Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah

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Publication date: 1999; 2010 (this edition)
Publisher: Ember
Pages: 203
My rating: 3 stars
Ages: 12+

Blamed with her mother's death, Adeline Yen was treated as the lowest of the low in her family. Left at boarding school and forgotten, she was able to flee to Hong Kong just ahead of the communists. Trying to prove herself to her family and schoolmates, Adeline works hard to get good grades and earn a place in the world and her family.

This gives an interesting look at pre-communist China from the view of a child. There was also a lot about the Chinese written language and how it work (which was really fascinating).

It was a little juvenile, but that just made it easy to understand and more approachable for the audience that I believe Mah was writing for. The children who are ignored or blamed for things they had no choice in.

It was sad, but optimistic. Mah didn't seem to let the situations of her childhood negatively affect her. Instead, she worked hard and remained optimistic. This is probably because she had at least one adult who believed in her.

No language or sex.

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