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The Willow Pattern Story
Any child who has ever imagined a journey into a two-dimensional expanse will be carried away by the passion Drummond brings to the subject. An IRA-CBC Children's Choice. NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies. American Bookseller Pick of the Lists. Full color.
32 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1945
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 11, 2022
Koong Shee is kept hidden in the pagoda garden as her hand in marriage is promised to Ta Jin. In the spring she falls in love with Chang, the servant. Only two turtledoves knows their secret and helps them to communicate in secret by carrying messages to them. Her father would not stand for it and so they were captured.
A story of how the Willow pattern came about. A very quick and easy read, but think it will be for a very specific target of young children.
The illustrations were really pretty and story nice and short and to the point.
Thank you Netgalley and North South Books Inc. for this ARC.
A story of how the Willow pattern came about. A very quick and easy read, but think it will be for a very specific target of young children.
The illustrations were really pretty and story nice and short and to the point.
Thank you Netgalley and North South Books Inc. for this ARC.
May 11, 2022
Such a pretty little storybook telling the story behind one of the most iconic China patterns called the Willow pattern.
The story is beautiful and the illustrations are dreamy perfect.
Learnt some new things from this book. Sure the young readers will enjoy it.
Thank you, North South Books Inc, for the advance review copy.
The story is beautiful and the illustrations are dreamy perfect.
Learnt some new things from this book. Sure the young readers will enjoy it.
Thank you, North South Books Inc, for the advance review copy.
April 17, 2024
Beautifully illustrated, engaging story for children and/or adults. It makes the statement that everything holds value, and everyone has a story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
April 14, 2022
When I was younger, my grandma used to have a big pine Welsh dresser in her kitchen. Displayed on the shelves was her willow patterned crockery. Just like Alan Drummond, she also had a big blue and white jug that she used for serving custard! I remember parts of the design: the pagoda, bridge and two birds but I had no idea about the story behind the design until I read this book.
The author and illustrator created this book to retell the story he heard when he was a child, which explained the landscape on his own family’s willow pattern jug. Although the design looks Chinese, the non-fiction section at the back of the book explains how it was actually an English pattern created by Spode in around 1795 to increase pottery sales at a time when Chinese designs were popular and fashionable.
According to the author there have been many versions of the willow pattern story but this is his own adaptation. It describes the tale of two young Chinese lovers, Koong Shee and Chang. Koong Shee had been promised in marriage to an old merchant, Ta Jin, and her father had locked her away in a pagoda surrounded by a beautiful garden. Over time, Koong Shee fell in love with her father’s servant Chang and they made plans to escape together.The girl’s father was angry and did not rest until he found the couple and punished them for disobeying him.
Lots of people probably recognise the Willow pattern design and I think you will enjoy reading this folk tale and exploring the detailed illustrations. It will definitely make you look more closely at the pottery and you will soon notice things that you maybe haven’t spotted before.
The author and illustrator created this book to retell the story he heard when he was a child, which explained the landscape on his own family’s willow pattern jug. Although the design looks Chinese, the non-fiction section at the back of the book explains how it was actually an English pattern created by Spode in around 1795 to increase pottery sales at a time when Chinese designs were popular and fashionable.
According to the author there have been many versions of the willow pattern story but this is his own adaptation. It describes the tale of two young Chinese lovers, Koong Shee and Chang. Koong Shee had been promised in marriage to an old merchant, Ta Jin, and her father had locked her away in a pagoda surrounded by a beautiful garden. Over time, Koong Shee fell in love with her father’s servant Chang and they made plans to escape together.The girl’s father was angry and did not rest until he found the couple and punished them for disobeying him.
Lots of people probably recognise the Willow pattern design and I think you will enjoy reading this folk tale and exploring the detailed illustrations. It will definitely make you look more closely at the pottery and you will soon notice things that you maybe haven’t spotted before.
August 21, 2022
Beautiful, breath-taking blue and white china patterns always attract me, so when I saw this book's illustrated cover in such hues and design, I immediately 'fell in love' and wanted to read the story! Fascinating. I'd never stopped to wonder about the story that went into the exotic composition of the art work. Reading this book has given me a peek at one version. It's really gotten my imagination thrumming.
Children and adults alike, will no doubt be intriqued with Koong Shee and Chang's story as told by Allan Drumond. Lovers, who eventually run away and get married but whose whereabouts are eventually discovered and brought back home for punishment. The end of their days turn into an interesting release.
The two kissing birds featured in this Willow Pattern have significance in this 32-page tale, which is well illustrated in, you guessed it, mostly, blue and white. See if you can figure out the meanings as you read.
