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Thomas Applegate gets more than he
could have thought possible at the local junk store when its owner, Mr.
Armitage, gives him a bag of marbles. Inside the biggest of the marbles
is Wing Ling, a nine inch, one-thousand-year-old magician, who pops out
when the marble is broken. Wing Ling happens to be the third magician
to his Imperial Majesty the Emperor Ming Ling of the Sun dynasty, but
was banished from the kingdom after a jealous magician, Chung Fong,
accused him of trying to kill the Emperor. Now that Wing Ling has been
freed, he offers Thomas any wish he wants. Thomas wishes to return to
China with Wing Ling to clear his name. With the help of Princess Ling
Ling, and the magic stone of Pan Doo, Thomas tries to prevent the evil
Hi Pong and Chung Fong from taking over the Dynasty, but Pong kills the
Emperor and gets control of the stone…or so he thinks. Suddenly trapped
inside the stone, the evil Pong is no longer a threat to the Empire.
The only problem left now is how to get Thomas home again.
A well-crafted tale about a kind-hearted young boy who finds himself
transported back in time to China as it was one thousand years ago.
Written for ages 7-12, the story will take young readers on a grand
adventure while also giving them a sneak peek into the elaborate
ceremonies and rituals of China. Hall's writing is easy to follow and
the captivating plot is sure to keep a young reader's attention.
Humphrey's illustrations add a level of charm to this delightful tale
about the importance of maintaining one's integrity even in the most
tumultuous of circumstances.