Jade Dragons

By: Florence Wightman Rowland, The Good and the Beautiful

Narrated by: Abram Felsch

Length: 2 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

If Wong Ting­­-a river boy in China-had extra coins, he would buy a copper kettle for his mother and a desperately needed new fishing net for his father. For himself, Wong Ting wanted something that money could not buy. In his heart was a secret wish. Only he knew what it was: Wong Ting wanted to walk on the land. This wish is kept hidden for a time as Wong Ting works hard with his family upon their sampan. A raging storm starts a series of exciting events, as the family's sampan is blown down the angry river out of control toward the open sea. A boat as small as theirs could not hope to ride safely upon the high waves of the South China Sea. As Wong Ting and his family escape pirates, rescue an orphaned baby, and search the river bottom for a bracelet with three jade dragons, gentle messages come to life about respect, obedience, hard work, kindness, integrity, courage, and hope. As Wong Ting dug in his pole, he squinted, trying to see through the heavy downpour, but it completely shut out the high banks along the edges of the Wu. Something began to stir in Wong Ting's memory. It stayed far back in his mind, a vague shadow of a thought. He tried to grasp what it was, puckering his brow. After a while he remembered.

©2018 Jenny Phillips (P)2019 Steven Lerud

Lovely story but unimaginative narrator

The story itself was a great one. My 7 year old greatly enjoyed this short, sweet story. We use The Good and the Beautiful curriculum for our homeschool, so I am excited to see them putting some of their books on Audible. I just wish the reading of the story was as good and beautiful as the story itself. However, the narrator just read the story; he didn't perform it. He didn't give characters individual voices- which was a bit disappointing.

Perseverance Pays while Love of Family Lives

This isa well written narrative teaching about the daily life of Chinese river people culture which fascinates with simple & exciting adventure. An elementary Chinese tale reminiscent of Swiss Family Robinson, this story conveys the wish of an 11 year old, whose feet have never walked on land to courageously & counter culturally hope for something more than his parents have experienced. Spiced with the inner thoughts and struggles of the pre-adolescent boy, the author paints a vivid picture of family life & love appropriate for the target audience or even a read aloud for the whole family.