Type of bind: Hardcover
EAN num: 9780439164832
ISBN number: 0439164834
Label: Scholastic Ltd.
Manufacturer: Scholastic Ltd.
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 300
Printing Date: September 01, 2001
Publishing house: Scholastic Ltd.
Age index: Ages 9-12
Sale Popularity Level: 71406
Studio: Scholastic Ltd.
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
The Royal Diaries proudly presents two-time Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep, whose stunning diary of sixteen-year-old Lady of Ch¹iao Kuo takes readers on a remarkable adventure to Southern China in the sixth century A.D., where Ch¹iao Kuo, a born leader called Red Bird, is courageous and keenly intelligent.
Amazon.com Review:
Princess Red Bird, 16-year-old daughter of the Hsien king in 6th century Southern China, has been born into a world of dispute and violence. When she is sent to a Chinese colony to be educated, she must contend with the disdainful attitudes of her hosts, who consider the Hsien to be savages, even as both the Chinese and the Hsien are at constant risk of attack from the truly savage neighboring people, the Dog Heads. In reality, the princess is a fair and wise leader, even at a young age, with a brilliant mind for military stratagems. Her leadership skills are put to the test when war breaks out and the Dog Heads begin to move in.
Prolific Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep (Dragon's Gate) contributes a remarkable tale to the Royal Diaries series. This fictionalized account of the real-life princess will introduce young readers to a long-ago land with a fascinating culture and edge-of-seat adventures, and will certainly inspire some to delve deeper into Chinese history. As in all the titles in the series, a section in the back provides context and historical background. (Ages 8 to 14) --Emilie Coulter
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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I think the theme of this book is concerning the war with the Dogheads. It could also be about how she helped win the war with the Dogheads. The theme could be about the Dogheads because they are scattered through the entire book. But, the moral lesson could be how she helped the Hsien win the war.
The main character's Hsien name is Lady of Ch'iao Kuo. She also had a Chinese name, Princess Redbird. Even though this is a fictional book, the Lady of Ch'iao Kuo was a real person. She lived during the sixth century AD.
Some supporting characters are her Mother and Father, and her siblings, Little Tiger, Hibiscus, Drongo, Begonia, and Barbet. Of the Hsien people, there are the royal steward, Peacock, a potter, Auntie Goral, Little Tiger's best friend, Coconut, her nursemaid, Kumquat, her guard, Uncle Muntjac, the royal chef, Toad, her maid, Francolin, Little Tiger's advisor, Great-Uncle Sambar, and Lord Leopard who ruled Big Rock. The Chinese people in this book include her teacher, Master Chen, Master Chen's daughter-in-law, Madame, Madame's children, Lin, Ch'ai, and Yu, also his gatekeeper, Chou, his chef, Chi, his steward, Wu, Madame's maid, Mei, The Chens friends, The Sungs, a trader, Ming, the ruler of the town, Magistrate, a Chinese officer, General Feng Jung, and his son Feng Pao. There is also an Arab trader named Mustafa. Of these characters all are fictional except Feng Pao, General Feng Jung, Mother, Father, Little Tiger, and Princess Redbird.
This book is set in AD 531. It is set in China in the Hsien tribe. Also it is partially set in the Chinese colony near the Great Forest. They are in the middle of a war with the Dogheads.
The major problem in this story is the war with the Dogheads. The Hsien and the rest of the tribes as well as the Chinese were having trouble with the Dogheads invading. When the Dogheads would invade, they would set fires and brutally beligerantly behead innocent bystanders. The Dogheads were malicious.
All of the tribes as well as the Chinese banded together. They all helped fight off the Dogheads. Princess Redbird's plan ended up winning the fight. Her plan was to drop all kinds of poisonous snakes, spiders, and scorpions from the trees onto the Dogheads.
Rated by buyers -
I had read some of Laurence Yep's other books before finding this gem, and I have been nothing but impressed with this author. He has a passion for his culture and a gift for writing - what better combination could you ask for?
I purchased this book almost immediately after it came out because, frankly, I had all the other Royal Diaries up to this point and wanted to add the latest to my collection! I think it is the longest one in the series, and, in my experience, the most difficult. I read it when I was 13 and struggled a little through it even though I was beyond my years at that age. That being said, I think the label "9-12" should be ignored.
The story contains rough material - lots of war, lots of death, lots of emotion. Laurence Yep does a fabulous job at communicating sentiments the average reader would not personally know. The character herself shows great character development, which makes her a strong candidate to be inspiring. Although the book is ficitional, it contains plenty of historical fact and should encourage the reader to research for him/herself, too.
While many of the Dear America books are very much aimed at teenage girls, I think the fact that Laurence Yep wrote this may have helped it be a little more neutral. In fact, my dad read it and enjoyed it as well.
I would recommend this book to older teens and adults, although I would not rule out the possibility of younger children (i.e. 11-12-year-olds) being able to read it. Yet I think part of the beauty of this book comes with experience that only years and life can give, so I plan on reading it again soon to see what I missed out on last time I read it when I was 15.
Rated by buyers -
I purchased this book for my children who are interested in Chinese history. I found it to be well written and engaging. While a child would need to be around nine or ten to really try reading this alone, it is still enjoyable for school age children, though parents should remember that this does contain some violence and may upset younger readers, so it would be a good idea to preview it or read along if you think your child might need to discuss some of these events.
Rated by buyers -
Princess Redbird is a 15 year old princess of the Hsien tribe. The Hsiens are thought as 'savages' among all the other tribes in China. They are constantly at war and Redbird misses her father who so often cancels special occasions for his wars throughout China with his opponent 'The Dog Heads' an evil militia. The time is A.D. 531 and Redbird wants to become part of her father's royal council as her brother has. Instead, her parents set her up at the chinese colony, away from her precious home at Kingfisher Hill. Princess Redbird writes about her times at Kingfisher Hill, celebrations she's celebrated and how one day she hopes to inherit the Hsien throne. A gift that has never been casted down on a woman. Redbird lives a sleepy and lazt life until she learns that her school has set aflame with all the people inside it! Redbird must rise to the challenge and prove herself the true warrior of the south.
Rated by buyers -
When I very first got this book I expected bamboo, chopsticks, honorable monks and all that other stereotype Chinese stuff. But I saw that life in sixth century China was not that way. The Chinese were beyond bamboo but the Hsien people to the south weren't. The Hsien who lived in Southern China at the time lived a peaceful life in the forests until the jealous Dog Heads (who I think were from India or Vietnam) came and the Chinese help them. The Hsien send their Princess Red Bird to become a liasion and makes a clever plan to defeat the Dog Head Elephants. This Clever Book-loving Princess records in Five Scrolls her life living with her Father the king and then later her brother King Little Tiger who was a royal pain like this other Chinese rich colonist girl who ends up living with Red Bird. But I think lot's of kids who love books can relate to Princess Red Bird. I hope you like it as much as I have.
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