One issue for caution is that the pair steal jewllery, run away and elope. However, smart children will realize the wrong of it. Other than that I found this story of interest and next time I see a Willow Pattern on a plate, teacup or saucer, I'll be sure to take a closer look and that with greater appreciation of this prized pattern piece.
~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~
May 2022
Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the NorthsSouth Books Inc publisher.
Children and adults alike, will no doubt be intriqued with Koong Shee and Chang's story as told by Allan Drumond. Lovers, who eventually run away and get married but whose whereabouts are eventually discovered and brought back home for punishment. The end of their days turn into an interesting release.
The two kissing birds featured in this Willow Pattern have significance in this 32-page tale, which is well illustrated in, you guessed it, mostly, blue and white. See if you can figure out the meanings as you read.
One issue for caution is that the pair steal jewllery, run away and elope. However, smart children will realize the wrong of it. Other than that I found this story of interest and next time I see a Willow Pattern on a plate, teacup or saucer, I'll be sure to take a closer look and that with greater appreciation of this prized pattern piece.
~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~
May 2022
Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the NorthsSouth Books Inc publisher.
Read
June 27, 2022What a sweet story! I think sharing it as a children's tea party, or as a gift for the tea lovers, would be wonderful! I've always thought the Willow pattern was Chinese. It was a surprise to learn otherwise, but I know a lot of the "Chinese" pottery from the period was actually produced elseware. Spode was surprising! Some years ago I learned that the pottery was so mass produced, it was often used as ballast in ships and paths in the Carribbean were often paved witht he broken ballast once ships were emptied! I have a few pieces of a blue and white pottery I picked up in St. Croix decades back that may well have been the blus willow pattern! Anyway, the story uses ther willow pottery motif very creatively and continues passing the tradition on to another generation. Kudos Mr. Drummond!
I recieved a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
I recieved a Kindle arc from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.
May 27, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and North South Books for the e-ARC of this book to read and review. I loved the artwork, and the idea of bringing a pottery pattern to life - in the tradition of folk tales that inspired their creation - within a forbidden love story. I also got a richer understanding from the author's note at the end, explaining this history and the different countries that have willow pattern storytelling traditions. Ultimately, I didn't find the story itself to be as magical as the possibilities, but it's definitely interesting!
August 2, 2018
I used this book as inspiration for a narrative immersion for my Year 3/4 class. We took on the role as detectives and used our inference skills to follow clues to find out what happened to the Mandarin’s missing daughter. It was possibly a bit mature for my children but as a topic link (we also looked at ancient china, made pottery ect.) it was great. Not sure I would just read the story to a class without context but enjoyed it as a topic.
August 12, 2018
The story teaches children about the history of the china plate and how the plate was used to construct a story about two lovers that weren't meant to fall in love. The children learn about the powerful message of true love and the importance of not judging people but respecting all people to be suitable to marry and live with.
I would recommend this story because the pictures are beautiful which help to illustrate the important history of the two lovers on the China plate.
I would recommend this story because the pictures are beautiful which help to illustrate the important history of the two lovers on the China plate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2020
When I was growing up, we had several willow patterned dishes and bowls. I would look at them often, making up stories for the figures I saw by the willow tree or on the bridge. I had no idea there was a common story that was part of folklore passed down over time about it! This version was awful and heartbreaking, but I loved the ending. And the art in this book was a wonderful way to tie the china and the story together.
January 11, 2019
An interesting "Chinese" tale, which turns out not to be Chinese at all. Nobody seems to know where it has come from, though it is believed to have first been told in England some 200 years ago. Other people understand that it was invented by a potter in order to help sell his products! None the less, this adaptation of the story is well written and well illustrated.
September 18, 2020
My 10 year didn’t really care for this book. It was just meh... for me as well. Definitely folktale. I enjoyed the Author’s Note at the end, reading about the actual history of Blue Willow. After we read the book, we looked at an actual Blue Willow plate that I own, which was fun to see all the elements described in the book.
May 9, 2023
I, too was fascinated as a child by blue willow pottery and the story it purported to tell. Lovely illustrations by the author. I wonder if this book would be published as it is today, as the pattern was created in England from Eastern examples and the story a fabulation of folk tale was also created there and incorporates western tropes of Chinese culture.
September 27, 2017
Sad story about how the china pattern could have been inspired.
September 30, 2018
Loved this book. As since a child been eating off willow pattern....
January 12, 2024
Such a wonderful story to match up with the pattern.
