Chinese / People's Republic of China
Yi ke zi dan de fei xing
(The flight of a bullet)
Bai, Bing
(text)
Liu, Zhenjun
(illus.)
Beijing: Zhong guo shao nian er tong xin wen chu ban zong she (China Children’s Press & Publication Group), 2018. – 39 p.
(Series: Zhong shao yang guang tu shu guan)
ISBN 978-7-5148-2617-3
Peace | Picture book | War | Life | Bullet
Reading age: 6+
White Ravens issue: 2018
The story is told through the perspective of a bullet. Lying quietly in the dark barrel, its only dream is to fly through the air. However, when the trigger is pulled and it finally begins its flight, the only desire it holds after the momentary excitement is to stop. With great reluctance and horror, it hits through the candy floss held in a child’s hand, the colourful balloons tied onto a baby carriage, a kite flying in the sky ... Before penetrating the body of a mother, however, it manages to change course using a gust of wind, shooting through a tree instead. With explicitly allegorical language, this book encourages reflection on war and peace. Being a prominent publisher, Bai Bing is also an active writer of literature for young children. His picture books include “Ba ba, bie pa” (Don’t be afraid, Dad), “Yu san shu” (The umbrella tree) and “Da ge zi shu shu de ye shou dao” (The beast island of Big Uncle). Liu Zhenjun is the illustrator of a number of well-known children’s books including Cao Wenxuan’s “Dingding & Dangdang” series.