cover image The Greatest Power

The Greatest Power

Demi. Margaret K. McElderry Books, $19.95 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-689-84503-1

In a fable similar to her The Empty Pot, Demi uses an emperor's riddle to demonstrate The Greatest Power. The boy emperor Ping asks the children of the empire to discover the world's greatest power as a test of their abilities. While many choose weapons, beauty or money, one girl takes a different path and proves that life itself is the greatest power. The gold gilt illustrations, set in large circles on each page, provide an elegant balance to the tranquil text and wise conclusion.