Reviews (99)

Absolutely captivating and brilliant!
When I first heard about the book, it was because a friend recomended it. She said it was one of the best books she ever read, and after reading it myself I completely agree. It is about a girl growing up in the Chinese Cultural Revolution and facing the challenge of growing up in a family with a bad reputation according to the government. I liked this book because it really made me think about how kids are living. Also, because I like books about people with a realistic life, not a fairytale. I would reccomend it to any of my friends!

Stinks
Don't like it at all. Don't even waste your time reading it. i was forced to read it!!! Two thumbs DOWN :-(!!!

The Depth of Mankind...
This is not the first and probably not the last 'Cultural Revolution Memoir' that I have read.I must admit feeling a bit numb to the stories and account of this tragic point in Chinese history.It has been over a year since that last 'memoir' that I have read, and a friend passed the book on for me to check out.It was time to be reminded of the pain that so many around me have faced in their lives.What is remarkable about Ji Li Jiang's story is not the uniqueness, but rather the commonness of her experience among millions of others.This in no way should negate her or others struggles, yet rather serve to deepen compassion for the many who have experienced destruction at the hands fellow humans.
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Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    2. Biography & Autobiography - Political    3. Children's 12-Up - Biography / Autobiography    4. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    5. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    6. China    7. Cultural Revolution, 1966-1969    8. History    9. History - Asia    10. Jiang, Ji-li    11. Juvenile Nonfiction    12. Juvenile literature    13. People & Places - Asia    14. Personal narratives    15. Human geography / peoples of the world    16. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / Political    17. Politics & government   

Reviews (22)

Great read-aloud!
We loved this book!My kids begged me NOT to finish our read-aloud time!We were glued to this book and ended up reading it a lot quicker than expected.It is graphic and true to life...read to young ones with caution!

Realistic to an extreme.
I am the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and my entire life I have grown up hearing stories of how dreadful it was to be there and how scary it was to be in a foreign land.Quang Huynh gave me a new perspective on this foreign land and made me see it as a very unique place with his relationships with his animals, family, and insight into his culture.This book was terribly sad, and at times it is a bit too real for one to handle.It is very well written and the stories are captivating.I reccomend everyone read it for a rare insight on Vietnam before the war.

The land I lost , written by Huynh Quang Nhuong( Author)
This Adventure story is full of dangerous fun and sorrow. Huynh Quang Nhuong lives in a small hamlet (village)in the central high lands of vietnam. The hamlet he lives in has a jungle on one side in which they must watch for jungle cats, lone hogs and the most dangerous the horse snake. And on the other is a river which Crocodiles live in. Many of the crocodiles are man eaters like mister short. In the begin of the story you meet Tank the Water bufflo. Tank isn't your regular water bufflo. He is bred between a lowland female because it would be patient and A moutainous bull so it would have the fierce fighting able. Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Central Highlands (Vietnam)    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. Huynh, Quang Nhuong    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. People & Places - Asia    9. Readers - Beginner    10. Social life and customs    11. Animal stories    12. History    13. Juvenile Nonfiction / People & Places / Asia    14. South East Asia    15. Vietnam   

Editorial Review

As a child in 1950s Czechoslovakia, Caldecott Honor-winning artist Peter Sís would listen to mysterious tales of Tibet, "the roof of the world." The narrator, oddly enough, was his father--a documentary filmmaker who had been separated from his crew, caught in a blizzard, and (according to him, anyway) nursed back to health by gentle Yetis. Young Sís learned of a beautiful land of miracles and monks beset by a hostile China; of the 14th Dalai Lama, a "Boy-God-King"; and of "a magic palace with a thousand rooms--a room for every emotion and heart's desire." Hearing these accounts--some extravagant but all moving--helped the boy recover from an accident. The stories also allowed Sís's father to relate an odyssey other adults didn't seem to want to know about in cold war Czechoslovakia. "He told me, over and over again, his magical stories of Tibet, for that is where he had been. And I believed everything he said," Sís recalls. Still, after some time he too seemed to become immune, and the stories "faded to a hazy dream." With Read more

Reviews (14)

