Read Time: 1hr 30mins
Author: Laurence Yep
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: In Laurence Yep’s The Magic Paintbrush, 8-year-old Steve, grieving the loss of his parents and living in poverty in San Francisco’s Chinatown, receives a magical paintbrush. He discovers that anything he paints with it comes to life. While Steve and his family use it for adventures, a greedy landlord poses a threat, leading the paintbrush to reveal its own destiny
Points of Interest: Chinatown, Chinese culture, folklore, magic
Who may like this book: Whimsical children who are artistic and have a high imagination.
Dialogic Reading Prompts
- What would be the first think you paint with the magic paintbrush?
- Why didn’t the magic paintbrush bring Steve’s parents to him? What showed up instead, when he painted the radio?
- What did Uncle Fong mean when he said Dragon Back (his hometown) is in his mind and heart? Why wouldn’t he want to go back?
- Why would The Lady on the Moon want company?
- What was bad about Mr. Pang’s painting? Why did the servants treat him that way?
- Does Steve’s Grandpa love him? How does he show it?
- What do you think the rules of the magic paintbrush are? What was it trying to teach Steve?
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