Sagwa, a young cream kitten, lives in the House of the Foolish Magistrate, a greedy man who only makes up rules that help himself.

Schields' decorative, ornate illustrations are a running commentary on the elaborately staged tale, reflecting content and tone with a splashy if somewhat garish vigor.

"[1] and, in a similar vein, the School Library Journal wrote, "With its lengthy, precious text and derivative art, this whimsical look at Imperial China falls far short of the standards set by innovative artists working within the Chinese tradition" and concluded, "Chinese or Siamese, this cat is strictly a commercial product and hardly worth considering.

"[2] Publishers Weekly describes it as a "charming original folktale" and wrote, "Featuring inventive borders and vivid, if occasionally garish hues, Schield's energetic illustrations prove, once again, an atmospheric counterpart to Tan's vivacious narration.

"[3] Amy Tan created an animated television series, Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat, which premiered on PBS Kids on September 3, 2001.