Take a Walk with the Wind [Hardcover]

A spirited tale of a small, mythical being who wanders off with the wind – inspired by ancient Chinese poetry and rendered in exquisite silk paintings.

Inspired by a classical Chinese poem by Song Yu, Take a Walk With the Wind dives into the world of the treelings, tiny beings that live in China’s ancient mountain forests. If a primeval forest is left alone and not damaged or disturbed for at least several hundred years, it will spontaneously create one of these tiny, special beings. In this wondrous story of one such creature, Xiong brings a puff of wind to life, sending the treeling’s little tangerine cap dancing through the air. Together, the treeling and the wind venture into a dark cave and visit a quiet lake, but the wind makes mischief wherever they go. Xiong is an ink wash artist, writer, and pioneering Chinese illustrator. With soft brushwork on rustling silk paper, Xiong expresses the joys and surprises of new encounters. Those who love Studio Ghibli, Tolkien’s Hobbits, and mythical worlds that combine nature and fantasy, will discover a new, classic tale in Take a Walk With the Wind. I love the whimsy of Take a Walk with the Wind . . . [which] delights the reader as Wind causes mischief, while also inspiring imagination and appreciation for another culture and its body of literature. The beautiful illustrations and dynamic tale will welcome the reader for countless re-reads. —Victoria DiMassa, Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk

[Xiong Liang] tends to work in the medium of traditional folk art, nursery rhymes, and Buddhist stories, putting a magical twist on them so that they feel new . . . In this story the wind can be a rushing, petulant, surging force . . . The ultimate feel of the book is very much in the vein of Alice in Wonderland and Studio GhibllC'