A graceful and humorous retelling of a Hans Christian Andersen classic. The Emperor of China lives in the most marvellous palace in the world, made completely of porcelain, and his garden is full of the rarest flowers. Yet loveliest of all, say visitors to his realm, is the song of the nightingale in the forest by the sea. The Emperor has never heard this nightingale, and even his courtiers, searching far and wide, cannot find her. It takes a gentle kitchen maid, true of heart, to draw the humble nightingale to court. The Emperor is enchanted by the bird's sweet song - until a bejewelled version with a mechanical tune arrives. Will the mighty ruler learn too late the value of what is simple and genuine?
There are 48 pages in this book.
This is a picture book. A picture book uses pictures and text to tell the story. The number of words varies from zero ('wordless') to around 1k over 32 pages. Picture books are typically aimed at young readers (age 3-6) but can also be aimed at older children (7+).
This book was published in 2002 by Walker Books Ltd .
Bagram Ibatoulline was born in Russia and educated at the Moscow State Academic Art Institute. His first book was Philip Booth's Crossing , named a 2001 Best Book by Publishers Weekly . He is best known for his books with Kate di Camillo, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane , and Great Joy . Bagram lives in Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania.
This book contains the following story:
The Nightingale
An emperor prefers the tinkling of a bejeweled mechanical bird to the song of a real nightingale. The Emperor of China learns that one of the most beautiful things in his empire is the song of the nightingale. When he orders the nightingale brought to him, a kitchen maid (the only one who knows of its whereabouts) leads the court to a nearby forest where the bird is found. The nightingale agrees to appear at court. The Emperor is so delighted with the bird's song that he keeps the nightingale in captivity. When the Emperor is given a bejeweled mechanical bird he loses interest in the real nightingale, who returns to the forest. The mechanical bird eventually breaks down due to overuse. The Emperor is taken deathly ill a few years later. The real nightingale learns of the Emperor's condition and returns to the palace. God is so moved by the nightingale's song that he departs and the emperor recovers. The nightingale agrees to sing to the emperor for the rest of his days.
