
About the Author, Amy Tan, Gretchen Schields
Amy Tan
With her acclaimed 1989 novel The Joy Luck Club and its successors, Amy Tan succeeded in revealing the Chinese-American sensibility to readers in unprecedented numbers. In mystical, winding prose, she draws the boundaries and commonalities between generations of women who are related, but born worlds apart.
Biography
Amy Tan is the author of The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife, The Hundred Secret Senses, and two children's books, The Moon Lady and The Chinese Siamese Cat, which has been adapted as Sagwa, a PBS series for children. Tan was also the co-producer and co-screenwriter of the film version of The Joy Luck Club, and her essays and stories have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Her work has been translated into more than twenty-five languages. Tan, who has a master's degree in linguistics from San Jose University, has worked as a language specialist to programs serving children with developmental disabilities. She lives with her husband in San Francisco and New York.
"In this charming original folktale, a mother cat tells her kittens the true story of their ancestry. Schields's energetic illustrations prove an atmospheric counterpart to Tan's vivacious narration," said PW. Ages 5-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
