RED SCARF GIRL

As a zealous follower of Mao, Ji-Li denounces “the four olds” (old ideas, old culture, old customs, old habits) and, at age 12, dreams of a shining future. But her grandfather, dead 30 years, had once owned land, and by the time Ji-Li reaches 14, her innocent eyes have witnessed the public humiliation of her family, the detention of her father, and the death of her hopes in China. In an epilog, she describes “the most frightening lesson of the Cultural Revolution: Without a sound legal system, a small group or even a single person can take control of an entire country.”

“Ji-li’s deeply moving story should be on the shelf of every person’s library. Her 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.”
—Booklist