(A) Free Tibet
I once had the great good fortune of seeing Peter Sis speak before a large audience of New York City Public Librarians.Charming, blessed with an uncommon eloquence, and funny as well Sis spoke of his work over the last few decades.From this speech I learned that Sis designed the poster for the movie of "Amadeus", that he was originally from Prague, and that one of his best works was something called, "Tibet: Through the Red Box".I was intrigued, but months passed and I filed away "Tibet" into my To-Be-Read pile of picture books.It was only with my steady reading of every single Caldecott Honor (of which "Tibet" won one in 1999) that I at last came to the book itself.I expected a title that was some sort of early-reader-this-is-what-Tibet-is kind of a thing.I had apparently forgotten that this was the man who brought us that remarkable Charles Darwin biography, "Tree of Life"."Tibet: Through the Red Box" is no mere picture book.It's a personal history and unreliable memory combined into the ultimate tribute to the author's father.
Beautiful Book
I first encountered this book in my elementary school library and have since looked it up again. At the time it struck me as magical and wonderfully illustrated, and now (years later) I can appreciate its historical signifigance as well as its obvious visual appeal

A book for my children and my children's children
My children are mostly grown; and today, when we remember growing up "together", we sometimes talk about books that they (we) loved when they were young. This is one such book, published just in time to share with my youngest, who was ten at the time.The story is mysterious and complex and involves simple spiritual discoveries made by the artist's father when he was lost in Tibet. The rich, delicate artwork and thoughtful reflections are layered and you can return to the book over and over and find new ideas, beautiful images, magical details . This book will feed the spirit of a thoughtful child and remain with them as they grow. My daughter and I treasure this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography/Autobiography    2. Children's 9-12 - History - General    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    4. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    5. Description    6. Description And Travel    7. General    8. History - Asia    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. Tibet (China)    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / Family / Multigenerational   

Reviews (2)

What life was like for the people of Ancient Mesopotamia
"Ancient Mesopotamia: The Sumerians, Babylonian, and Assyrians" would be considered the first volume in the People of the Ancient World series since it deals with the three ancient civilizations that thrived in the Fertile Crescent.These are usually the first civilizations you learn about when you study World History, as this part of the globe is known as the Cradle of Civilization.The goal of the books in this series is to portray what life was like for the different parts of its society, so rather than organizing the book by cultures, Virginia Schomp looks at the various social strata of these societies.She starts at the top with the warrior-kings, nobles, government officials, and priests, then looks at the merchants and traders, artisans and artists, before moving down to the peasant farmers, soldiers and slaves.Attention is also paid to the doctors and scientists, scribes and poets, who represented the cutting edge of these civilizations.
Solid information, good illustrations
This book is good for anyone seeking an overview of ancient Mesopotamia.There are plenty of color photographs of artifacts, as well as substantial information that seems to be well-researched.Chapters focus on the daily life of people in different occupations (e.g., Merchants and Traders, Peasant Farmers, Doctors and Scientists).The glossary, biographical dictionary, and timeline (covering the period c. 9000 BC to 539 BC) add to the value of this resource.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. Civilization    4. General    5. History - Ancient    6. History - Asia    7. Iraq    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. To 634   

Subjects:  1. Asia    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. History    6. History - Asia    7. History - Exploration & Discovery    8. History - Medieval    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. People & Places - Asia    12. Pictorial works    13. Silk Road    14. Trade routes    15. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Asia   

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. History    3. In art    4. Israel    5. Middle Eastern    6. Religion    7. Techniques - Painting - Specific Subjects    8. Techniques - Watercolor Painting    9. Sale Books   

Editorial Review

Born in 1962 in southern China, Da Chen had monumental hurdles toovercome before he could even walk or talk. Mao Tse-tung's Cultural Revolutionwas in full swing, and the descendents of landlords, who were despised, wereroutinely stripped of their wealth, beaten, humiliated, and sent off to laborcamps. Da Chen, the grandson of a landlord, lives several parallel lives: heexcels in school but then gives up studying in the face of unbearable pressureand harassment from teachers, students, and administrators. He is a self-taughtmusician but also a member of a gang of toughs. His siblings, banned fromschool, work from before sunrise to sunset in the muddy, backbreaking ricefields. But eventually all the dichotomies in Da's life come together, and hemakes a break for a new life, with higher education as his foundation for futuresuccess.Read more

Reviews (5)

under an unlucky star.
I like learning about China and what happened back in the days. I just can't figure out why anyone would want to write an autobiography shamelessly asking for sympathy. Oh, I was the son of a rich family, and therefore I suffered. Woe was I.
An inspirational, insightful autobiography
China's Sons is the intensely personal account of Da Chen, born in China in 1962, is reviewed here for its importance to many an adult reader as well. Chen and his family were outcasts in Communist China, and Da had to drop out of school as a result. When Mao died, Da faced a long struggle to regain his education and go to college � and his entire family helped him succeed. China's Son is an inspirational, insightful autobiography.

