Warlord (Pilegard)

ACCELERATED READER PROGRAM SELECTION "The young artist's apprentice of Warlord's Puzzle (2000) and Warlord's Beads (2001) brings a third ancient invention to the world�compasses�with an adventure story-plus instructions at the end for a simple modern instrument�" -Kirkus Reviews Clever Chuan makes his third appearance, this time as an artist's apprentice for the warlord, in this story about the compass. When some strangers feel they have been cheated in the market, Chuan serves as interpreter in the dispute, and for his trouble, both he and the artist are kidnapped and, together with the strangers, are taken through the desert. When a sandstorm rises up, blocking out the sun they used to know their direction, and the fierce winds blow sand over the road, it seems that all are lost in the desert with little food or water, miles from civilization. Fortunately, Chuan had seen the carved fish the artist made, floating in a bowl of water, so he knew that the fish he carried in his pocket was more than a pretty toy: when placed in a bowl of water, it always pointed south. How could that be? Read the book to learn how Chuan and the artist made a compass and earned their freedom.

Young Chuan lives with his father in the beautiful palace of a powerful Chinese warlord. As a reward for his cleverness in solving the warlord�s puzzle, Father is given the job of tallying the warlord�s treasure--brilliant jewels, rich brocades, and spices from a thousand lands. Life at the palace is luxurious but filled with so many interruptions Father often loses count! The varying totals lead the suspicious warlord to accuse him of stealing, and Father is about to lose hope. Just in time, Chuan discovers a special use for the warlord�s lovely jade beads--a use that will help Father keep an accurate tally, and cause the warlord to pronounce Chuan as clever as his Father. Often used by teachers of the primary grades to illustrate the powerful concept of "base ten," various types of counting frames appeared in China during the Middle Ages. The Warlord�s Beads is a valuable tool for introducing young readers to the wonder of numbers as well as the beauty and mystery of ancient China.