In 1966 Ji-Li Jiang turned 12. An outstanding student and leader, she had everything - brains, the admiration of her peers, and a bright future in China's Communist Party. But that year Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution, and everything changed. Intelligence suddenly became a crime, and having wealthy ancestors meant persecution - or worse. Over the next few years, Ji-Li and her family were humiliated and scorned, and lied in constant terror of arrest. Finally, with the detention of her father, Ji-Li was faced with the most difficult choice of her life. She could denounce her father and break with her family, or she could refuse to testify and sacrifice her future in her beloved Communist Party.

Reviews

Gr 5-9-Twelve-year-old Ji-li Jiang has a bright future. Then Mao Zedong launches China's Cultural Revolution. This is the true story of a family's courage in one of the most terrifying eras of modern history. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

"Ji-li's deeply moving story should be on the shelf of every person's library. He4r courage in the face of adversity and her steadfast loyalty and love for her family are truly inspirational for young and old alike."-- Nien Chang, author of "A Life and Death in Shanghai""Engrossing...Transcends politics and becomes the story of one little girl trying to survive."-- "ALA Booklist""A page-turner. Excellent."-- "School Library Journal"

Gr 4-9-Red Scarf Girl (HarperCollins, 1997) is the memoir of Ji-Li Jiang, who grew up in China during the Cultural Revolution. Ji-Li Jiang was only 12 when Mao Zedong instituted the Cultural Revolution, and her life was greatly affected. An intelligent child, she quickly learned that her "bad" class status meant more in this new China than her scholastic successes. Her grandfather was a landlord, which caused the Jiang family many hardships. Throughout it all, Ji-Li struggled to remain loyal to both her family and Chairman Mao. She witnessed many of the humiliations experienced by people who had bad class status. Through an epilogue, listeners discover the final outcome for Ji-Li Jiang, her family, and some of the others highlighted in this memoir. Listeners are drawn into this emotional story immediately. Christina Moore's narration carries the story, conveying the emotional tensions that existed in Ji-Li's life. Moore does an excellent job of varying her tone and allowing each character to find his/her own voice, making it easy for listeners to follow the plot and distinguish the characters. This audiobook should fly off the shelf through word of mouth.-Kathryn King, Walnut Hill Branch, Dallas Public Library, TX Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.