I like this book for two reasons. One reason I like the story is because of the themes in the story. The story is about a hunter who gains a stone we that allows him to talk to animals after rescuing a snake from a bird. However, he could not tell anyone about it. If he did, he would turn to stone. Because of this conflict, he had to sacrifice his life to protect the villagers from a storm meant to kill everyone in its path. In the scene, he tells the truth about the stone, the author wrote, “What should he do? If they would not listen, should he flee and save himself?... He reaches into his pouch and in his palm held out the round luminous stone”. That quote really emphasizes the love that he had for his people. He was willing to get turned to stone in order to save his people. That is what true sacrifice is, being willing to give up your life out of love for others . Another reason I like the book is because the illustrations foreshadow the hunters fate throughout the book. The pictures in the book are all a brownish, stone color, kind of hinting that the hunter will turn to stone. As the storm in the story progresses, the pictures get a darker purple color and as it passes gets lighter. The pictures that have the stone background also tend to emphasize key features of characters’ emotions. One example is when the hunter is surrendering to his fate and shows the villagers the stone. In the picture, he has blue tears streaking down his face. This is a very cool effect because the reader can see his emotion very clearly. ( )

This is an inspiring story of love, loyalty, and sacrifice. The illustrations were a little confusing to me until I got used to the style, and then they became intriguing and really added to the story. On the page where Hai Li Bu makes his difficult decision, there is an illustration that I find particularly poignant in which the hunter's eyes are brimming over with tears. My kids and I enjoyed this book very much. ( )

When a terrible drought grips the land, even skilled hunter Hai Li Bu has difficulty finding game, and the people of his village soon grow gaunt and quarrelsome. Rescuing a small pearly snake - really the daughter of The Dragon King of the Sea - from a crane one day, the hunter is given his choice of a reward. Determined to help his people by becoming a better hunter, Hai Li Bu asks to understand the language of the animals, and his wish is granted, on one condition: he must never reveal this ability, or he will be turned to stone. Everything goes well, until the day he learns of a dangerous flood that could wipe out the village, and cannot convince the people to flee, without explaining the source of his knowledge. Will Hai Li Bu save himself, or the villagers...?

A poignant story of an honorable man confronted with a difficult choice - originally told to the author by a visiting exchange student from China - The Hunter is a striking example of the power of folklore, both to teach and to provoke reflection, in the listener/reader. A meditation on duty and self-sacrifice, it teaches gratitude for the sacrifices others make for us, and also forces us to consider how we would have chosen, were we in Hai Li Bu's place. The pastel and gouache artwork of Ed Young - awarded a Caldecott Medal for Lon Po Po - are delicate and appealing, fitting the tale perfectly. Highly recommended to all folklore lovers! ( )

Dans un petit village chinois vivait Hai Li Bu et c'était un excellent chasseur. Mais un jour, la secheresse sévit...Mai lorsque le chasseur prévient d'une innondation proche, personne ne le croit.

Sueprbes couleurs ocres aux traits noirs fots. Quelques caractères chinois présentés. ( )

The Hunter is a darker folk tale that forces the reader to consider the subjectivity of right and wrong. It is a challenging book that will allow young readers to experience a story that doesn't have a necessarily bad ending. The artwork of Ed Young is murky and minimal, allowing the text to breath a become the focus right alongside the picture. A combination of water colors and ink, the illustrations share the dark mood of parts of the story.