| Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution Contributor(s): Jiang, Ji-Li (Author) |
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ISBN: 0060275855 ISBN-13: 9780060275853 Publisher: HarperCollins OUR PRICE: $17.09 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: September 1997 Annotation: I have never doubted what I was told: "Heaven and earth are great, but greater still is the kindness of the Communist Part; father and mother are dear, but dearer still is Chairman Mao." In 1966 Ji-li Jian was 12 years old. And oustanding student and a leader of her class, she had everything: brains, ability, the admiration of her peers-- and a shining future in Chairman Mao's New China. But all that changed with the advent of the Cultural Revolution, when intelligence became a crime and a wealthy family background invited persecution or worse. For the next few years Ji-li and her family were humilated and reviled by their former friends, neighbors and colleagues and lived in constant terror of arrest. At last, with the detention of her father, Ji-li was faced with the most dreadful decision of her life: denounce him, or refuse to testify and sacrifice her future in her beloved Communist Party. Told with simplicity, innocence and grace, this unforgettable memoir gives a child's-eye view of a terrifying time in 20th-century history-- and of one family's indomitable courage under fire. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography - Historical - Juvenile Nonfiction | History - Asia - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography - Political |
| Dewey: B |
| LCCN: 97005089 |
| Lexile Measure: 780 |
| Physical Information: 1.1" H x 5.4" W x 7.6" (0.70 lbs) 304 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1960's - Cultural Region - Asian - Cultural Region - Chinese - Ethnic Orientation - Asian |
| Accelerated Reader Info |
| Quiz #: 17835 Reading Level: 5.0 Interest Level: Upper Grades Point Value: 8.0 |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Publishers Weekly Best Book * ALA Best Book for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children's Book * ALA Booklist Editors' Choice Moving, honest, and deeply personal, Red Scarf Girl is the incredible true story of one girl's courage and determination during one of the most terrifying eras of the twentieth century. It's 1966, and twelve-year-old Ji-li Jiang has everything a girl could want: brains, popularity, and a bright future in Communist China. But it's also the year that China's leader, Mao Ze-dong, launches the Cultural Revolution--and Ji-li's world begins to fall apart. Over the next few years, people who were once her friends and neighbors turn on her and her family, forcing them to live in constant terror of arrest. And when Ji-li's father is finally imprisoned, she faces the most difficult dilemma of her life. Written in an accessible and engaging style, this page-turning autobiography will appeal to readers of all ages, and it includes a detailed glossary and a pronunciation guide. |
Contributor Bio(s): Jiang, Ji-Li: - Ji-li Jiang was born in Shanghai, China, in 1954. She graduated from Shanghai Teachers' College and Shanghai University and was a science teacher before she came to the United States in 1984. After her graduation from the University of Hawaii, Ms. Jiang worked as an operations analyst for a hotel chain in Hawaii, then as budget director for a health-care company in Chicago. In 1992 she started her own company, East West Exchange, to promote cultural exchange between Western countries and China. |