Marguerite W. Davol

SCBWI Golden Kite Awards for picture book text and for Sabuda's illustrations
ABA "Pick of the Lists"
ALA "Notable Book"
Booklist starred review
NCSS/CBC Notable Children's Book
Parents Choice Honor Book
Storytelling World Honor Book

The Paper Dragon tells the story of a humble artist, Mi Fei, who is sent by his villagers to confront a fierce and destructive dragon.
"Then through the mist, with a rumbling roar so loud Mi Fei thought his head would burst, the dragon appeared. 'Hah, who dares to disturb Sui Jen, the source of fire, the heart of the mountain?'
Mi Fei trembled. He turned to run away from the terrifying sight. But the worried faces of the villagers filled his mind and Mi Fei turned back to face the dragon."

The dragon informs Mi Fei that "before I return to my ageless slumber, someone must solve three tasks." If Mi Fei fails, he'll be devoured. For each task, the artist uses his art and the power of love, "the strongest thing in the world..." to find the solution.

Using elements of an old Chinese tale, I created this original folk story to tell on St. Valentine's Day to the children I was teaching. After a long journey through the publishing maze, the story became an extraordinary book. Open it and pull out Robert Sabuda's striking, unusual triple-page illustrations made of cut tissue paper. I think you'll agree that the book deserves its awards.

From Publisher's Weekly: Both artists have come together to celebrate their gifts in this ode to the simplest of all: love.