Interesting child account of the Cultural Revolution
As an adult interested in China and the Cultural Revolution and having traveled many times to China, I read this book not really expecting to glean much from it. It was well written though and appropriately rated. I found Da Chen a character I could relate with (even as an adult) and discovered his account to be full of emotion: frightened, bitter, angry, excited, happy etc.. I think most of the "facts" were presented in truth. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1962-    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography - General    4. Biography & Autobiography - Historical    5. Chen, Da,    6. Children's Books/Young Adult Biography    7. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    8. China    9. Cultural Revolution, 1966-1976    10. History    11. History - Asia    12. Juvenile Nonfiction    13. Juvenile literature    14. People & Places - Asia    15. Personal narratives    16. Juvenile Nonfiction / Biography & Autobiography / General   

Reviews (2)

Refugee story.
I am excited to read this to my Vietnamese students and my other refugee students.I hope that they can form a common bond.Many of my Vietnamese students have entered the United States in less dangerous times as immigrants.Parents and relatives experienced the terror of Communist Vietnam and of the war.Several of my other students experienced terrible times in their countries.We can use the book as a discussion tool.

leaving vietnam
this book remind me of how i left my country.it is a sad book and remind me of many things.how i got here in the usa nad y i am here today. i am here beacuse of the freedom usa have and the places like the grand canyon and entertanment places. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1975-    2. Adventure & Adventurers    3. Children's 4-8 - Sociology    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    5. Children: Grades 3-4    6. History    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Political refugees    10. Readers - Beginner    11. Refugees    12. Vietnam    13. Vietnamese refugees    14. Historical figures    15. Juvenile Fiction / People & Places / Asia    16. Ngo, Tuan   

Reviews (11)

Beautiful
This is such a beautiful story of life.I have read this book to lots of children and it always makes them stop to think of the many possibilities there could be after our death.Many kids already have been taught at home through their religious teachings and I fully respect that as I read the story.The story just gives a different perspective on life.The pictures are beautiful and the words are easy and kind.Enjoy!This is just a great book.

Very touching
I was very glad to find a book that explores death and reincartation for children.My daughter is too young (2) to understand it yet, but the illustrations are fantastic, and I hope to use it in the future as a learning tool for her.I want her to know there are infinite possibilities after our time on this earth has passed.

Worth looking into
If you have lost someone and you are more Buddist in beliefs, this is a wonderful comforting book. For those who believe in " Go directly to Heaven, do not do a do-over." need not apply.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Reincarnation    6. Tibet (China)    7. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Asia    8. Tibet    9. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (5)

ANCIENT CHINA 1620 B.C.-1912 A.D.
this an interesting book i read DK books are the best non-fiction books.the book talked about all the emperors,first Ancient China
This book report is about the world's oldest continuous civilization called China.From 221 B.C to A.D 1912 in China was combined under a great and powerful empire called the Qin Empire.Ancient China was remained untouched because it was apart by the huge a scorching deserts, mountain ranges, and the ocean.It was cut off from other cultures such as India, West Asia, and Europe.China's social structure was a main role in maintaining its national stability.What also helped China together was a great philosopher named Confucius who encouraged people to lead an ordered family way of life.Once in a while the Chinese empire experienced short periods of unrest and disunity and attacks from foreigners.During those times they changed the governments and they built many innovations and technological advances such as gunpowder, paper, printing, and industrial machinery.The Chinese people still used the same customs and traditions and stayed remarkably to today.
Fascinating!
Ancient China was the best book dealing with China that I have so far read. It was intriguing how I learned, saw, and discovered many things in only about 65 pages. The beautiful photography gave the words life. This book proves excellence truly exists and gives the word perfection an even greater new meaning. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. China    5. Civilization    6. History - Ancient    7. History - Asia    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Reference - General    11. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Asia   

Reviews (5)

One Thousand Paper Cranes... inspirational!
Are you the type or reader who enjoys reading about real people who fight through tough situations? Well, then this book is for you to read. This wonderful book was about a girl named Sadako who got radiation from the atomic bomb in World War II when she was only two years old. Sadako really loved school and was on a Bamboo Relay Team at her school. She had a race and when she was running, she started to get dizzy. She went to the hospital and turns out, she got the Atomic Bomb Disease. Sadako was really scared to die at a young age of 12 years old. Her friend came to visit her in the hospital, and she told Sadako that if you fold 1000 paper cranes, you get a wish from the gods. That made Sadako determined to fold 1000 paper cranes.
One Thousand Paper Cranes : The Story of Sadako and the Children's Peace Statue
The theme of the book is that war kills innocent people and dropping an atomic bomb is unconscionable act that must never be repeated.The author actually went to Japan and stayed with Sadako's family in order research this book.It is well written.This book supplements the Eleanor Coerr version of the story.It gives additional information about what Sadako's leukemia was like for her and her family.

