What do you think?
Rate this book
The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes: A Picture Book
Ming Da is only nine years old when he becomes the emperor of China, and his three advisors take advantage of him by stealing his stores of rice, gold, and precious stones. But Ming Da has a plan. With the help of his tailors, he comes up with a clever idea to outsmart his devious advisors: He asks his tailors to make “magical” new clothes for him. Anyone who is honest, the young emperor explains, will see the clothes’ true splendor, but anyone who is dishonest will see only burlap sacks. The emperor dons a burlap sack, and the ministers can’t help but fall for his cunning trick.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published December 26, 2017
About the author
Ying Chang Compestine
31 books107 followersA leading national authority on culture and cuisine, award-winning author, and former food editor for Martha Stewart's Whole Living magazine, Ying Chang Compestine has written 27 books across multiple genres, including picture books, YA novels, and healthy adult cookbooks. She has hosted cooking shows, worked as a food editor for Martha Stewart’s Body+Soul, and was a spokesperson for Nestle Maggi and Celestial Seasonings.
Her novel "Revolution is Not a Dinner Party" and her memoir "Growing Up Under a Red Flag" recount her childhood during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. These works have received awards globally and high praise from prestigious media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Publisher's Weekly. Her novel "A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts" is currently being adapted into an animated TV series.
Named one of the "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" by The Author's Show, her books have sold worldwide in multiple languages. Endorsed by Dr. Andrew Weil, her cookbook "Cooking with an Asian Accent" has been described as “a contemporary new cuisine.”
Ying believes food can be both healthy and delicious and that healthy eating is the key to a long, happy life. By integrating her background into her recipe creation, she features the three most critical Asian principles of food in her dishes: satisfaction of the senses, yin-yang balance, and medicinal properties.
In addition to writing, Ying has been a sought-after keynote speaker for high-end cruise ships, private jets, and resorts, including The World Residences at Sea, Crystal, Silver Sea, Viking, TCS World Travel, and Canyon Ranch. Ying is also frequently invited to speak at schools and conferences worldwide to share her journey as a writer—how her life in Wuhan, China, inspired her work—and to promote healthy eating and living. Her website is www.yingc.com
Her novel "Revolution is Not a Dinner Party" and her memoir "Growing Up Under a Red Flag" recount her childhood during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. These works have received awards globally and high praise from prestigious media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Publisher's Weekly. Her novel "A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts" is currently being adapted into an animated TV series.
Named one of the "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" by The Author's Show, her books have sold worldwide in multiple languages. Endorsed by Dr. Andrew Weil, her cookbook "Cooking with an Asian Accent" has been described as “a contemporary new cuisine.”
Ying believes food can be both healthy and delicious and that healthy eating is the key to a long, happy life. By integrating her background into her recipe creation, she features the three most critical Asian principles of food in her dishes: satisfaction of the senses, yin-yang balance, and medicinal properties.
In addition to writing, Ying has been a sought-after keynote speaker for high-end cruise ships, private jets, and resorts, including The World Residences at Sea, Crystal, Silver Sea, Viking, TCS World Travel, and Canyon Ranch. Ying is also frequently invited to speak at schools and conferences worldwide to share her journey as a writer—how her life in Wuhan, China, inspired her work—and to promote healthy eating and living. Her website is www.yingc.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 25, 2018
This book is a great example of an author blowing it. What could have been a cute retelling of a classic story is marred by blatant cultural appropriation and just plain rudeness. What's frustrating is that, had the first and last paragraphs been cut, this wouldn't even have been an issue.
The story starts out on a bad foot with the assertion that this is the real version of the story:
The author knows as well as anyone that those statements are lies, because in the author's note she talks about reading the Hans Christian Andersen version as a child. (His version was actually based on older versions, some of which date back to the 11th century, variations of which came from Spain, Persia, and India. Not China.) Why anyone would want to start out a children's book with a lie is beyond me... but what really gets my goat is that it's not just a harmless lie. It's cultural appropriation in this case, and it's not even done with respect. Take a look at the last paragraph of the book:
Can you imagine the outcry if a Western author took a story like the Ballad of Mulan, set it in England, claimed that was the real version, and took a shot at anyone who believed otherwise? What's sad, though, is that this problematic issue was completely unnecessary. Aside from those paragraphs, the rest of the story is rather cute. So are the illustrations. But I just can't in good conscience give a higher rating to a book that steals from another cultural tradition and then lies about it. To children, no less.
