The Empty Pot
A picture book with story and pictures by Demi
Published by Henry Holt and Company, 1990
Lexile: 630L
30 pages
found: on the shelves
The Empty Pot is the retelling of an ancient Chinese folktale about an emperor who, in his old age, decides to chose his successor based on seeds. He gives special flower seeds to all the children in the kingdom and tells them, “Whoever can show me their best in a year’s time will succeed me to the throne.” Of course every child wanted to be Emperor and every parent wished it for their child, but a boy called Ping was especially sure he would grow the most beautiful flower in all of China. He tended to it carefully for the duration of the year, but nothing grew. He gave it the very best soil and watered it regularly, but when spring came, Ping still had an empty pot. Will Ping have the courage to appear before the Emperor with an empty pot? Will the Emperor reward him for his honesty?
In the end, it is Ping’s courage and honesty that bring him good fortune, not his gardening skills. This story tells readers that it’s not always important to be the best, and more important to remain honest and have the valor to stick by the results. I particularly enjoy this story because it remains the context of ancient China, even in the style of the illustrations resembles the bright and intricate ink drawings of old. For me, the strongest point of the story is that gardening is something that Ping was actually very good at, so he had high expectations for himself. He was embarrassed that his flower did not bloom and was afraid the other kids would laugh at him. Instead of cheating for the sake of his pride, he accepts the reality of the situation and it works out in his favor.
This speaks to those students who are generally very good at what they do but occasionally do not live up to their expectations. Children of all ages will enjoy this story and the accompanying narrative pictures. This story could extend to of a number of discussion and projects. A study of Chinese culture and ancient Chinese art would be most appropriate, especially addressing the role of emperor. Also, a lesson on botany and growth cycles of flowers could be both a science lesson and an art project, particularly discussing flower species native to China and their effects as invasive species here in the United States. The bottom line to be answered by students here is, “Why did was Ping worthy to be the next Emperor?”
