“Demi's telling matches her art in fantastic effects in her new book, a tale suggested by an ancient Chinese legend. Delicate shades of gold and blue contrast with fiery scarlets in surpassingly beautiful and authentic pictures showing strange happenings when a poor beggar boy, Liang, receives a magic paintbrush.” —Publishers Weekly

“Beautiful full-color illustrations portray this ancient Chinese folktale in which Liang's wit helps him thwart a greedy emperor's plan.” —Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies

“The perennially popular story of Ma Liang and his magic paintbrush is here made into an attractive picture book.... Demi's fine line and watercolor drawings are full of elaborate details which will entice readers to look and look again.” —School Library Journal