The story starts out on a bad foot with the assertion that this is the real version of the story:
The truth is that the story took place here in China, and without any tricky tailors.
Here is the real story.
The author knows as well as anyone that those statements are lies, because in the author's note she talks about reading the Hans Christian Andersen version as a child. (His version was actually based on older versions, some of which date back to the 11th century, variations of which came from Spain, Persia, and India. Not China.) Why anyone would want to start out a children's book with a lie is beyond me... but what really gets my goat is that it's not just a harmless lie. It's cultural appropriation in this case, and it's not even done with respect. Take a look at the last paragraph of the book:
Now that's the real story! The emperor marched through the town to save his country. I don't know how people ended up with that old folktale about two sly tailors fooling a vain emperor.
Can you imagine the outcry if a Western author took a story like the Ballad of Mulan, set it in England, claimed that was the real version, and took a shot at anyone who believed otherwise? What's sad, though, is that this problematic issue was completely unnecessary. Aside from those paragraphs, the rest of the story is rather cute. So are the illustrations. But I just can't in good conscience give a higher rating to a book that steals from another cultural tradition and then lies about it. To children, no less.
June 29, 2018
A nice retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen tale where the moral is to give to those who have less than you. I especially liked the author's brief biography in the back, and I look forward to picking up more of her work. The illustrations are by the same guy who illustrated Rosie Revere, Engineer (I'd link to it but for some reason the GR's insert button isn't working), and it's easy to see the similarities in style, though this is less bright. But it's still colorful and crisp.
December 25, 2017
Wonderful retelling of the classic tale! Set in China with a child Emperor as the hero, Compestine gets the humor just right. Gorgeous illustrations make this one very special.
March 3, 2018
4.5 stars
LOVED this remake. Loved it even more when I read the author's note.
LOVED this remake. Loved it even more when I read the author's note.
March 10, 2020
The Chinese Emperor’s New Clothes is the real version of the old folktale about two sly tailors tricking the emperor into parading around town naked in his magical robes. This folktale follows Ming Da, the 9-year-old emperor, as he prepares for Chinese New Year and dealing with his dishonest ministers. He needs new robes to dress up in so the evil spirits could not recognize him during the parade. With the help of his tailors, Ming Da tricked his lying, stealing ministers into embarrassment as they paraded in front of the town in rice sacks.
I would use this book to teach a lesson about stealing. In the book, the ministers stole and lied to the emperor and the town. They placed the town into poverty and took away all the fine silks for clothing just so they could make extra money and have all the finer things for themselves. I want my students to know that stealing is bad, and in the end, you will be caught and receive your punishment. I would use this to teach a lesson about leadership. The emperor could have just let his town suffer and not do anything about it and be a bad leader, but he knew what he needed to do. He made sound decisions and ended up being able to provide for his town and give back to the people that were stolen from. He was being a leader and doing what was right by his people. Children need to know that they can step up as leaders whenever and make things right or provide for their peers. If I had classroom jobs and a student was absent, another student could step up and be a leader for that job instead of having the class suffer and not get things done.
This was definitely a WOW book for me because when I was a kid, I loved reading about the two sly tailors that tricked the emperor into parading around naked. I thought it was the funniest thing ever. This book has the same message, but it gets turned around into the emperor being a good leader and the tailors helping him get back at the slimy ministers. Folktales are funny and they also teach good lessons to children and adults. It is a good book to read and would make a good read aloud for children. I would recommend this book for grades 2-4 because it is a picture book, but it is a little complex ad can give a great message to everyone.
I would use this book to teach a lesson about stealing. In the book, the ministers stole and lied to the emperor and the town. They placed the town into poverty and took away all the fine silks for clothing just so they could make extra money and have all the finer things for themselves. I want my students to know that stealing is bad, and in the end, you will be caught and receive your punishment. I would use this to teach a lesson about leadership. The emperor could have just let his town suffer and not do anything about it and be a bad leader, but he knew what he needed to do. He made sound decisions and ended up being able to provide for his town and give back to the people that were stolen from. He was being a leader and doing what was right by his people. Children need to know that they can step up as leaders whenever and make things right or provide for their peers. If I had classroom jobs and a student was absent, another student could step up and be a leader for that job instead of having the class suffer and not get things done.
