This imaginative tale is partly based on the life and art of Han Gan, an 8th century Tang Dynasty artist. More than that, it is the evocative story of a young boy who loves to draw, and paints a magical horse for a great warrior. When the horse comes to life and carries the warrior through battle, it must face the sorrow and destruction that it causes. Beautifully illustrated using traditional techniques, this book won the German Young Literature Prize in 2005.  (CHN389, $16.95)