One "professional" reviewer called it a "Flat story that contains little drama or excitement," saying, "The boy's extraordinary accomplishment and sacrifice sounds understated to modern ears. There are references to traditional Chinese beliefs in "spirits," but in general the story illustrates not only courage but also love, respect, adventure, hardship, and perseverance. Will he succeed in his goal? Can Li Lun prove to be a lad of courage? This book won a Newbery Honor Award in 1948.
But Sun Ling also reminds him, "There are other things than fishing." Other boys of the village taunt Li Lun, but with his supplies, including a satchel of food prepared by his mother, he trudges up the mountain to brave the gulls, the rats, the wind, the rain, the sun, and his own loneliness. As punishment, Li Lun must plant the rice and grow seven times as many grains as he was given.įrom the wise man Sun Ling he learns that it will take him four moon changes or 120 days to grow the rice. His father slaps him, calls him a coward, and banishes him to the "Sorrow Mountain" or Lao Shan with seven grains of rice. However, the boy is strangely afraid of sea water and refuses to go.
At age ten, Li Lun is supposed to make his first voyage on the fishing boat with his father. Ten-year-old Li Lun lives in the Village of Three Firs on Blue Shark Island off the coast of China with his fisherman father Teng Lung, his mother Wang Lun, and his three younger brothers and baby sister.
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