This was definitely a WOW book for me because when I was a kid, I loved reading about the two sly tailors that tricked the emperor into parading around naked. I thought it was the funniest thing ever. This book has the same message, but it gets turned around into the emperor being a good leader and the tailors helping him get back at the slimy ministers. Folktales are funny and they also teach good lessons to children and adults. It is a good book to read and would make a good read aloud for children. I would recommend this book for grades 2-4 because it is a picture book, but it is a little complex ad can give a great message to everyone.
March 5, 2018
Ying Chang Compestine's distinctive authorial voice is present in this excellent retelling of the classic fairy tale about deceit. In delightful fashion she weaves a story set in China in which the nine-year-old emperor Ming Da realizes that his ministers are taking advantage of his youth and stealing the kingdom's treasury. Because of this theft, the boy is unable to accomplish the important work that matters to him such as taking care of the poor in the land. He cleverly hatches a lot in which he tricks the ministers to give back the money and jewels they've stolen in order to pay for the most extraordinary regalia for Chinese New Year. Because they are essentially paying for nothing or nothing fancy, they end up looking like fools during the celebration. An Author's Note provides background for the story and describes the reteller's love for books and storytelling and her experiences during the Cultural Revolution in China. There's even a photograph if her during that time, and directions for making a robe for Chinese New Year, which young readers will enjoy. The story is accompanied by softly-colored illustrations, created with watercolor, pen, and ink. Clearly, this is a romanticized view of one ruler, but the story is heartfelt and important even for those reading it today.
March 14, 2018
This picture book is a twist on the traditional tale, this time with the emperor being part of the trick rather than solely the tailors. When young emperor Ming Da discovers that his advisors are stealing from him, he comes up with a clever way to expose their misdeeds. Enlisting the help of his tailors, Ming Da dresses in burlap sacks, telling his advisors that they only look like sacks to those who are dishonest, otherwise they look like the finest silks. The three advisors soon have their own sacks to wear in the entourage, since they can’t admit their dishonesty. With a focus on helping the poor and being honest, this picture book is an engaging twist on the original. The illustrations pay homage to the Chinese setting by incorporating more formal framing at times. Look for small creatures watching the action along with the reader and the looks of delight as the tailors trap the advisors in their lies. A great book to share aloud, with a young hero who puts others before himself.
June 26, 2024
What a clever twist on the familiar tale of the Emperor's New Clothes! Especially if you know that brilliant traditional tale, you may LOVE this version. I did.
In this story Ming Da becomes the emperor of China. He's only nine years old. At first his advisors successfully scheme to steal his royal rice, gold, and gems.
Cleverly, though, Ming Da comes up with a plan. Asking for some very specific help from his tailors, the emperor obtains “magical” new clothes from them.
How will those clothes work? The clever emperor spreads the word:
* Honest people will see the clothes’ true splendor.
* Dishonest people will only see burlap sacks.
After the emperor purposely puts on a burlap sack, what will happen?
Find out. You may well join me in finding this to be a FIVE STAR book.
Thank you, storyteller and truthteller, Ying Chang Compestine.
Thanks, too, to the brilliant creator of irresistible paintings, David Roberts.
In this story Ming Da becomes the emperor of China. He's only nine years old. At first his advisors successfully scheme to steal his royal rice, gold, and gems.
Cleverly, though, Ming Da comes up with a plan. Asking for some very specific help from his tailors, the emperor obtains “magical” new clothes from them.
How will those clothes work? The clever emperor spreads the word:
* Honest people will see the clothes’ true splendor.
* Dishonest people will only see burlap sacks.
After the emperor purposely puts on a burlap sack, what will happen?
Find out. You may well join me in finding this to be a FIVE STAR book.
Thank you, storyteller and truthteller, Ying Chang Compestine.
Thanks, too, to the brilliant creator of irresistible paintings, David Roberts.
June 28, 2018
In this humorous retelling of the classic Chinese folktale, Ming Da becomes emperor at the mere age of nine. When he discovers his advisers have been stealing from him, however, Ming Da comes up with a plan. He asks his tailors to create a wardrobe of magical outfits for him; anyone who has honesty in their heart, says Ming Da, will see the outfits as beautiful, whereas anyone who is dishonest will see them only as burlap sacks. Of course, the advisors see the outfits only as the latter, making them look foolish as they praise the emperor’s new clothes and end up paying him back the jewels they stole so that they too may have clothes as wonderous as the emperor’s. The story is complemented by David Roberts’s watercolor illustrations, an author’s note on the Chinese cultural revolution, and instructions on how to make a traditional Chinese robe. Recommended.
