Bronz și Floarea-Soarelui

by Cao Wenxuan, Ionela Voicu (Translator)

Într-un sătuc din China, Floarea-soarelui este o fetiţă la fel de
luminoasă precum florile ale căror nume îl poartă. Bronz are unsprezece
ani şi nu e un băieţel ca toţi ceilalţi: este mut. Totuşi, când Bronz şi
Floarea-soarelui se întâlnesc pe malul râului, nu au nevoie de cuvinte
pentru a se înţelege. Împreună vor înfrunta sărăcia şi răutăţile
celorlalţi, având parte de multe aventuri, mai mici sau mai mari, mai
vesele sau mai triste, reuşind să rămână uniţi, până în ziua în care...

Un scriitor clasic şi un roman care este un imn închinat naturii şi
forţei sentimentelor.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, China, Fiction, Childrens, Family, Historical

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Cao Wenxuan, author of the acclaimed Bronze and Sunflower, is the recipient of the 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award. He has also won several of China’s important awards for children’s literature. A professor of Chinese literature at Peking University, Cao Wenxuan has seen many of his books become bestsellers in China, and his work has been translated into French, Russian, German, Japanese, and Korean.

Reviews

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

China's Cultural Revolution (1960's-1970's) dramatically changed the lives of many city dwellers. Academics, artists and office workers were among those sent to Cadre Schools (labor camps). A seven year old city girl named Sunflower traveled to the Cadre School with her father, a renowned sculptor famous for his bronze sunflowers. Now living at the Cadre School, he was a team member sent to cut reeds and create crop fields and fish ponds. Nightly, he must attend political meetings. Sunflower was unsupervised and lonely. Across the river, rural villagers were impoverished but the children seemed happy. Sunflower noticed a small boat and decided to go across the river to the village of Damaidi. She soon realized she had no oar or pole and drifted down the river until she was rescued by village boy Bronze and his buffalo.

Everyday now, Bronze would entertain Sunflower from his side of the river, standing on his head and making her laugh. Life can change on a dime and so it was for Sunflower when her father drowned. The aunties at the Cadre School determined that Sunflower needed a family to care for her and traveled across the river to find her one.

Bronze was a mysterious child who lived in his own world. At age five, a reed fire burned in the village. Baba, Mama, grandmother Nainai and Bronze were able to escape with only one animal, a buffalo. Having crossed the river and been forced to stay in freezing wet clothes, Bronze developed a high fever and became mute. Now the village children teased him and teachers at school would not let him attend. His spirits were often lifted by Nainai and his buffalo. When the aunties arrived in Damaini and asked the villagers who was willing to welcome Sunflower into their family, Bronze and his family, the poorest family in Damaidi, volunteered to raise her as Bronze's adoptive sister. Nainai convinced Baba and Mama that each family member could eat less so there would be enough food for Sunflower as well.

Bronze and Sunflower become inseparable. They buoyed each other up as the family went through hard times including an attack of locusts. Utmost in the minds of the family was raising enough money to cover school fees, without which, school was inaccessible. Bronze came up with an idea. He would bring home the finest reeds to be woven into waterproof reed shoes. Over the winter, the family could make one hundred pairs to be sold to raise money for school costs. Then, one child, either Bronze or Sunflower, would be able to attend school.

"Bronze and Sunflower" written by Hans Christian Anderson Prize Recipient Cao Wenxuan is about the effects of poverty, deprivation and hardship and how these challenges are handled by familial love, devotion and understanding. Matriarch Nainai is always at the forefront encouraging and sacrificing for the betterment of the family. The tome translated by Helen Wang will hopefully set the stage for more translated Chinese children's literature by Cao Wenxuan. Children from seven to seventy seven will enjoy "Bronze and Sunflower".

Thank you Candlewick Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Bronze and Sunflower".

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s odd. Parents these days. I meet so many of them that believe that to live in a globalized society it is imperative for their children to learn another language. That’s not the odd part. That’s a great thing. Suddenly you have all these immersion classes (usually just for kids that can afford them, but still) and six-year-olds speaking Mandarin and Spanish and more. No, for me the strange thing is that it stops right there. The kids are taught other languages and maybe some rudimentary facts about the country that originated those languages aaaaaand . . . that’s all folks. Imagine how much more sense it would make if those kids then read books originally published in those other countries. Better yet, what if kids all over the United States were required to read at least one translated and/or imported title from another country every few months or so? I mean, talk about putting yourself in another child's shoes. But for a lot of Americans, translations aren’t any kind of a necessity in their children’s lives. As the author Marc Aronson once told me, even a teacher or a children’s librarian getting a degree could go through a whole graduate program without even once being required to read a translated book (aside from The Little Prince which doesn’t count and The Diary of Anne Frank). Now take the case of the man that is arguably the most famous Chinese author for children in the world. Cao Wenxuan is so well known that in 2016 he won the Hans Christian Andersen Award, given by an international committee in celebration of a life’s work. So how many of his books do we have here in America? Zip. Zero. Zilch. Oh… wait. That’s not exactly true anymore. Bronze and Sunflower has just been released in the States. It’s bold and unfamiliar. Touching and terrifying. Historical but somehow also timeless. It’s one of the best dang novels I’ve read for kids in a long time. Do you truly want your kids to be citizens of the world? Then hand that world to them. Give them this book.

The rural village of Damaidi is not particularly large, but it is a healthy community. Some residents are well off and some are not, but all of them are curious about a far stranger village that exists across the river. That place is called the Cadre School, and it is home to a little girl named Sunflower. Having traveled there with her father, an artist that creates bronze sunflowers, she is left all alone in the world when he dies unexpectedly. Fortunately she has already bonded with Bronze, boy unable to speak, who from a very poor village family. Though his parents and grandmother know they can’t afford the girl, they take her in anyway and she becomes an integral part of the household. By their side she survives floods, famine, and fire. How? She always has Bronze and Bronze always has Sunflower. Siblings forever.

Years ago, when I was in grad school, I read a book called Chinese Cinderella: The True Story of an Unwanted Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah. Not long thereafter I read the Newbery winning book Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata. Now please bear in mind that as a child I studiously avoided any and all books that I deemed too “sad”. This may explain why it took until adulthood for me to read Bridge to Terabithia (though you have to admit that I called that one). Now imagine how it felt to me to read Yen Mah and Kadohata’s books in quick succession. Both books pull that old trick where a character thinks something is going to be wonderful and then it turns out to be terrible. I call this the fuzzy chick rule. If a character is given a fuzzy chick in a book, you better be very careful because odds are that little chickie isn’t going to be long for this world. Now I worried, and with good reason, that Bronze and Sunflower was going to be that kind of book. And to be fair, Wenxuan really does pour it on when he kills off Sunflower’s dad. If you didn’t know, going into the book, that the guy was going to die at some point, you probably had a clue when he started thinking things like, “Now he was desperate to see her. The feeling was intense, as though he might never see her again.” So I was pretty sure that every time someone in the book thought about the future in a happy way, their plans were going to be ruined. And this does happen from time to time, yes indeed, but it’s not so consistent that the reading becomes unpleasant. Wenxuan’s true talent is showing that in the midst of extreme ugliness there is something beautiful in sight.

Which is not to say that the book isn’t sad. Oh, it’s sad all right. And quite frankly I, a 38-year-old woman, am having a devil of a time figuring out whether or not the ending is a happy one or a sad one. I’m inclining towards sad but it’s an ending not dissimilar to the one you’ll find at the end of Lois Lowry’s The Giver. The reader reads into it what they may. A little spoiler alert on the rest of this paragraph if you don’t want to know more about the end. Ready? Okay, so at the end of the book the city Sunflower originally came from desperately wants her back. They believe that leaving her in Damaidi was a terrible error and they want to have her come to town, live with nice “aunties”, and finish her education there. I assumed the village would stand up to defend her, and wasn’t surprised when it happened. But then the city people, rather than force the issue, try diplomacy instead. They have long, reasoned conversations with the adults. As an adult reading this, I myself was swayed by their arguments. I suspect that kids would not be, particularly when you see Bronze’s reaction. So is the ending happy or sad? Maybe it’s just impossible to say.

And who’s the bad guy in this book? Every good book has a bad guy, right? And actually, in this book there’s a character so casually cruel that his first appearance on the page may actually convince more kids to read this book than put it down. The boy’s name is Gayu, and he's best described as a spoiled little Malfoy of a kid. He appears when Sunflower discovers that she’s adrift on a boat in the river, unable to get to shore. Teasing her with the possibility of being rescued, and then denying her, he reduces her to tears and pretty much makes the readership want to throttle him right there and then. I expected him to pop up in a villainous way throughout the book after that, but Gayu surprised me. This wasn’t his last repugnant act, but Wenxuan allows his antagonist the chance to learn and grow until, by the story’s end, he's actually helping our heroes. No, if there’s a true cruel, unrelenting, hostile villain in this piece it is nature itself. Tornadoes and locusts and fire and even hungry ducks conspire to continually thwart our heroes. The overall impression I had by the story’s end was that there was a great, terrible beauty to nature, as with the sunflower fields, that can turn on a dime. Never trust it. Never turn your back on it. Appreciate it, but steel yourself for its sudden change of heart.

May I now say a word or two in praise of translator Helen Wang? As with any translation you’re uncertain how much credit to place on the translator vs. the author. The two are co-mingled, in a way, so that it’s impossible to separate them. But if I had to guess, I’d say that Wang took great pains to replicate the poetry of Wenxuan’s language. His settings are evocative, whether you’re lost in the reeds or drifting on a boat or riding a water buffalo. But what I really love are his characters. There’s such a kindness to the author’s characterizations. People are flawed, absolutely, but there’s usually something you can admire about them. I also loved how ingenuity is the true method of beating back villainous nature. The book often goes into great detail on such topics as weaving shoes out of reeds or cutting a particular kind of grass for a house’s roof. Process, when rendered carefully, can be as fascinating as plot. Together, Wang and Wenxuan achieve that balance.

Reading this book initially, I was surprised to find it was a work of historical fiction. The late Cultural Revolution, to be precise. When I worked at New York Public Library I had a Chinese co-worker who truly disliked the Cultural Revolution. Not because of what it did to her family personally, but because every single time a new children’s book came out on the topic she’d be asked to vet it. She pointed out, rightly, that when it comes to middle grade children’s fiction, the books about China that aren’t outright myths and folktales are always about The Cultural Revolution. I don’t work with her directly anymore, but I hope that when they hand her Bronze and Sunflower (as they are certain to do) she enjoys it as much as she did Little White Duck by Na Liu. That was a book where she was overjoyed to discover moments from her childhood never before seen in an American book for kids. Of course Little White Duck, like Bronze and Sunflower is about a city girl who goes to the country. The difference lies in the fact that Na Liu is terrified by what she finds there, while Sunflower is completely and utterly enthralled and never wants to leave. You can see where Sunflower is coming from too.

I would give 3.5 of my eyeteeth to know how kids react to this book here in the States. I think the storyline lures them in immediately. Honestly, I felt like there were a lot of similarities here to the Birchbark House or Little House books in terms of a family working with and against nature in order to survive. Kids who like those books could find a lot to love in this one. They’ll bond with the characters and then reach that ending that lends itself to a lot of discussion. Ideal for bookclubs, this is one of the finest translations I’ve ever encountered and undeniably the best Chinese middle grade novel I’ve ever read. In a world where every other children’s book begins to resemble its fellows, Bronze and Sunflower stands out from the crowd. The world loves it, after all. Who are we to disagree?

For ages 9-12.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

This is a lovely and moving story of a friendship between two lonely Chinese children, orphaned Sunflower and mute Bronze who were scarred by tragedy.

This novel is set in the Chinese countryside during the Cultural Revolution. It is a sunny plot and an easy flow, including beautifully constructed settings. Additionally their are values like a close-knit family, and a caring community.

To read these adventures is to sample the lifestyle ofChinese countryside. Their daily lives are different from those of American children, but the emotions and relationships are universal.

A great read for all.

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunflower was lonely. Her father was a revered sculptor in the city, but he—like so many others—had been sent to work at the Cadre School and now Sunflower has very little to do all day. To pass the time, she goes down to the river and looks to the other side at the village called Damaidi. In Damaidi, there is life, there is activity, and most of all, there are children. She dreams of what it might be like to go over there and play and explore. Then one day, Sunflower’s dad tragically drowns in the river and she is accepted into the home of Damaidi’s poorest family. There she meets Baba, Mama, grandmother Nainai, and Bronze, their mute son. Suddenly, Sunflower is a daughter, a granddaughter, and a sister and life amongst these poor people was about to make her richer than she could ever imagine.

Translated from Mandarin by Helen Wang, "Bronze and Sunflower" is a masterpiece in storytelling. It tells the story of a family and a village caught up in China’s Cultural Revolution during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Wenxuan doesn’t make this period in history the center of his story, but instead chooses to keep it as a backdrop. He instead focuses on the unique and touching bond between Bronze and Sunflower and the family’s struggle to survive floods, locusts, famine, and dishonor. It’s a tale replete with villains and heroes, sadness and joy, and despair and hope. Wenxuan effortlessly weaves a tale showing us that life isn’t fair, that justice is often elusive, and that those in power—for better or worse—wield a mighty influence. But he also shows us the importance of family, the power of redemption, and the value of integrity. It’s a story absolutely brimming with moral lessons and human values and should be devoured by readers of all ages.

The only fault I had with this book is its ending. It’s vague (I re-read it several times to make sure I didn’t miss any subtle clue or hidden meaning) and puts the burden on the reader to determine what happened. I’m not a fan of this kind of ambiguous ending, but the overall story isn’t dependent upon it and so its vagueness shouldn’t serve as a detraction from an otherwise engaging and captivating tale that was an absolute joy to read and experience.

Without giving away any spoilers, the saddest part of the story—for me—was the eventuality of Bronze and Sunflower growing up…as children tend to do. The head of the village of Damaidi stated as much when he met with Baba and Mama and said, “Time’s moving on.” Simple words that remind us how fleeting and fragile time is and that everything should be cherished and savored for nothing is certain or guaranteed. With the sudden loss of her father, Sunflower understood the unpredictability of life and the value that came with belonging. Despite her poverty, Sunflower considered herself wealthy beyond measure because she was part of a family and that family loved her very much. Actor, author, and activist Michael J. Fox once said, “Family is not an important thing. It's everything." In that respect, Sunflower had everything and perhaps that made her the richest person in all of Damaidi.

[Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

While meant for children, “Bronze and Sunflower” is a beautifully written book about the cultural revolution in China during the 1960s-70s that any age group can enjoy and learn from. The culture becomes alive, helped by the fact that it is translated into English. Everything rings true and authentic. I wish there were more books this good about other cultures. Highly recommended.

This unbiased review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher.

[Erin Entrada Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely. Made me cry. I love Bronze and Sunflower. ❤️

[Japan Connect (Fabienne) · Rating 5 out of 5]

China zur Zeit der Kulturrevolution.
Sonnenblume kommt mit ihrem Vater aufs Land, weil der intellektuelle Papa dort umerzogen werden soll. Sie ist das einige Kind in der Kaderschule und sehr einsam. Die einzigen anderen Kinder kommen aus dem Nachbardorf Gerstenfeld.

Sonnenblume sehnt sich nach nichts mehr als nach Freunden. Da bringt ein Schicksalsschlag sie in eine arme Bauernfamilie in Gerstenfeld.

Der bewegendste Coming-of-Age-Jugendroman, den ich bis jetzt gelesen habe. Diese traurige und zugleich hoffnungsvolle Geschichte spielt vor dem Hintergrund des harten Lebens der chinesischen Landbevölkerung.

Ein Muss für alle Liebhaber:innen chinesischer Literatur und historischer Romane.

Mehr dazu im Lesemonat Februar auf meinem YouTube Kanal „Japan Connect“.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Link zur Video-Rezension:

https://youtu.be/WoI00ifkIVs?si=iMogh...

[maha · Rating 5 out of 5]

reread this again because why not

Goal: Reread this every single year because it makes me cry. Legit. Even just thinking about it can make me cry. No, it's not sad. It's beautiful.

[Short Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We might be poor,” said Nainai, “but we’re not so poor that we can’t feed that little girl. If we all ate a little less, we could manage it. I’ve always wanted a granddaughter!”

I loved Bronze and Sunflowers' grandmother (Nainai). In fact, there wasn't a single character I disliked in the book. The main characters were well developed, had their ups and downs and were so relatable! Sunflower was sweet and innocent in the way only small children can be, and I wasn't annoyed with how nice she was even once. (I usually loathe overly nice characters).
And Bronze! Bronze was utterly adorable.

Ahhhh ♡ what a sweetheart he was! He was the best older brother -almost made me wish I had an older if he was just like him...

The story begins with a little girl called Sunflower. She wasnt originally from the village. In fact, before he passed away and she was adopted by Bronze's family, her father had once been a successful artist, his bronze sunflower statues being the talk of their old city.
Alas, he and several dozen other people from his city were sent away and lived near a rural village called Damaidi (where Bronze and his family lives).

I thought it was refreshing that the author based this novel in the 1960s and 70s, in rural China during the Cultural Revolution. The government was very tense and sent many people to what they called "Cadre Schools" in the country side (which were labour camps). There was no regard to the fact that these people were educated, and were orignally working in universities, schools and even as government officials.

Many had never been to the countryside before, and found living there extremely hard. Like Sunflower’s father, they spent all day doing physical labour and then had to attend political meetings in the evening. It was exhausting.

It wasn't mentioned during the novel, but instead at the very end in the authors historical notes.

Life was lonely for Sunflower, who missed her father when he went to work each morning at dawn and arrived after dusk.

There were no other children on her side of the river and she gazed wistfully at the village on the other side as the kids played and sung songs with each other.

The river soon became Sunflower’s favourite place. She would spend most of the day there, gazing across at Damaidi, which was a large village surrounded by reeds. The cooking smoke, the sound of buffaloes, dogs and happy voices … all of this drew her to the riverbank. Most of all, she was fascinated by the children and their joyful laughter. It seemed such a happy world.

Then one day, she decides it's a good idea to climb into a stray boat tied to a tree, because staring at a village on the other side of a river gets boring after a while!

A seed of an idea began to form in her mind ... the idea took shape: I’m going to get into that boat and go to Damaidi.

So she gets in the boat.
The rope of course snaps, and the boat lurches forwards. Aaand now she's stuck in the middle of the river with no oars or anything to steer the boat with. The boat drifts dowstream...
And that's when she meets the village dickhead, Gayu.

That was when she saw the boy standing on the bank above her. He was eleven or twelve and was laughing madly at her.

He (Gayu) stepped into the river, laid the bamboo pole on the water and gave it a light push so that the end was almost touching the boat. Sunflower leant over and reached for it. Just as she was about to grasp the pole, he laughed and slowly pulled it back. She looked at him, her hands empty, drops of water falling from her fingertips into the river.

He did the same thing over and over, pushing the pole as close as he could, then pulling it away just as she reached for it.
Finally, Gayu gestured that this time he would give her the pole. She believed him. As it came towards her, she leant over as far as she could, but Gayu jerked it back and she almost fell in. He roared with laughter.

That POS...

Anyway, Sunflower is rescued by Bronze, and -

No, I think that's enough. This review is getting way too long, and typing on my phone is so annoying.

So ima wrap it up:

If only all the books this year would be this heartwarming! It's already one of my favourite book of this year (so far). I'm so glad I had the chance to read it!
I think I loved the relationships the most - the sweetest being between Bronze and his adopted little sister Sunflower.

The pair (Bronze and Sunflower) were always together: in the daytime, at night, in the sun, in the rain. When he was covered in mud, so was she. And when the villagers saw them out in the fields, walking about and having fun, something stirred inside them. They felt a warmth course through their bodies, a pure and gentle warmth that melted and softened their hearts.

And despite that Bronze's family had very little, they had their pride and made sure they did the best they could for their children.
I loved that they were always a team, and that Sunflower adapted so quickly, even though her father's death was so sudden and tragic.

Bronze and Sunflower go through all kinds of adventures. Their lives are so simple, and yet so interesting to read about!

The book didn't have many chapters, but the lack of chapters made up for it in it's length; each chapter was long and the book was made up of a series of short stories about Sunflower and her new adopted family over the space of roughly three years. Three years is a ling time for just one book, but the author pulled it off with his eloquent writing, (the writing! Omg, perfect. I wish I could write like him), and heartwarming, gentle moments!

If the author ever writes another book, I'm 100% reading it. 5 stars.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Little Sunflower's father works at a Cadre School across the river from the village of Damaidi. Sunflower's father is too busy working and attending political meetings to play with her. She's very lonely until she discovers a funny boy and his buffalo on the opposite side of the river. Bronze can not speak but he knows just what to do to make Sunflower smile. When Sunflower's father is killed in a freak weather accident, Sunflower is in need of a new home. The city folk ask a village family to take her in, but which one? Will it be the wealthiest family or the poorest? Sunflower makes her own choice-to live with Bronze, Baba, Mama and Nainai (grandmother) in their little house. Bronze's family loves little Sunflower's cheerful, sweet nature and they feel as if she was born into their family. They would do anything to protect her and give her the best life possible, even if it means making sacrifices.

This story starts without any explanation of what a Cadre School is or why Sunflower's father, a sculptor, works there. I had to read the note at the end to discover this story is set during the Cultural Revolution in China (late 1960s to early 1970s). I had some vague idea of what that was about but not enough to fully understand the history behind the story. The Cadre School is left behind once Sunflower is adopted by Bronze's family. I found the story too slow and sad for my personal reading preferences. There are some similarities to American prairie novels and Victorian English novels like A Little Princess. I did get slightly misty eyed towards the end after the famine. Parents be aware that there's a great deal of child abuse in this novel. Parents think nothing of hitting, kicking, and slapping their children as punishment. I found this horrifying and I don't see children liking this story much because of it.

Sunflower and Bronze are too noble and good for me. Sunflower is oh so sweet and lovable and just too good for me. I don't like characters where everyone wants to be their friend because they're too good. I like some conflict. Bronze may be mute but he is able to communicate with everyone perfectly. He's also very noble and self-sacrificing. This may be a cultural Chinese thing. I did love sacrificing Naini and how her love and guidance shaped Sunflower's life. Nanai reminded me of my own Nonnie whose whole life was devoted to taking care of her family. My favorite character though is Buffalo. The poor animal doesn't even have a name! He's very cute and a good friend to the children. Gayu is such a horrible person. He mocks Bronze constantly and picks on Bronze out of spite and jealousy. His father is wealthy but stingy and it makes Gayu feel superior to the other village children yet compared to city children he's just a peasant of no consequence.

This story just was not for me. I don't see my nieces enjoying it either.

[Felix Zilich · Rating 3 out of 5]

На русском языке уже несколько лет издают детские книги писателя Цао Вэньсюаня. Автор - человек в Поднебесной очень известный. Вице-президент столичной писательской ассоциации, профессор Пекинского универа и лауреат премии Андерсена, произведения которого давно переведены на десятки языков. Окей, - подумал я, посмотрев на обложки с волшебными животными, - надо устроить себе ликбез, почитать на ночь сказочки.

Ох, не угадал с лёгким чтивом. Первая же книга Цао «Бронза и подсолнух» оказалась совсем не ванильной. Суровой, жёсткой, про Великий Голод, Культурную революцию и полную безнадёгу. На пике реформ 1960-х вдовец-скульптор оказывается сослан в «кадровую школу» провинции Цзянсу. Лишь дочитав книгу, я узнал из Википедии, что «кадровыми школами» называли трудовые лагеря для ненадёжных элементов. Приговоренный делать бронзовые подсолнухи для украшения городских улиц, скульптор случайно погибает на речке, оставив семилетнюю дочь Куйхуа («Подсолнух») полной сиротой. Девочку берёт на воспитание самое бедное крестьянское семейство из деревушки Дамайди, где она становится младшей сестрёнкой для немого мальчика по имени Цинтун («Бронза»). Дальше начинается пятилетняя история суровых будней. Пожары, нашествие саранчи, голод, бесконечное выживание. Если городские присылают лодку с зерном, то её обязательно где-нибудь выше по реке разграбят. Даже самый светлый эпизод книги - приезд в соседнее село циркачей - заканчивается неприятной дракой с местной школотой. При этом писатель даже не пытается давить на жалость или стращать книжными невзгодами. Простым, в меру поэтичным языком Цао Вэньсюань рассказывает суровую правду собственного детства.

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in rural China during the Cultural Revolution two children, Bronze and Sunflower, isolated and lonely for different reasons, befriend each other. Following the death of Sunflower's father, Bronze's family unofficially adopt Sunflower, (she has no living relatives). The story then follows the two children's friendship, adventures, and experiences living in a very poor but very happy and generous family. Although not without times of grief and real hardship, Bronze and Sunflower's lives are full of so much loveliness, happiness, kindness that this book, this story came as a breath of fresh air. It has a timeless quality about it; although there are references to Cadre schools (a feature of the Cultural Revolution) it felt to me as if it could have been set in almost any time period. It was almost like a folk tale in its focus on simple everyday events and challenges. The ingenuity of Bronze, the determination of his entire family to provide the best they can for Sunflower, and the fierce love between adopted brother and sister are moving and enchanting.

This focus on aspects of every day simple life reminded me at times of the Laura Wilder books in the best possible sense and I think it would make a great read aloud from around 6+, as well as being enjoyed by older independent readers (I shall be giving it to my 10 year old). This quiet and gentle story woven through with thoughtfulness and bright love will stay with me a long time.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bronze and Sunflower," possibly the best children's novel that I have read in years, won the Hans Christian Anderson Award for literature in 2016. To be eligible for this award the winners must have made a lasting contribution to children's literature. Special criteria include "portrayal of universal themes with lasting human values". "Bronze and Sunflower" is so deserving of this award. The characters, story, settings, and writing were all so delicately woven to create this outstanding book. Cao Wenxuan has written many books in Chinese. I can only hope that more of his books will be translated to English so that we, readers of English, can delight in them.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story. Loved noticing the different narrative arc of this book (Chinese story, translated into English). Days later, I am still ruminating over the characters and whether the author created this novel as a beautiful story about an unconventional family or if it is all a metaphor of Chinese people's experience of Communism. As the former, it is readily acceptable to middle school readers. As the latter, to older readers. I suspect this book will haunt me for ages.

[Christie Angleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The language is so gentle and lyrical. I wandered slowly through this starchy text. The translation is absolutely gorgeous. The lush descriptions of animals, nature, and deep emotions reminded me of EB White. Would make for a lovely, slow read aloud.

[Ana Cob · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a wonderful read. It was slow, quiet and soul touching. Just beautiful.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: this is a weeping book. But it's very much worth it. Beautifully written and deeply touching. The two main characters are a pair of best friends living in rural China during the Cultural Revolution, who eventually become siblings when one of them is adopted by the other's family. The story is very episodic, with a very thin through line - almost more like a series of short stories. But it gives a gorgeous picture of a world that most children, especially in the US, know very little about.

It should also be noted that Bronze displays many symptoms of being autistic, though it's never explicitly stated and indeed wouldn't really be a word available to the largely illiterate population of his small town. He has selective mutism, but it's handled marvelously. It's simply his quirk, one of the things that makes him lovable to his sister Sunflower. There's very little fanfare about it, and he is given as vibrant and complex an inner life as any of the characters.

[Terrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very gentle slow moving story that takes place in China around 1960-70. Sunflower and her father move across the river from the city to a cadre school in the country. When the father dies a family must come forward to take care of Sunflower. Bronze and his family, the poorest in the village want Sunflower to be their daughter. How they cope, surviving various difficulties, and the love and sacrifice they have for each other is beautiful and inspiring.
The book is beautifully written and reminds me quite a bit of Pearl S. Buck. It is laid back storytelling, but engrossing.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, moving portrait of the relationship between orphaned Sunflower and mute Bronze, and their constantly struggling close-knit family, the poorest in their rural Chinese village. Translated from Mandarin, originally published in China.

[meganzh4ng · Rating 5 out of 5]

"他挑其中不大不小的，最合他心意的冰凌，然后将三四寸长的一根细细的芦苇管，一头衔在嘴中，一头对着它，用口中的热气，不住地吹着。那热气便像一根柔韧的锥子，在那颗冰凌上慢慢地锥出一个小小的、圆圆的洞来。吹穿一颗冰凌，大约需要六七分钟的时间。
他将吹好洞的冰凌放在另一只小盘子里。冰凌落进盘中时，丁当有声。
葵花和兰子走过来了。葵花问：“哥，你在干什么呢？”
青铜抬起头来，神秘地笑笑。
葵花没有多问，和兰子一起玩耍去了。
青铜坐在草垛下，很有耐心地做着他的事。那些被他从大盘中挑选出来的冰凌，大小、形状，都不可能完全一样，但正是不完全一样，它们堆放在一起时，才更见光芒闪烁。那光芒带了一点儿寒意，但却显得十分宁静而华贵。
青铜吹了一颗又一颗。那些“钻石”，随着太陽的西移，也在改变着光的强度与颜色。到夕陽西下时，它们的光，竟是淡淡的橙色。
青铜觉得他的腮帮子都吹麻了，他用手轻轻地拍打着嘴巴。
在太陽落下去之前，他用妈妈给他的那根红线，将吹了洞的几十颗冰凌，细心地串在了一起，然后将红线系成一个死结。这时，他用根手指将它高高地挑起：一条冰项链，便在夕陽的余辉里出现了！
青铜没有将它放回盘中，而是久久地用手指挑着它，举在空中。
长长的一条冰项链，纹丝不动地停在空中。
它使青铜自己都有点儿吃惊。
青铜没有将它戴在自己的脖子上试一试，只是放在胸前。他觉得自己忽然成了一个女孩，不好意思地笑了。"

[Cristiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thinking I'm gonna give this book 3 stars. But, after reading the epilogue, I decided this book 4 out of 5.
I didn't give it 5 because it's not really my style (it had very long descriptions at the beginning that bored me a bit), but the storyline really won my heart.
I cried with the family when Grandma died (with capital G, she deserves it) , she was such a kind soul and I felt every emotion described here, it's surprising.
The epilogue teaches us that the sadness is as important as the happiness, thing that I think it's good to understand in life.
This book is not only for children ( for anyone wondering :) )

[Uyanga Gavaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Хятад хүүхдүүдийн хамгийн их уншдаг 5 зохиолд багтдаг зохиол гэнэ. Уншаад эхлэнгүүт л шуудхан дотор нь яваад орчихдог ном байдаг даа, яг тийм ном байна лээ.

Гэгээхэн, гунигтай, сэтгэл хөдлөм, уярам... Хятад зохиол болгонд байдаг юмуу гэмээр(урьд уншсан Амьдрахуй гэж зохиолд гарсан) огцом эргэлт, хүнд хүчир, борогхон бөгөөд энгүүн амьдралын хажуугаар байгалийн үзэсгэлэнтэй, нууцлаг, үлгэр домгийн гэмээр дүрслэл, үзэгдэл хосолсон соньхон бүтээл байлаа. Хүүхэд, том хүнгүй уншиж олон сургамж, олон мэдрэмжийг авахаар гайхалтай зохиол байна.

[جُمانة · Rating 5 out of 5]

رواية ممتعة وجميلة ومؤثرة ولطيفة..
حقيقي مشاعر جياشة بعد قراءة الرواية قريبة من مشاعري في قراءة روايات: هايدي، پوليانا.
رواية تحمل قيم بسيطة ولكنها ثريا وعميقة جداً.
عن العائلة وحب العائلة ودفء العائلة، وعن قرية القمح وبساطتها وعن أهل القرية ونهر القرية، عن الطبيعة والحصاد والمحاصيل.
تحدثت عن الكفاح والأمل والهدف من العيش وقوة الروابط وأهمية الأخلاق.
شعرت بأني جزء من عائلة برونز أحببت الجدّة بخصالها القيمة، ورحمت البقرة التي عاشت معهم، واستشعرت بوالدي برونز وكفاحهم لأجل العائلة، وأحببت عباد الشمس وبرونز وقوة علاقتهم الأخوية.
بالمجمل( كما ذكرت) رواية بسيطة برسائل عميقة ومشاعر جيّاشة.

[Fanja Evers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Je m'attendais à un conte plus "merveilleux" (même si tragique, un peu à la façon de La petite fille aux allumettes) mais c'était un conte assez réaliste, terre à terre, qui reste ceci dit joliment raconté. La petite Tournesol sanglotait aussi beaucoup trop facilement à mon goût, et puis bien sûr, beaucoup de bons sentiments dans ce conte, mais on évite tout de même le misérabilisme à outrance avec les notions de dignité et d'honneur. Mon personnage préféré était sans doute le buffle.^^

[Margo Tanenbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful! One of the best children's books I have read in a long time.

[Mary Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I've had the experience of the cadence and flow of a Chinese children's book. I truly feel like I've visited a foreign country. So much weeping! And the ending was so sudden and unexpected!

[Jaina Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

I honestly have no idea how to review Bronze and Sunflower.

I don't know what it is about the book, but I just can't wrap my head around it. I'm actually a little puzzled by the ending, which is still not entirely clear to me even after I've read it a few times. I think that's a translation trouble–in fact, I think a lot of my confusion comes either from translation ambiguousness or cultural differences. Since I know nothing about the Chinese cultural revolution–or indeed about anything in Chinese history, culture, or politics–I have the overwhelming feeling that all sorts of important themes and references are passing right over my head throughout the story.

Because of that, I advise you to take my review with a grain of salt. After all, I'll be the first to admit that I am on very shaky ground here. But anyway, I did enjoy the book. It was very different from my usual fare, rather strange to my American mind (though Chinese readers might find it perfectly normal, I don't know), and very interesting. It felt like a fairytale in many parts, in large part due to its fairly unrealistic characters. Both Bronze and Sunflower seem unrealistically perfect (never squabbling, never selfish, never unpleasant). The levels of sacrifice they're willing to go through for each other makes their relationship very sweet, but also makes both of them ring false to me.

The troubles they face definitely aren't fairytale-like, though. The family is very poor, and they struggle to afford school (eventually deciding to send just Sunflower because, you know, they hadn't thought about the fact that Bronze wouldn't be able to attend school too before they invited her to stay with them). Toward the middle of the story a swarm of locusts comes through and devours everyone's crops, and people begin to starve. Things get really hard, and Wenxuan doesn't pull any punches when he describes what it's like for them.

I may have a few issues with the choices made by the adults throughout the book, but those pale in comparison to the sense of wonder I feel reading a book that was written in an entirely different language from my own, in a world and a culture entirely distinct from mine, and which has given me a peek into the world of Chinese literature. I loved diving into the world of Bronze and Sunflower for a time, as theirs was an engrossing story that provided a fascinating cultural insight for me, but now I'm ready to set it down and return to my usual fare that strikes closer to home. I'l definitely be keeping an eye out for more international novels in the future.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Holly Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this novel set in a rural Chinese village by Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Cao Wenxuan and translated by Helen Wang. Hoping that many more of his titles will now be translated into English!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tale of the Cultural Revolution from a child's perspective. Emphasizes kindness and understanding in the face of hardship. Demonstrates love and commitment to family. Resilience lies in a balance of defiance and acceptance. Beautifully translated.

[Isabelle✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright guys I told my friend to recommend me a Chinese book while we were at the library and she pointed out this one… turns out I had already read the English translation a couple years back, so hopefully I have time soon to read the original Chinese version! 🤞