Skip to Main Content (Press Enter)
A Girl Named Faithful Plum by Richard Bernstein
Add A Girl Named Faithful Plum to bookshelf
Add to Bookshelf

A Girl Named Faithful Plum

Best Seller
A Girl Named Faithful Plum by Richard Bernstein
Paperback $9.99
Sep 11, 2012 | ISBN 9780375871580

Buy from Other Retailers:

See All Formats (1) +
  • $9.99

    Sep 11, 2012 | ISBN 9780375871580 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

    Buy from Other Retailers:

  • Sep 13, 2011 | ISBN 9780375984341 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

    Buy from Other Retailers:

Product Details

Praise

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2011:
“A fascinating and memorable account of a life and times difficult to imagine today.”

Booklist, September 15, 2011:
Leaving her poor, remote village in 1978, 11-year-old Zhongmei Li traveled an arduous three-day journey to audition for the Beijing Dance Academy. At the end of the highly competitive seven-stage competition, despite her rural background and lack of connections, she was one of the few girls selected. At the academy, a rigid dormitory supervisor and hostile teacher make life miserable for the young student, but the resolute Zhongmei survives the eight-year training and becomes a successful dancer. Written by her U.S. husband, this biography follows the steely, determined dancer through many adversities up to her academy graduation. Although the narrative is occasionally overly descriptive, it is packed with cultural information. It explains, for example, how a list of names is organized for posting, as there is no alphabetical order in Chinese. Inspiring for would-be dancers, Zhongmei Li’s gritty success story is also a revealing window into post-Mao China. — Linda Perkins

Looking for More Great Reads?
21 Books You’ve Been Meaning to Read
Back to Top