April 12, 2019
Since I have many Chinese students in my class, they were really keen to read this book. They all listened attentively. The story moves quickly enough but still is a good story for a substantial read at the carpet. I wondered if it really is a Chinese legend or just the creativity of the author. The author's note at the end was fascinating. The author loved to read forbidden books. It was a way to trick the rulers in China who banned certain books. She said due to the lack of books and other entertainment, she and her friends would pass the time by reciting stories from the illegal books they had read. This story is one she made up, adding her own twist to it, after hearing The Emporer's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen. The picture of the author at the end, taken during the Cultural Revolution in China, is delightful!
August 12, 2019
Do you think you know the story of the Emperor's New Clothes? Well, maybe you were misinformed. What if the Emperor wasn't the one being tricked by some tailors? What if the Emperor and his faithful tailors were trying to get rid of some crooked court ministers who were pocketing funds that would otherwise help the poor? How would they do that?
I really like this twist on the Andersen fairy tale. The Emperor has a kind, humble heart and works to help his people. The ministers get a punishment fitting to their crime. And this version is more about social justice than vanity. Highly recommended to little activists, fractured fairy tale fans, and those looking for multicultural tales.
Notes on content: No issues. There's no nakedness or even flashing underwear in this version.
I really like this twist on the Andersen fairy tale. The Emperor has a kind, humble heart and works to help his people. The ministers get a punishment fitting to their crime. And this version is more about social justice than vanity. Highly recommended to little activists, fractured fairy tale fans, and those looking for multicultural tales.
Notes on content: No issues. There's no nakedness or even flashing underwear in this version.
June 2, 2020
This book is recommended for children aged 6-8. Beautiful illustrations. This book re-tells the classic story of the ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’, to a story about a young Chinese Emperor, Ming Da, who outsmarts his dishonest ministers. Anyone who is honest, will see the clothes’ true splendour, but anyone who is dishonest will only see rice sacks. I think that there are some really important messages and themes in the book that can be used as in the classroom, either as a whole class discussion or as an introduction to a lesson/topic. These could include; stealing and consequences, leadership, culture in China. Also, at the back of the book readers are invited to make their own Chinese New Year robe.
April 23, 2020
Suitable for key stage 1 - A humorous retelling of the classic tale ‘The emperor’s new clothes’ but with a little twist. The story is set in China and is about a young emperor named Ming Da who comes up with a plan with his loyal tailors to trick his dishonest ministers who are stealing from him. With the generous nature of the young emperor, he hopes to defy his corrupted ministers and get the royal treasury of gold, rice and silk back. With the beautiful illustrations, the book can easily be used as an introduction to Chinese New Year and children can even make their own Chinese new year parade robes! (instructions provided at the back of the book)
December 8, 2021
When I grabbed this book off the shelf I expected there to be at least some a few cultural differences between this and the classic telling of “the emperors new clothes.“ The only difference is there are Chinese names and a celebration of the Chinese new year. The tale is exactly the same. The only slight difference is that this one involves two lying Tailors. Another difference is that instead of the emperor being naked he is purely just wearing rice sacks. The book does end with a fun activity for you to make a Chinese you new year parade robe out of an old pillowcase or T-shirt beans, ribbons, paint, a cardboard or brown paper bag. That seems like fun
October 25, 2023
The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes by Ying Chang Compestine is a great fantasy picture book. I think it could be a great learning moment in any grade level classroom. You could teach about Chinese culture, about how young emperor's can be, or even about Chinese New year. The book is recommended for children between ages four and eight, but could honestly be twisted to fit any age level within reason. Another thing I loved about the book was the tutorial at the end on how to make your own Chinese New Year robe.
March 29, 2019
This is the "true story" of the Emperor's new clothes where the tailors are the heroes along with a young Emperor. This retelling is a pleasant change to what we are used to and the illustrations are fabulous. They capture the time and place in such an amazing way. The historical information about the author was a fun bonus. (I have always enjoyed hearing stories about the Cultural Revolution that show the "little things" people did to be like the Emperor of this story).
March 12, 2022
Genre: Historical Fiction/Traditional Literature?
