This is a beautifully written book about Little Leap Forward, a young boy in Beijing in 1966. He tells of his family, his hopes and dreams, and the ways his life is impacted by the arrival of the Red Guards and the Cultural Revolution. The author drew on his own life and experiences to create a real picture for the reader. The many illustrations are like full-page watercolor paintings.
It would be perfect as a substitute for a book in Level 1A Year 2 of Mater Amabilis, when studying Asia for People and Places. I think it's not quite as sad as Water Buffalo Days, which is a little hard to read to the end, even thought it's a wonderful book. You can read about the books listed in the syllabus in this post.
I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop and Amazon are affiliate links. I checked this book out from our library.