May 25, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley, North South Books, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I picked this up because I too was fascinated by Chinese porcelain and patterns as a child! I was always drawn to the beautiful landscapes and delicate faces, human and animal, in the patterns. Needless to say, of course the cover of this book caught my attention. The art is beautiful; I especially love the use of pottery(?) fragments—the shape and placement give the book such a whimsical vibe. And the art relating to the story was sweet as well.
I enjoyed the story, but I came away a bit wary of a kid reading this? I'm not a parent or educator, so I can't really speak to the maturity level needed, but given the elements of stealing, imprisonment, and murder, I'm inclined to say 9/10 years old and above... I really liked the history part at the end, too! It's a good balance to the mythical nature of the preceding story.
So yes, overall, I did enjoy. Would I recommend to everyone? No. If you (the parent/teacher) have a creative job though, like pottery, interior design, painting, etc., it could be a great conversation starter and interest piquer for your little one(s)!
I picked this up because I too was fascinated by Chinese porcelain and patterns as a child! I was always drawn to the beautiful landscapes and delicate faces, human and animal, in the patterns. Needless to say, of course the cover of this book caught my attention. The art is beautiful; I especially love the use of pottery(?) fragments—the shape and placement give the book such a whimsical vibe. And the art relating to the story was sweet as well.
I enjoyed the story, but I came away a bit wary of a kid reading this? I'm not a parent or educator, so I can't really speak to the maturity level needed, but given the elements of stealing, imprisonment, and murder, I'm inclined to say 9/10 years old and above... I really liked the history part at the end, too! It's a good balance to the mythical nature of the preceding story.
So yes, overall, I did enjoy. Would I recommend to everyone? No. If you (the parent/teacher) have a creative job though, like pottery, interior design, painting, etc., it could be a great conversation starter and interest piquer for your little one(s)!
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August 29, 2014Book title: The Willow Pattern Story
Writer: Allan Drummond
Synopsis:
The Willow Pattern Story is a fantasy fiction book. It tells the story of an old Chinese mandarin who kept his beautiful daughter Koong Shee locked up in the pagoda garden as he had promised her hand in marriage to an old merchant called Ta Jin. Koong Shee ends up falling in love with the mandarin’s servant Chang, they would exchange messages between one another through two turtle doves who knew their secret.
Review:
The Willow Pattern story is a great fantasy fiction book about forbidden love. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and would capture any child’s imagination when reading the book. This book would be good for key stage one or two and could be used as a resource for assisted reading, independent reading, story time, in a literacy lesson or in an art lesson. For assisted reading and independent reading it could build on the pupil’s vocabulary and build on their reading confidence. In a literacy lesson the book could be used to demonstrate a good example of creative writing. For an art lesson the book could be used to demonstrate a good example of creating art to represent a story.
Writer: Allan Drummond
Synopsis:
The Willow Pattern Story is a fantasy fiction book. It tells the story of an old Chinese mandarin who kept his beautiful daughter Koong Shee locked up in the pagoda garden as he had promised her hand in marriage to an old merchant called Ta Jin. Koong Shee ends up falling in love with the mandarin’s servant Chang, they would exchange messages between one another through two turtle doves who knew their secret.
Review:
The Willow Pattern story is a great fantasy fiction book about forbidden love. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and would capture any child’s imagination when reading the book. This book would be good for key stage one or two and could be used as a resource for assisted reading, independent reading, story time, in a literacy lesson or in an art lesson. For assisted reading and independent reading it could build on the pupil’s vocabulary and build on their reading confidence. In a literacy lesson the book could be used to demonstrate a good example of creative writing. For an art lesson the book could be used to demonstrate a good example of creating art to represent a story.
May 12, 2022
BEYOND interesting!!! Have you ever looked closely at the Willow Pattern you have likely seen many in your life? I mean really closely? And did you ever wonder about the story behind that pattern?
I have always admired this iconic pattern, but I must admit I never looked very closely at the fine details, nor did I ever understand the meaning behind the design. This version of the Chinese tale and history of the well-known china Willow Pattern. This specific story is one of Forbidden Love between the beautiful daughter of an old Chinese mandarin, Koon Chee, and Chang, her father's servant.
The watercolor illustrations are fitting for this tale, giving it an old world feeling for the reader, bringing you back to a time of Great Pagodas, beautifully landscaped gardens and a beautiful princess locked away in a tower.
An intriguing fable for readers of all ages.
Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley & North South Books, Inc
I have always admired this iconic pattern, but I must admit I never looked very closely at the fine details, nor did I ever understand the meaning behind the design. This version of the Chinese tale and history of the well-known china Willow Pattern. This specific story is one of Forbidden Love between the beautiful daughter of an old Chinese mandarin, Koon Chee, and Chang, her father's servant.
