Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing

by Guo Yue and Clare Farrow

Book Overview

A sensitively written, real-life sory about a boy called Litle Leap Forward, growing up in he hutongs of Beijing in the 1960's, at the time of the Cultural Revolution. Little Leap offers children an intimate and immediate account of a child's experiences

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1846861144
• ISBN13: 9781846861147
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Barefoot Books
• Length: 126 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.3" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 8 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 6

Customer Reviews

Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children

A young boy named Little Leap Forward lives in a traditional courtyard in Beijing with his siblings and mother. Protected by the naïveté of youth, he likes nothing more than to fly kites and skim stones along the river with his best friend. It is during one of their jaunts at the river that they capture a tiny yellow bird, and Little Leap decides to keep it as a pet. Over the course of time, though, the little bird will not sing, even with all the special treats it receives, and Little Leap must consider the costs of his denying the bird its freedom. This sweet tale is interwoven with a bleaker story about growing up in the aftermath of China's Great Leap Forward and at the very beginning of the Cultural Revolution. Because food is still scarce, many items are rationed, and family members such as Little Leap must use ration tickets and wait in long queues when they purchase food. The Cultural Revolution ushers in the Red Guards, with consequences that even the innocence of youth cannot hide from Little Leap. This book is recommended most highly for its carefully crafted story and its portrayal of a momentous and chaotic period of China's history from a child's point of view. The accompanying art work, superb in its own right, speaks volumes about the historical backdrop and the main character's roles in his family and community. The book is a true gem.

Helped me Better understand the Cultural Revolution

Since my parents emigrated from China to this country before I was born, the US is my country, but they always want me to know a little about the country of my heritage. Growing up, I found the films about the Cultural Revolution too violent and bloody, and couldn't understand them. This book helped put things into perpsective, resulting in greater understanding of this turbulent time for me.

Excellent, moving.

An excellent introduction into the horrors Mau Zedong wrought through the Cultural Revolution. It put a personal face on communism for my kids, without being too graphic or scary. The combination of the simple prose with the gorgeous, colorful paintings made an impression on all of us. We now are seeking out other age-appropriate books to read on the topic of life under a communist rule.