Miao Shan isn’t your typical princess. She likes to spend her time quietly meditating with the creatures of the forest or having adventures with dragons and tigers. Miao Shan’s heart is so full of love that her dream is to spread happiness throughout the land and help people endlessly. But her father has other plans for her—he intends to have her married and remain in the palace. With the help of her little sister Ling, Miao Shan escapes and begins her journey to discover the true meaning of compassion.

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Reviews

“Children will be fascinated by this gorgeously crafted picture book, which has the familiar elements of a fairy tale but may expose some readers to a narrative and culture that might not be familiar to them.”—Booklist (starred review)

“With intricate illustrations reminiscent of Chinese paper cuts, the origin story of a beloved Buddhist saint is reimagined for a new audience.”—Foreword Reviews

“Maya van der Meer has created a world in a book. And it is a world I’ve been waiting for—where the hero is a young woman who uses a different kind of power than the kind every other superhero brandishes. She’s strong and courageous, and she does what she needs to do. But there’s no treachery, no violence, no battles. Instead there is steadfastness, compassion, and love. The book reads like an adventure story, all wrapped up in the beautiful illustrations of Wen Hsu.” —Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder of Omega Institute and author of Broken Open

“I only wish that I had this book when my children were young so they could have been introduced to Princess Miao Shan earlier in their lives!” —Sharon A. Suh, professor of Buddhism, Seattle University

“A stunning story, beautifully illustrated, with a timeless message for both children and adults!” —Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, author of The Logic of Faith