This is the story of a Chinese family who lives on a junk and never comes to land. The oldest son, Wong Ting, has a secret wish, to walk on the land. One day while he is fishing, he finds a jade bracelet decorated with dragons. This treasure helps him to realize his dream.

This is an older book, but the story is very interesting. I found the account of the family living on the boat fascinating, from the tricks to keep a toddler safe while the family fishes to how they managed through storms and flood.

This is an interesting tale of ancient China, and it could be used in a social studies class to discuss how much has changed and how much has not. The class could use the descriptions of Wong Ting's life on the boat to make a diorama. There are illustrations in the pen-and-ink style that could be used as models for an art class. ( )