Grade Level: 1st-3rd
I loved how this book was based off the youngest Chinese emperor, while incorporating a Chinese folktale and a powerful lesson. Because the greedy ministers were so greedy, they lost what was precious to them. Great thinking from an emperor so young! I don't think I can be that clever, I was astonished at his thinking. I loved the bright and colorful illustrations in this!
Grade Level: 1st-3rd
I loved how this book was based off the youngest Chinese emperor, while incorporating a Chinese folktale and a powerful lesson. Because the greedy ministers were so greedy, they lost what was precious to them. Great thinking from an emperor so young! I don't think I can be that clever, I was astonished at his thinking. I loved the bright and colorful illustrations in this!
March 22, 2019
What a fun adaptation of The Emperor's New Clothes. This one tells the cheeky story of a young emperor and his dishonest ministers. Kids will love the way the little nine year old emperor outsmarts his elder ministers. Everyone will love the delightful illustrations, humorous retelling, and Chinese twist on the story.
May 1, 2023
This story is a clever, ravishing, and engaging one. It provides a twist on the traditional tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The story's illustration and print organization is very cohesive and eye catching as well. The artistic style follows a more folk art stance, and it fits the content of the story well.
May 1, 2023
To me personally, this book is very entertaining and I found it very well illustrated. It is a great version of the old story about the Emperor’s New Clothes and I liked the twist that this story took on compared to the original. I think this story would definitely be enjoyed by children and could possibly provide some representation for Chinese heritage.
May 4, 2023
This book is a classic story that is retold with beautiful illustrations. This is such an incredible message that every student should read. Not only is this an important lesson to focus on not following trends, but also people not blindly trusting the people around them. This book instils a healthy level of questioning the people around us.
December 15, 2023
Oh, it is too bad that the frame insists that this is the 'true' story. At least the interesting author's note includes mention of Andersen's tale. Also on the plus side, I like Roberts' illustrations better than I do his work in his STEM books.
Bottom line, I do recommend this. If you're reading aloud, skip the sentences from first and last pages that claim the veracity of this version.
Bottom line, I do recommend this. If you're reading aloud, skip the sentences from first and last pages that claim the veracity of this version.
January 10, 2018
A new twist on an old favorite fairy tale of mine. I enjoyed this retelling that included a bit of social conscience in the story. Enjoyable story and beautiful illustrations sure to be a big hit with all ages.
June 23, 2018
A twist on "The Emperor's New Clothes"; instead of having a vain and naked emperor, we have a young emperor tricking his "advisers" into believe that they are wearing the finest clothes for the New Year Eve's parade. Illustrations by David Roberts (Ava Twist, Scientist).
July 25, 2018
I've been seeing quite a few references to Andersen's Emperor's New Clothes lately, but this version has a twist. The emperor in this story is exactly nine years old. My son is exactly nine years old. He related well with the emperor and the clever tailors.
April 24, 2020
This was a really nice story of a child who ended up being the hero. Beautiful illustrations and little text would make this book accessible to many children. Would be a great book to introduce Chinese history and could be used as a topic in a classroom.
May 15, 2023
This picture book is a retelling of the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, in a Chinese setting. The illustrations are beautiful. The author’s note includes context from the author’s childhood in China and some explanation of the Lunar New Year.
February 5, 2024
I prefer this story over the regular "Emperor's New Clothes." A young emperor finds out some of the higher-ups in the government are stealing, and he and the clothes-makers trick them. Great story and pictures.
December 29, 2017
A charming take (with a clever twist) on the original Emperor's new clothes. - Emilee
January 11, 2018
The splendor of storytelling is one story always leads to another story. Some part of a tale may trigger a past experience in the mind of the reader or listener. Another item may light the spark of an entirely new variation on the same narrative. Each of us are filled with stories, a reflection of our daily circumstances and the customs and cultures in which we live.
Elements from and references to fairy tales, a rock solid foundation, are found throughout other forms of literature. The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes (Abrams Books for Young Readers, December 26, 2017) written by Ying Chang Compestine with illustrations by David Roberts offers a captivating new look at Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Emperor's New Clothes. Ingenuity can come at any age.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
Elements from and references to fairy tales, a rock solid foundation, are found throughout other forms of literature. The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes (Abrams Books for Young Readers, December 26, 2017) written by Ying Chang Compestine with illustrations by David Roberts offers a captivating new look at Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Emperor's New Clothes. Ingenuity can come at any age.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews