Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu
by Ying Chang Compestine (Author) Crystal Kung (Illustrator)
A playful, feminist retelling of Rapunzel with a Chinese-cuisine twist.
The story of Rapunzel where she's being locked in a tower by a witch is a good one--but it's not totally the truth. The real story is about a young princess in China named Ra Pu Zel who doesn't want to talk to princes or look proper. What Pu Zel wants is to cook and eat in peace, her long hair neatly braided to keep it out of her food. And when she gets tired of everyone telling her what to do, she locks herself in a tower with her dog Bao. Although princes from everywhere try to convince her to come down, it's not until a young chef arrives with an intriguing food to share that Ra Pu Zel finally has a reason.
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Publishers Weekly
Affectionately told and vibrantly illustrated, this empowering "Rapunzel" retelling, set in long ago China, features a determined princess in charge of her own fate. Ra Pu Zel, who loves to cook, wears her hair in a braid. Scolded constantly by the empress for being in the kitchen and taking big bites, she locks herself in a tower and refuses to come down, appearing at the window only to draw up baskets of food the empress ties to her braid. Though the princess enjoys eating and playing her flute in peace, the delicious smells of her meals and the sound of her music attract the interest of princes, who set out to coax her down, until the scent of a unique tofu dish beckons her. Kung’s richly hued scenes shimmer with golden-hour light and communicate the protagonist’s spunk through facial expressions and gestures that, combined with Compestine’s well-paced story, makes for a tale that dishes up delight.
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
JUV030020 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Asia
JUV050000 - Juvenile Fiction | Cooking & Food
