Chen Jiang Hong

Great Look at Childhood During Turbulent Times

"Mao and Me" is powerful because of its art. From a historical perspective, it is fantastic to see non-propaganda visual depictions of the Cultural Revolution, because so few photographs exist. Chen Jiang Hong's art really stands out. The brush and line work is very pretty and very detailed, although the colors are too uniform.

The book is a memoir, so there is not necessarily a traditional narrative that you see in most children's books. There is no problem to solve and there is no lesson to learn. Chen is very matter-of-fact in both the storytelling and the art. Despite a difficult and turbulent time in history, Chen makes no judgements.

Having read many memoirs about the Cultural Revolution, this book rings true. There are tears and violence, two consistent themes of the Cultural Revolution. Because of that, it may not be the best choice for children to read. Nevertheless, it can serve as a good introduction to this period in Chinese history.… (más)

Son père le lui avait bien dit : « Il ne faut pas sortir en mer quand le ciel est noir. » Mais comme il n’est plus là pour le lui interdire, le petit garçon part pêcher sous les nuages. Soudain, quelque chose se prend dans son filet. Alors qu’il tire, la tempête se déchaîne. Et voilà que sa prise apparaît. Horreur ! C’est un squelette qui se dresse devant lui. Il a beau fuir, pagayer de toutes ses forces, puis s’évanouir, le petit garçon ne se débarrassera pas du squelette avant d’avoir compris ce que celui-ci est venu lui enseigner…… (más)

Wow! This book contains beautiful illustrations! Inspired by Chinese folklore and a bronze vessel depicting that tale, the story begins when hunters kill a trigress's cub and she wrecks havoc in the surrounding villages in retaliation. The king was ready to unleash his army when a woman who could predict the future told him to appease the tigress's fury by giving her his son. He does.The tigress shows the boy what tigers know. The boy returns to the palace to become a prince. I love the theme, seeing through the other guy's eyes.… (más)

This beautiful folktale, set in ancient China, tells the story of Han Gan, the horse he paints so masterfully, and a warrior that takes advantage of Han Gan's artistic skill. The illustrations, also done by the author, are absolutely outstanding. Painted directly onto silk, the images bring the story to life with their vivid colors and wonderful style.

I think this book would give a nice opportunity for students to share their perspectives on what the magic horse should do. By explaining their ideas, the students may touch upon some of the values that the tale seeks to draw out.… (más)