26 May / The Diary of Ma Yan edited and introduced by Pierre Haski, translated from the French by Lisa Appignanesi, originally translated from Mandarin by He Yanping [in AsianWeek]
A heartbreakingly inspirational book about a young girl in a tiny rural Chinese village who desperately wants an education, and the love and gratitude she feels for her parents – especially her ill mother – for miraculously providing the opportunity to learn. The story of how her diary got into the hands of French journalist Haski is also amazingly touching.
Review: “New and Notable Books,” AsianWeek, May 26, 2005
Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult
Published: 2005