Book cover of Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution

Book description

Publishers Weekly Best Book * ALA Best Book for Young Adults * ALA Notable Children's Book * ALA Booklist Editors' Choice

In the tradition of The Diary of Anne Frank and I Am Malala, this is the incredible true story of one girl’s courage and determination during one of the…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Red Scarf Girl as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Jiang provides a vivid depiction of life as young girl growing up in China during Mao Ze-dong’s Cultural Revolution. I was struck by how pervasive the “Revolution” was, even recruiting children to become foot soldiers of sorts to report classmates for wrongthink. Citizens who were lumped into the “wrong” category of having professions or opinions deemed to be “counter-revolutionary” were publicly shamed to confess their supposed sin in struggle sessions that often turned violent. 

I have mentally revisited this book many times for its tragic warning of how political and social revolutions often demonize segments of their population as enemies…

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What Does It Mean to Be American? by Rana DiOrio,

An engaging picture book for children that celebrates what it means to be American!

What does it mean to be American? Does it mean you like apple pie or fireworks? Not exactly. This patriotic picture book is perfect for Memorial Day, Independence Day, Election Day, or any day you want…

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