mikaylaslibrary's review against another edition
3.5
This was a very sweet children's book, and one that I would recommend to those who want a children's book that isn't for children.
jerihurd's review against another edition
4.0
I'm catching up on my middle grade reading. This was surprisingly good--reminded me of a Chinese Little House on the Prairie (even had a plague of locusts).
dlberglund's review against another edition
4.0
For a middle grade novel, there was a great deal of pain in this book. The characters are so lovable, but there is pain and suffering in every chapter. Four or five years go by in the story, but our two main children remain innocent, optimistic, and hard working. I am grateful to the PEN program for facilitating more translations of works written in other countries.
sweddy65's review against another edition
3.0
This would have been the perfect book for me when I was a tween.
worldlibraries's review against another edition
5.0
Bronze and Sunflower, is a Chinese middle grade novel written by Cao Wenxuan, a children's book author so revered he won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Children's Literature (often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Children's Literature). The book was expertly translated by the esteemed Helen Wang.
I absolutely LOVED this book. The story takes place in rural China, during the cultural revolution, when city folks were forced to go to the countryside to work in the fields and be 'reeducated.'
Sunflower is the daughter of one of these people. Circumstances cause her to get to know local people, and one family in particular, with a mute son named Bronze. I think Bronze and Sunflower and their adventures will stay with me for life. This is a five-star fabulous read and I was happy to inhabit their world. I think readers who loved Heidi would especially enjoy this book. It is full of love and joy.
I absolutely LOVED this book. The story takes place in rural China, during the cultural revolution, when city folks were forced to go to the countryside to work in the fields and be 'reeducated.'
Sunflower is the daughter of one of these people. Circumstances cause her to get to know local people, and one family in particular, with a mute son named Bronze. I think Bronze and Sunflower and their adventures will stay with me for life. This is a five-star fabulous read and I was happy to inhabit their world. I think readers who loved Heidi would especially enjoy this book. It is full of love and joy.
belathora's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
royaz92's review against another edition
3.0
The depiction of poverty, and characterization of Sunflower, or basically all female characters are extremely and annoyingly unrealistic. The plot, however, comes together beautifully, and the pacing is one of the best I've ever seen.
sharonskinner's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this story, but found the narrative distance made it difficult for me to connect on a deeper level.
kwbat12's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure how I feel about this book - It feels like historical fiction or a classic, and it is written in small vignettes that don't move the plot much. It is emotional, heartfelt, and quite lovely, though the young girl cries so often. It's set in the countryside, with all the problems that could be happening. I'm really not sure who this book could be given to - perhaps a classics reader.