The watercolor illustrations are fitting for this tale, giving it an old world feeling for the reader, bringing you back to a time of Great Pagodas, beautifully landscaped gardens and a beautiful princess locked away in a tower.
An intriguing fable for readers of all ages.
Grateful to have received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley & North South Books, Inc
June 23, 2022
Thirty years old and still showing all its glories superbly well, this is a telling of what might have happened in the run-up to the image used in willow pattern porcelain – the allegedly Chinese design that wasn't ever Chinese, and never really had a back-story. It didn't take long, it appears, before people had named the characters in a plot of lovers torn asunder by greedy old men, and this variant is a very nice one, bearing a lot of the classic story-telling attributes but not being too old and stiff-seeming. Chances are many young audience members turning to this now will know nothing of the design, but they should still be able to take on the drama of the telling, and the visuals – all typical China-ware blue and white but for when characters are picked out in further colours – are in excellent gouache and pencil. It's very gladdening to see this is still in print, for all its age – four and a half stars.
May 15, 2022
This book tells a folk tale to go along with the beautiful and intricate design called the willow pattern, found on china and porcelain dating back to the 1700s. The story is set in China and includes many of the pictures found in the willow pattern, including a pagoda and birds. The book ends with factual information about the willow pattern such as where and when it originates from (not China!) as well as the author's interest in the willow pattern and some of his research related to it. This is a neat book and an opportunity to learn a little about Chinese history through a story which is based on art.
I would recommend this book to families and teachers of children in the 7-11 range who might be interested in art and Chinese culture. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
I would recommend this book to families and teachers of children in the 7-11 range who might be interested in art and Chinese culture. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
April 18, 2012
The concept behind the book is great; a story sparked by the elaborate pattern in a piece of fine china. The story reads like an old folk tale and is well-written. It is about two young people who are forbidden to marry and the sad physical transformation they must undergo to be together. The artwork, based on a real design, incorporates the imagined elements of the tale and is quite beautiful. I found the brief history of the Willow Pattern at the end of the book helpful in appreciating what the author wanted to do and it made for interesting reading.
While I can see the book being valued by collectors of willow pattern china, or even folklorists, I'm dubious that the average child will find great appeal, here.
While I can see the book being valued by collectors of willow pattern china, or even folklorists, I'm dubious that the average child will find great appeal, here.
May 30, 2022
Beautiful and breathtaking illustrations.
I am so happy that now we have plenty diverse books for the kids, fills my heart with joy.
The story was really appealing and charming. It was so beautiful it almost felt poetic.
The only qualm I have is it's rather bleak toward the end, something in my opinion isn't really fit for young kids.
Maybe kids who are a bit older will be suitable readers for this book.
All in all loved it!
I seriously want to buy a cipy for myself just for the beautiful aesthetics of this book
I am so happy that now we have plenty diverse books for the kids, fills my heart with joy.
The story was really appealing and charming. It was so beautiful it almost felt poetic.
The only qualm I have is it's rather bleak toward the end, something in my opinion isn't really fit for young kids.
Maybe kids who are a bit older will be suitable readers for this book.
All in all loved it!
I seriously want to buy a cipy for myself just for the beautiful aesthetics of this book
June 4, 2022
What a tragic yet enchanting story! I enjoyed it to the fullest. The birds that united two young souls madly in love with each other ended up being the carriers of a cruel fate. I loved the narration and the author's note explaining the reason behind the book and the origin of this story. The illustrations were beautiful as well. I never gave the willow pattern any thoughts, partly because I don't have one. Learning about one of the many variations of the story that is guessed to inspire the elegant pattern was fascinating and delightful. Recommended!
July 11, 2022
The Willow Pattern Story is a short children’s book about the possible meaning behind the blue and white China pattern popularized on Spode brand china. Overall the story is a bit depressing for a childrens book. My copy did not download correctly so some of the pictures were also missing I believe. What pictures were there were pretty, much like the china pattern is.
**thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc I received.**
**thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc I received.**
June 6, 2022
The Willow Pattern Story by Allan Drummond is such a gorgeous book. The retelling of this haunting Chinese tale is beautifully illustrated in muted tones of blues. The story is full of love and loss and the pictures paint the emotions of Koong Shee and Chang with remarkable depth. I loved the simple short story paired with the beautiful art.
October 9, 2010
This is really a nice story explaining the story behind the willow pattern china. Another good book for China.
July 25, 2014
A nice folk-style story for children. My class enjoyed spotting the parts of the story that were linked to the design in the teacup.
July 31, 2022
A charmingly illustrated short book for anyone who's wondered about the origin of the beautiful Willow Pattern china.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews