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Jul 27, 2008

Michelle rated it:

What to say about this...sometimes I have to resist the urge to review every book that I read. Then I think about the fact that I didn't review it, and I think, "Oh, just review it. Say something. Say anything." Not that people are just waiting to read what I and everyone else thought of it, but I feel that I should at least say something about it. After all, people do search for books to read and all the reviews pop up underneath them, so if they are interested enough to click on More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Jan 10, 2011

MissDziura rated it:

I gave Ji-li Jiang's memoir of her life, Red-Scarf Girl:A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution four stars (really liked it) because of the way her story was told. This book is intended for readers in grades 5-9, which is quite a span, but I would say it is most approriate for grades 7-9. Jiang lets readers in on her life, and allows them to experience how she changes from a girl that was proud to be a product of her country to a young woman who comes to question everything she believes. I found More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 01, 2007

Meagan rated it:

Many Americans, myself included, have an opinion about China, Communism, or most likely both. What most of us have neglected to do is explore how valid our opinions are. Ji-Li Jiang's memoir was written for children, and because she is a teacher her book is very accessible for most elementary school-age kids. It's no less interesting or valuable for adults, though, simply because we are not her intended audience. Red Scarf Girl brings us with Ji-Li as she grows up in the height of China's c More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Sep 12, 2008

Natasha rated it:

A revealing tale of how people will gradually allow more and more of their freedoms to be taken away when they are pitted one against another. That was Mao's genius--keep the masses in constant revolt between classes.

Mao was so revered that, as a youth, the author questioned her parents rather than the establishment. Her response to the difficult choice forced upon her (to choose her family or the party) is a powerful lesson. A well written book for her intended audience (youth) More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 15, 2008

bjneary rated it:

Ji-li Jiang writes of a terrible time the history of China and in her life. Everyone was so enamored and "brainwashed" by Mao's greatness that the Chinese began to change the way they thought, dressed, acted and were educated----and if they didn't, they were seen as Four Olds to be humiliated in front of family and friends by teen guards that had become revolutionized to do Mao's good work. Her family went from a success story to being blamed for a grandfather being a landlord which More...

5 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 04, 2008

Jessie rated it:

This book is powerful for me because it happened to a girl my age who was born in China. I wonder if I could have been as strong as she was. Chairman Mao had them all fooled, and I wonder when (not if) it will happen again. I read "The Children's Story, " by James Michner to my class to start this book. It seems real to me and them. Who now would give up his or her summer to work for the country? Who would stay up all day and night to work on a project for shcool? Who would walk More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 16, 2008

Matthew rated it:

This is a great book about the Cultural Revolution.

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 14, 2008

Dianna rated it:

Very informative about what the cultural revolution was about. Showed some things that happened to people and what they suffered. I thought it was interesting how Mao Ze-Dong was able to brain wash an entire nation.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 11, 2008

J rated it:

Very informational. I have such a love and fascination for Chinese history, that I really enjoyed it. I kept thinking, wow, we are so close to this in the US! I hope I've prepared my children to stand up for their heritage!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 27, 2009

Diana rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Feb 22, 2009

Sarah rated it:

In this memoir, Ji-Li Jiang tells the story of two years of her childhood (ages twelve to fourteen) during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Descended from wealthy landowners, Ji-Li and her family are increasingly persecuted by their own friends and neighbors. Ji-Li, who had always been a leader socially and academically, is suddenly denied opportunities at school and humiliated by her peers. Her family's home is ransacked, her father is detained as a political prisoner, her mother is demoted More...

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Feb 03, 2012

Jennifer rated it:

Easily one of the scarier books I have read in my life. Scary because it actually happened, and this is a real person's story. The book is written at an intermediate level, so many kids can read it, but I think adults should read it as well to understand what happened during the Cultural Revolution in China. I had some knowledge, though limited, about the subject before from school, but I had no idea how horrible it was. For some it may have been easy because of their "class status," b More...

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Jan 03, 2012

707elinor added it

I enjoyed this book. It was a memoir about a girl living in China during the cultural revolution. Through the point of view of Ji-Li, who comes from a "black" family, meaning her family had ancestors who had bad jobs which were scorned upon during that time. I thought that the story was told well, with good comparisons and figurative language, but the author, Ji-Li Jiang, repeated them sometimes which made them not as strong. Sometimes, I think that the author used a little too many de More...

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Jul 24, 2011

Elliot rated it:

Under Mao, committing suicide was considered a criminal offense, it was “alienating oneself from the people.” During the Cultural Revolution of the 60s, many considered it. Mao unleashed an anarchic upheaval throughout China to abolish the “Four Olds”: students ridiculing teachers, children testifying against parents, and, taking a cue from Stalin, loyal Party members “exposed” as counterrevolutionaries. Ji Li Jiang’s memoir of her family’s troubles during this time seems typical. Her grandfathe More...

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Feb 24, 2011

Rose - ISB rated it:

One of the best autobiography books I have ever read. It is about Ji-li Jiang's experience during the Cultural Revolution in China that started from the year of 1966. Before the Cultural Revolution, Ji-li's life was as perfect as it can be. Her classmates admired her and she is also a straight A student. Her family is very supportive of her in everything that she does. However, that all changed when Mao Ze-Dong launched the Cultural Revolution which twisted Ji-li's life around. Her and her famil More...

1 comment like

Jan 29, 2011

William rated it:

Ji-li describes her life as a school girl in China during the early days of Mao's cultural revolution. Her descriptions of the repressive and relentless attempts to reorganize society by enforcing political correctness standards are clear, unadorned, and frightening.

What makes the book compelling is her ability to write from the perspective of the child experiencing the indoctrination attempts to reshape society (and human nature.) She does not apologize or offer excuses for her fasc More...

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Jan 26, 2011

711lev rated it:

This book really uncovered what the cultrural revolution was like for the Chinease nation. I had no idea what had happened during that time and how hard it was for certain people living in that time period before reading this book. In the story, the author is from a family that is considered "evil" during that time period. Her family is mistreated and mocked just because her grandfather was a landlord. Her father was even thrown into jail because of this. And the amazing thing is that More...

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Jan 02, 2011

711Siena rated it:

Siena Vaccara
Reading Response
Memoir
By Ji Li Jiang
1/1/2011

The book Red Scarf Girl, is a memoir about a young girl named Ji Li Jiang who is living in China during the cultural revolution. I think that the big Idea of this book is change and how it affects Ji Li Jiang's perspective and life style.

In the beginning of the book, Ji Li Jiang was all for the cultural revolution. She looks up to her leader Chairman Mao. She participates in her mov More...

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Jun 06, 2010

Yi rated it:

I always believe that the country's background can affect the story. The book I read, Red Scarf Girl, is one of the books that shows how the background of the story really affects the main character's thinking and action. The main character is a girl named Ji Li Jiang. She is at the top of her class, and she is Student Council President of her school. Also, she is the most powerful student in the whole school. Her father prevents her from auditioning for the Central Liberation Army Arts Academy. More...

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Jan 22, 2011

Jana rated it:

Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang is undoubtedly one of the best books I've encountered about the Communist Revolution in China.

Set in Ji-li's childhood of China in the early 60's, the book is told through Ji-li's perspective as child. She tells of experiences at school, the tight space her and family have to live in after their wealth was re-possessed, and the struggles she endured as China was settling into communism.

Through Ji-li's naive eyes, we are introduced to fear, ce More...

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Jan 26, 2012

Needleroozer rated it:

This book was well written, and I didn't want to stop reading it until I finished it. I didn't realize it was intended for young adults until my friend looked it up online and found it was suggested for kids in 5th grade and up. Before I had that information, the only clue I had that this book was meant for kids was the extensive glossary in the back. Nothing about the writing made me think an adult wouldn't want to read it.

The book is a true story of China's Cultural Revolution, told More...

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Jun 17, 2010

Claire rated it:

Again, how come I've never heard of this before? Did I fall asleep during history in school? Unlikely since it's one of my favorite subjects and I've spent countless hours in history classes over the years and have not ever heard mention of the Cultural Revolution. Needless to say, I found this book very informative. It was well written and super easy to read. I found myself wondering how the people could have let themselves get so hoodwinked. At the end of the book Ji Li explains that it More...

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Nov 01, 2009

Mary rated it:

Rarely do I describe a biography as a page-turner, but when I started Red Scarf Girl, I couldn't put it down. In 1966, Ji-Li was one of the top students in her 6th grade class, with a loving family, good friends, a dream of going to a top middle school, and having a promising future in China. But that was the year China's Cultural Revolution began, and over the next few years, Ji-Li's hopes, dreams - and her very life were turned upside down. Her family was publicaly humiliated and deserted by f More...

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Feb 14, 2009

PurpleRoyalty83 rated it:

Ji-Li Jiang is a twelve -year-old girl that is living in China during a huge Cultural Revolution.Chairman Mao is the head of the country, and is sort of brainwashing China into thinking that he's a great leader, but he's sort of a dictator.Meanwhile, people are being forced to go on Chairman Mao's side at gunpoint, or being tortured. Fourolds is the main factor in this book. Chairman Mao is wanting to destroy them. Fourolds are old ways and beliefs that people have been using for years, C More...

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Nov 24, 2010

Sherry rated it:

This book is about a girl named Ji-li Jiang, who was living in China. Ji-li was very smart and was liked by almost everyone, but at that year, their leader, Chairman Mao Zedong, launched the Cultural Revolution. That was when Ji-li and her family's life were beginning to fall apart. For the past years, she and her family were laughed at and humiliated by the people they knew. Ji-li and her family have lived in incessant horror. Ji-li's dad gets accused and arrested and then after Ji-li had reali More...

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Mar 05, 2010

Emma rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Nov 28, 2010

Lisa rated it:

A great memoir from a child's p.o.v. on living through the cultural revolution. Everything I know about the Cultural Revolution I learned from books like this. My lame Seymour High School education never even touched on Mao Ze-Dong, China, Asia, or any other culure aside from our young American culture and a small portion of Europe's, and only then when it had anything to do with our own. I am completely self-taught on all (important) things historical that were not quickly and poorly glossed o More...

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Feb 14, 2009

Heidi rated it:

Red Scarf Girl is a memoir of one girl's early adolescence in China during the Cultural Revolution. It is written for a young adult - probably Junior High to low Senior High - American audience. It covers approximately two years of the life of Jiang Ji-li, as the Cultural Revolution more and more affects her Shanghai family directly.

I was glad, reading this, that I knew a bit about the period already. I read Jung Chang's book Wild Swans pretty much back when it first came out (and More...

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Mar 15, 2009

Sara rated it:

I read this as a pre-read to see if it was appropriate for my 8-year-old, who likes history. I came to the conclusion that isn't. It's too sad for him still. There's nothing too graphic: people are beaten up and houses ransacked and that's as bad as they show. But the themes of the book would be tough on him. The girl and their family believe whole-heartedly in communism, but their country believes that they don't, and they are persecuted. I would think it is appropriate for middle school More...

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Mar 14, 2009

Molly rated it:

This is the Definition given for Socialism in this book.
Socialism: An economic system in which government ownership of land, industries, transport, natural resources, and so on, is supposed to help distribute wealth more evenly between the rich and the poor.

I think every american needs to read this book. With the things that are going on in our government right now there needs to be more people who understand what redistributing wealth can mean to this country. The peopl More...

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