Heavy on action, this picture book biography of the martial arts hero and Hollywood actor/stuntman who had style all his own, traces his life, from his childhood in China to being catapulted into superstardom. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

"Jackie Chan has been making movies and amazing audiences with his original and comedic stunts for decades. But before he was an international star, Jackie grew up in relative poverty in China, studied martial arts at the grueling China Drama Academy, and worked for years trying to find his way in film. Twist, tumble, and train alongside martial arts hero Jackie Chan in this picture book biography and discover how Jackie used his goofball acrobatics to make a name and a style all his own"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

An action-packed picture book biography about Hollywood actor, stuntman, and beloved superstar Jackie Chan! A great read for Chan fans hoping to share their love of Rush Hour, Supercop, and Jackie's original brand of martial arts with their ready-to-tumble tyke.

Pow! Bam! Wow!

Jackie Chan has been making movies and amazing audiences with his original and comedic stunts for decades. 

Pow! Bam! Ow!

But before he was an international star, Jackie grew up in relative poverty in China, studied martial arts at the grueling China Drama Academy, and worked for years trying to find his way in film.

Pow! Bam! How?

Twist, tumble, and train alongside martial arts hero Jackie Chan in this picture book biography from lauded author Kristen Mai Giang and illustrator and Hong Kong native Alina Chau. Discover how Jackie used his goofball acrobatics to make a name and a style all his own. - (Random House, Inc.)

Kristen Mai Giang is a Chinese American author who emigrated from Vietnam and grew up in San Gabriel, California. She is the author of the picture books Ginger and Chrysanthemum, which draws from family stories new and old, and the upcoming Last Flight, which tells of her family's escape from Saigon in 1975. Her picture book biography The Rise (and Falls) of Jackie Chan was inspired by childhood memories, specifically watching Hong Kong movies at Grauman's Chinese Theater. When not writing, Kristen has spent the past two decades creating kid-targeted Emmy Award-winning digital content for Disney, NBC Kids, and Mattel, among others. Find Kristen online at kristenmaigiang.com.

Alina Chau is an award-winning filmmaker and artist whose credits include the Emmy Award-winning Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, numerous bestselling games, and The Nian Monster, which received the 2018 APALA Picture Book Honor. Alina grew up in Hong Kong in an Indonesian-Chinese family during the British colonial era, and her cultural heritage strongly influences her artistic and storytelling voice. Discover more about Alina and her work at alinachau.com. - (Random House, Inc.)

Booklist Reviews

More tribute than biography, this profile of the master of martial arts comedy emphasizes salient character traits, such as defending the weak or being true to oneself, over recitations of specific facts. Still, in tracing the future film star's "poor but happy" early years, his training in martial and dramatic arts at the China Drama Academy, and his progress from "rough-and-tumble" stunt double in Hong Kong cinema to leading man, Giang tells a lively tale that nods to important influences (Buster Keaton, Fred Astaire) and features onomatopoeic interjections (POW! BAM! OW!). Chau adds Chinese characters (translated into English and transliterated into Mandarin and Cantonese in the back matter) to many of her action-oriented scenes, and other than one disturbing incident of a schoolmaster beating the young pupil with a stick, offers a stimulating mix of figures in martial arts poses, elaborate Chinese opera costumes, and exciting stunts. The story goes only to Chan's breakthrough hit, Snake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978), but the back matter contains an afterword and a list of biographies for older readers. Grades 1-3. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

The story of how globally lauded actor, director, and martial artist Jackie Chan made a name for himself. Kung fu requires discipline and focus. Young Jackie, this story reveals, had little of either. Instead, he liked making jokes in class and displayed streaks of disobedience. As a boy, Jackie was enrolled in the China Drama Academy, "where poor, unwanted, or unruly children trained for Chinese opera." The injury-prone curriculum, rigid social hierarchy, and threat of "the sting of Master's stick" made for a grueling experience. Inspired at first by Chinese opera and, as he grew up, by Hong Kong cinema and Hollywood films, Chan worked hard to forge a career in acting and eventually gained international fame. This picture-book biography stays within the scope of Chan's schooling and early career moves. From being a nameless stuntman to initially being typecast by the film industry to ultimately, confidently developing his own style, Chan's action-star trajectory will inspire young readers. Onomatopoeic sound effects will appeal to younger children, while a closing author's note provides welcome context and additional nuance for older readers. Chau's watercolor illustrations are lively and fluid, incorporating cultural details and martial arts motifs that enrich the setting. As the stage and screen begin to take precedence in Chan's life, the artwork incorporates dynamic angles and perspectives, echoing the twists and turns of both his acting stunts and life path. All characters are Chinese or White. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A starter biography of a beloved cinematic figure that underscores the value of hard work and embracing one's individuality. (glossary of Chinese characters, bibliography) (Picture-book biography. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus 2022 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

In this picture book biography of Hong Kong–born martial artist, stuntman, actor, and director Jackie Chan (b. 1954), Giang traces the figure's life, covering his "poor but happy" childhood, a disciplined decade of schooling at the China Drama Academy, and his becoming a stuntman for Bruce Lee and later developing his own style: "Buster Keaton with kung fu flair and a little Fred Astaire." Though the illustrations' resemblance to Chan is questionable, vivid, fine-lined watercolors by Chau offer sweeping, energetic cartoon-style scenes. Chinese calligraphy appears throughout, while plentiful onomatopoeia and staccato sentences successfully evoke the action in this dynamic profile of a living legend. Back matter includes a glossary of Chinese characters and their Cantonese and Mandarin pronunciations. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 2–4—This staid picture book biography chronicles the life of stunt man and movie star Jackie Chan. Young Jackie practiced kung fu each morning with his father, but he was initially not a dedicated student, growing up as the class goofball and resistant to anything requiring discipline. His parents moved to Australia in the hope of building a better life, while Jackie stayed behind at the China Drama Academy to train for the opera, where he was a student for 10 years focusing on acting, fighting, and acrobatics. This period in his life instilled him with perseverance and dedication to his craft. As the opera lost popularity in China, Jackie found work as a martial arts stunt man. The text, covering a lot very quickly, is accompanied by watercolor illustrations in a calm palette of greens and yellows. Any questions readers have about the difficult periods in Jackie's life, such as the separation from his family, are likely to be answered in the more detailed author's note in the back matter, which also includes a thoughtful glossary of Chinese characters with phonetic Mandarin and Cantonese pronunciations. VERDICT This should find a home in many larger biography collections.—Lauren Younger