The Warlord's Puzzle - Hardcover

by Keri Young (Author)

A May/June 2000 BookSense '76 Selection

Accelerated Reader Program Selection

In China, a beautiful ceramic tile lies shattered on the ground, and the artist who dropped it is sentenced to the land's worst punishment. The fierce warlord will execute the artist unless some wise person can put the seven pieces back together. That person will then be invited to live in the castle. Both locals and strangers from far away wait their turns for a chance to solve the warlord's puzzle.

After learning why these people are waiting to enter the castle, a peasant boy convinces his poor but wise father to join the line. This little boy starts them off on the first step to solving the puzzle--entering the contest.

Front Jacket

A BOOK SENSE 76 SELECTION
ACCELERATED READER PROGRAM SELECTION

"This handsome picture book will be useful for encouraging children to play around with geometry."
-Booklist

"The emotions so clearly portrayed on each character's face echo those of the reader, who will finish this book with a broad smile."
-Children's Literature Comprehensive Database

A fierce warlord in China receives a ceramic tile as a gift. But when the tile shatters into seven pieces, he sentences the artist to the land's worst punishment. The artist proposes that a contest be held-whoever is clever enough to put the tile back together will be asked to live in the warlord's palace . . . and the artist's life will be saved.
The line of contestants stretches all the way from the castle to the river. Strangers have come from all over to try their luck at solving the puzzle. All of these people have ruined any chance of fresh fish for a little peasant boy and his father, who are hungry for dinner.
"Most Honorable Father . . . you are a poor man and a peasant, but you are very clever. Why don't you join the line of people and try to solve the warlord's puzzle?"

Together, Virginia Walton Pilegard and illustrator Nicolas Debon have earned great praise for the highly successful Warlord's Series, which includes The Warlord's Puzzle, The Warlord's Beads, The Warlord's Fish, The Warlord's Puppeteers, The Warlord's Kites, The Warlord's Messengers, and The Warlord's Alarm, all published by Pelican.
Virginia Walton Pilegard received a MA in education with a mathematics emphasis. She has worked as an elementary-school teacher and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the California Mathematics Council. She is also the author of The Emperor's Army, published by Pelican.
Nicolas Debon is a freelance illustrator based in France. In addition to the Warlord's Series, he has illustrated several other award-winning books, including two that were nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award, presented by the Canada Council for the Arts. Paintings from The Warlord's Puppeteers were displayed in La Maison des Contes et des Histoires in Paris, France.

Author Biography

Virginia Walton Pilegard wrote The Warlord's Puzzle as part of a teaching unit that uses informal geometry to strengthen students' visual learning abilities. Mrs. Pilegard studied elementary mathematics and completed both a B.A. and M.A. in Education. She then went on to teach elementary grades and in juvenile correction schools.