School Library Journal Review
Gr 7 Up-Set against the backdrop of World War II and the Communist takeover of her country, Adeline Yen Nah recounts her own story of cruelty and loss (Laurel Leaf, 2001). Because her mother died shortly after her birth, Adeline's four older siblings regard her as unlucky, but all of them are treated with contempt by their young stepmother. The children must live meagerly on a separate floor of the family's palatial Shanghai home. There they are occasionally beaten, but more often ignored, by their father who leaves them at the mercy of his repressive wife. Adeline endures repeated neglect and harsh punishment. Despite parental criticism, she is an excellent student, but when she's elected class president, her parents send her away to a distant school where Communist forces are about to invade. Fortunately, Adeline escapes to Hong Kong, but she is kept away from her favorite aunt. Adeline's hard work pays off when she wins an international writing contest and her father allows her to study in England. Felice Yeh narrates this autobiography with a quiet dignity that perfectly mirrors the self-reproach of an abused child and the indomitable spirit that helps Adeline survive. Cover art includes a childhood photo of the author. Chinese Cinderella will expose listeners to a real-life account of triumph over adversity, a theme that has wide appeal for middle and high school listeners.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |