Bronze and Sunflower

A very enjoyable book. A young girl is adopted into a poor family after tragedy strikes her father. A strong bond develops between the young boy of the family and the adopted girl, Sunflower. The young boy, named Bronze, is a mute, and he and Sunflower learn to communicate through a type of sign language. They become very close and they look out for each other even in the worst of times. The book goes on to tell the story of a proud but poor family who love each other. They stick together and think of others feelings and well being more than they do themselves. Its very well told, and you feel for these family members, wanting the best for them. While its fine for kids to read, it does have some sadness that the kids have to go through.

Excellent read aloud for homeschool families. So much to learn! Historical fiction that is appropriate for elementary aged students with assistance.

This is a beautiful book. The beauty of the natural world, familial love, sacrifice for others. This is exactly what I hope for my kids in literature. There's a reason this author has won the most prestigious award in children's literature, the Hans Christian Andersen award. Really lovely.

My book ended almost 25 pages early! The rest of the book was left unpublished. I ordered this book for the Brave Writer read-aloud curriculum, so I am concerned that I am not the only one that has an incomplete book. My book ends on page 362 and the original English published version end on page 386. Check your books!

Book was in perfect condition.

I like it

Bronze and SunflowerBy: Cao WenxuanTranslated from Mandarin by: Helen WangIllustrated by: Meilo SoI received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.This book meanders along at a leisurely pace - evoking an entire culture and world through its well thought out prose. It is one of those books that requires you to slow down and just take a moment. Here's an example:"If people on passing boats scanned the long riverbank, they would spot her tiny figure. They would feel the vastness of the sky and the vastness of the earth, ..."So yeah - you get the point. Do not skim over this book quickly. Consume its contents slowly to fully enjoy each word picture. It's an excellent translation by Ms. Wang.Setting:This book is set in a very specific time in China during the cultural revolution. It's fascinating in that it shows in intimate details how people lived during this period of time.Characters:Sunflower, an orphan, comes to live with Bronze's family. Bronze was involved in a frightening and painful fire and hasn't spoken since then. The two become very close. Their relationship defines the word, "family".Discussion:Sunflower's dad is an established artist from the city who specializes in (you guessed it) sunflowers. During the cultural revolution, intellectuals, etc. were sent to May Seventh Cadre Schools. I didn't know what this was but looked it up. These camps were "re-education" centers designed to reprogram intellectuals with the beliefs of the new government. They sounded very much like labor camps in that the inmates worked very hard physically all day and in the evenings attended classes. This made for a difficult and lonely life for Sunflower. She saw villagers across the river who seemed so full of life. She could not cross the river on her own to join them and could only watch. Ironically, her father dies by drowning and this tragedy is her bridge across the river. She is taken in by the poorest family who have a son, Bronze.The book has a sort of fairy tale feel to it - albeit a Chinese fairy tale - in that each member behaves ideally. The mom (who is widowed) is self sacrificing "for the good of the family. Bronze seems happy to add another member to the family even though it means less resources for him. This means skimpier food rations in a family where all the rations were scare to begin with. He even comes up with a way to raise money to send Sunflower to school while not even considering himself. Sunflower is the ultimate, sweet natured girl in the face of all adversity and challenge. She is adorable in an idealized child sort of way so it's impossible to dislike her. However, people like this only exist in fairytales. This book has the lesson of family over self which I believe is a very important Chinese value.Illustrations:There are some gorgeous little ink drawings at the beginning of each chapter. They are not a prominent part of the book but I just had to mention them because they are inviting and add to the charm of the landscapes described in this book. In other words, spend a few seconds enjoying each.Overall:I loved the lush world created by this author and would welcome more books that let us understand other cultures and their values.Sent from my iPhone

Well-told tales, such as this, of strong friendship and people struggling to meet Life's twists and turns with grace are timeless, borderless, and ageless. It is clear why Wenxuan was given the Hans Christian Anderson Award. This is a classic for all people, not just Chinese. I thoroughly enjoyed this story of how a strong familial love turns poverty in a remote village into a truly pastoral life, despite many challenges and tragedies. Wenxuan writes for children, but this story makes a very nice easy read for an adult without feeling juvenile. (The print is large, so compare this one's length to books with half as many pages.)This book introduced me to some Chinese history that I was not aware of, namely the Cadre School movement of the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s-1970s. But that is only a small part of the backdrop, and everything else about this book is completely relatable to every person on this planet. [Also, did you know about the ancient carvings at the real-life Damaidi area in China? I had never heard of this set, which is apparently very large and possibly contains the oldest on the planet. However, this is clearly not the Damaidi of Bronze and Sunflower's life, because it's at least a thousand miles away from the region of our tale. The children's village is an almost-coastal locale and must be in the rural region somewhere near Shanghai's northern outreaches.]The translation is expertly handled, allowing English readers to be pulled into the life of Damaidi and the characters to be burrowed into your heart. I will comment that there was one incomplete sentence on the second page that made me wonder if my reading would keep being interrupted by irritating grammatical problems, but this was the sole appearance. Definitely do not let that deter you from reading this book if you pick it up and start skimming to see if you'd like to take it home.The ending may be different from what some people might want, but I see it as one that provides several different outcomes that otherwise would not be possible, including further blossoming of a very special, soulful relationship. I hope there are sequels to this book, and I wish that more of Wenxuan's works were translated for us to enjoy

good book

I think it is a very poignant and moving story showing the hardships and resilience of Chinese people in a very difficult period of their history. The story of the bond between Bronze and Sunflower is touchingly spelled out and the countryside setting evocatively described. I found it totally enchanting - and beautifully translated.

An insight into the Cultural Revolution from the point of view of a two young people and the influence on their families.

Really good insight into Chinese recent history and culture. A writer that should be better known in the West.

Quick dispatch; item as described