MUD PAW

Porcelain culture is the lifeblood of Jingdezhen, a city in northeast China. The alleyways are specially curved for the movements of porcelain-bearing carts, and folk tales about this craft abound. In fact, Mud Paw, the son of a kiln operator, has even earned his nickname on account of youthful days spent playing in mud — mud which will later be refined into ornate pots, vases, and cups. But as Mud Paw grows up, the world around him is changing. Old kilns are being shuttered, new techniques are emerging, and the ways of his hometown are adapting to the pressures of modernity. This delicate story by Xuejun Peng explores growing up in today's world amid the push and pull of tradition and progress. The themes are uniquely universal while being unmistakably rooted in Chinese soil. Mud Paw is a page-turner for kids and adults alike.