Memorable and heartbreaking...
...this is the kind of book that continues to haunt you long after you put it down.I read this book in elementary school and then stumbled across it as an adult - even re-reading it as an adult, I was shocked by the descriptions of the damage done by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Read more

Subjects:  1. Atomic bomb    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. History - Asia    5. History - Military & Wars    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Leukemia    9. Leukemia in children    10. People & Places - Asia    11. Physiological effect    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / People & Places / Asia   

Reviews (1)

Heavy but Worth it!
These DK white books are uncommonly heavy.They don't have as much detailed information as the Blue Guides or Rough Guides, but are good for brief visits or first timers.Where they excell is their outstanding illustrations and diagrams, often cutaways. The maps are good, but the labeling system makes it difficult to locate things easily.Lots of full page color photos give a preview of the trip.It's a daunting task to try to cover India in a single guide, but this book almost does it. It's well organized, color coded by region.The picture of Palitana in the Gujarat section became the foundation for that section of our 2003 trip to India [ cascoly.com/trav/india.asp ], and the diversion provided one of the highlights of the entire 6 week trip.Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - History - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Civilization    5. History    6. History - Asia    7. History - Middle East    8. India    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. People & Places - Asia    12. People & Places - Middle East    13. Social life and customs    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Asia   

Subjects:  1. Asia    2. Children's 9-12    3. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 People & Places    4. Children: Grades 4-6    5. History - Asia    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. People & Places - Asia    9. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

Great info, great illustrations, a little textbook-y
This is a social history of life in ancient India targeted at late elementary schoolers.
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Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Civilization    4. History - Ancient    5. History - Asia    6. Indus River Valley    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. People & Places - Asia    10. People & Places - Middle East    11. Social Science - Customs, Traditions, Anthropology    12. ASIA    13. World history: BCE to c 500 CE   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. China    5. Civilization    6. General    7. History - Asia    8. Juvenile Multicultural Studies    9. Juvenile Nonfiction    10. Juvenile literature    11. People & Places - Asia   

Reviews (2)

Fascinating, thorough!
We lived in Japan and I homeschooled when I first read this book.Much more interesting way to learn about the opening of Japan than through a text.Another excellent book that is a great companion to this one is"Born in the Year of Courage."

Its a very good and stuning book...!!!!!
Its a very good book!!!It has alot of detail on the Japanes life in the very old days of the world.Its the best you can get!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (1852-1854)    2. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 3-4    4. Foreign relations    5. History - Asia    6. History - United States/19th Century    7. Japan    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Social Science - Politics & Government    11. United States    12. United States Naval Expedition    13. United States Naval Expedition to Japan    14. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Asia   

Reviews (1)

A multicultural winner!
This book delivers a keen insight to the impact of micro-lending as a positive force for change. The story tells how a young woman and four of her friends, with seed money borrowed from an innovative bank in Bangladesh, change their lives by starting their own businesses. It works on many levels including multiculturalism, women's rights, capitalism and entrepreneurship. Based on the real success of the Grameen Bank, this is the kind of story that all western children need to understand in an ever growing global village. This book has recently been listed as one of the Best Children's Books of the Year from Bank Street College and also received a 2003 Skipping Stones Honor Award in the Multicultural and International Books category. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bangladesh    2. Business & Economics    3. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General    4. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Fiction    5. Children: Grades 2-3    6. Employment    7. Entrepreneurship    8. Fiction    9. General    10. Girls & Women    11. History - Asia    12. Juvenile Nonfiction    13. Women    14. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

a great hands-on cultural geography book
This is a great book for teaching units on India to gradeschool age kids.The format is simple and interesting. It applies itself well to kids and offers hand-on projects to make the country more real to children.Mydaughter and I thoroughly enjoyed it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Kindergarten    3. History    4. History - Asia    5. India    6. Juvenile Nonfiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. People & Places - General   

Reviews (2)

Great Story Time Reading
I read sections from Made in China to my kids as a bedtime story - they like to listen to this as much as fictional stories.Great illustrations too.

A gift to the World!
A fantastic book that shows the contributions which the Chinese over centuries have given to the world. Highly recommended! Its illustrations are culturally relevant and sensitive! Rennie Mau President, MPEC Multicultural Publishing and Education Council ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. China    4. Engineering    5. History    6. History - Asia    7. Juvenile Nonfiction    8. Juvenile literature    9. Science    10. Science & Nature - Experiments & Projects    11. Science & Nature - General    12. Technology   

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    3. China    4. Civilization    5. General    6. History - Ancient    7. History - Asia    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature