Starred Review ALA Booklist

Starred Review When Bronze and Sunflower meet on the banks of the rushing river, they know they are kindred spirits. Sunflower is small and quick, while mute Bronze is patient and calm. When Sunflower's artist father suddenly dies in a tragic river accident, she is taken in by Bronze's poor but hardworking family in the tiny rural village of Damaidi, China. Over several years, readers follow the family as they celebrate the good things in life e circus, Sunflower starting school, a handmade gift d the bad mine, flood, and the loss of their beloved grandmother, Nainai. Translated from Mandarin, the confident, well-paced storytelling uses an episodic format, alternating laughter and tears. The vivid imagery employs all the senses, evoking emotions and creating beautiful moments of reflection about the natural world. Written by a cultural insider, this story provides a window into life as a child in rural China during the early 1970s, near the end of the Cultural Revolution. Virtuous and kind, Bronze and Sunflower's family reflects important cultural values including filial piety, respect for elders, the value of hard work and education, and the importance of saving face. This not-to-be-missed story reminds us to be thankful for family and love, no matter our station in life. Helpful back matter provides additional insight into this specific time in China's history.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Set during China's Cultural Revolution (1960s-70s), this import follows the trials and tribulations of a poor, rural family.Sunflower accompanies her artist father to the countryside, where he undergoes political reform at a labor camp. Left on her own for most of the day, Sunflower longs to play with the village children across the river. When her father tragically drowns, Sunflower is taken in by Bronze's family, the poorest family in Damaidi village. Bronze, who is mute, and Sunflower form an instant bond and become inseparable. In Wang's translation of his leisurely, languid prose, Hans Christian Andersen winner Cao captures both the infinite joys and harsh realities of rural farming life: Sunflower and Bronze picking wild plants or catching fish; the family's struggle to rebuild their house after a storm. Yet despite their adversities, the close-knit family members remain fiercely loyal: Bronze hoists Sunflower on his shoulders and stands for hours so she can watch a circus; Sunflower deliberately fails her exams so the money for her schooling can be used for Nainai's medical expenses. Eventually, the family makes the ultimate sacrifice but does it with the same grace and resolute strength they've demonstrated throughout the story. While seemingly idealized, the story and its protagonists reflect the Confucian values of filial piety and society above self—the very foundation of Chinese culture. Readers of all ages should be prepared to laugh, cry, and sigh with satisfaction. (historical note, author's note) (Historical fiction. 9-14)

Horn Book

In this story set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, seven-year-old Sunflower is taken in by a kind village family after her artist father's untimely death. Nainai (grandma), Baba (father), Mama, and Sunflower's friend Bronze all care for the girl fiercely, but life in 1960s rural China is filled with hardship. The emotional depth and unflinching realism help sustain readers' interest.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Set during China's Cultural Revolution (1960s-70s), this import follows the trials and tribulations of a poor, rural family.Sunflower accompanies her artist father to the countryside, where he undergoes political reform at a labor camp. Left on her own for most of the day, Sunflower longs to play with the village children across the river. When her father tragically drowns, Sunflower is taken in by Bronze's family, the poorest family in Damaidi village. Bronze, who is mute, and Sunflower form an instant bond and become inseparable. In Wang's translation of his leisurely, languid prose, Hans Christian Andersen winner Cao captures both the infinite joys and harsh realities of rural farming life: Sunflower and Bronze picking wild plants or catching fish; the family's struggle to rebuild their house after a storm. Yet despite their adversities, the close-knit family members remain fiercely loyal: Bronze hoists Sunflower on his shoulders and stands for hours so she can watch a circus; Sunflower deliberately fails her exams so the money for her schooling can be used for Nainai's medical expenses. Eventually, the family makes the ultimate sacrifice but does it with the same grace and resolute strength they've demonstrated throughout the story. While seemingly idealized, the story and its protagonists reflect the Confucian values of filial piety and society above self—the very foundation of Chinese culture. Readers of all ages should be prepared to laugh, cry, and sigh with satisfaction. (historical note, author's note) (Historical fiction. 9-14)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Hans Christian Andersen Award-winner Wenxuan-s moving story of a friendship between two lonely Chinese children, orphaned Sunflower and mute Bronze, bears all the elements of a classic: an inviting and solidly constructed setting, a close-knit family, and a kindhearted community (there-s even a pet buffalo). Traversing five years, the book is beautifully translated into lyrical prose that brings to life the riverside village of Damadai (-The glints of sunlight on the water rippled into a golden glow that rose and fell with the river-) and its inhabitants, especially Bronze-s impoverished family, who adopt Sunflower-a stranger from the city-after her father-s drowning. The two children grow inseparable, becoming each other-s protectors as the family and community persevere through the small and large dramas of life in rural China. While the story seems timeless, a closing note explains that it takes place during the Chinese Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and describes the cadre schools that brought people like Sunflower and her father from the city to the remote countryside. Ages 9-12. (Mar.)