Spring Pearl: The Last Flower (Girls of Many Lands-CHINA) - Softcover

Yep, Laurence

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1584855193 ISBN 13: 9781584855194

Publisher: Pleasant Company Publications, 2002

Synopsis

As China's Second Opium War against the British and French rages on in Canton, orphaned Chou Spring Pearl is sent to live with the family of wealthy Master Sung, but when Master Sung is arrested for protesting the government's heavy taxes, it is the learned Spring Pearl that may be his only hope for freedom. Simultaneous.

About this title

From Publishers Weekly

Part of the Girls of Many Lands series, this colorful novel introduces the spirited 12-year-old Chou Spring Pearl against the backdrop of Canton, China, during the Opium War of 1857. The recently orphaned girl has been liberally raised by her artist parents she can read and write and speak English but now she's a charity case, taken in by Master Sung, a wealthy friend of her father's. Life with Sung's arrogant wife and daughters (who call her "Miss Ratty" after her poor ghetto neighborhood) starts off rocky, but Spring Pearl rises to the challenge through strength of character, gradually earning the respect of the entire household. When Master Sung is arrested and imprisoned, Spring Pearl's courage and ingenuity help bring the family safely through the ordeal. Spring Pearl has a bit of both Cinderella (she's assigned menial chores at first) and Mary Lenox (she restores the Sungs' neglected garden), but she emerges a fully realized character. Offering his typically lively dialogue and strong supporting cast, Yep (Dragon's Gate) also integrates period detail into a well-honed plot. A "Then and Now" afterword draws on Yep's story to contrast conditions facing girls in 19th- century China with those today. Ages 9-12. (Oct.)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. This title in the Girls of Many Lands series is set in 1857 in Canton, China, during the Opium Wars with Britain. Twelve-year-old Spring Pearl, recently orphaned, misses her parents and her home, though she knows she should be grateful to the wealthy Sung family for taking her in. Master Sung is kind, but his wife and daughters are condescending and rude, disapproving of Spring Pearl's independent ways. Spring Pearl perseveres, finding solace in reviving the Sungs' long-neglected garden. Then the British invade, the Sungs face dire consequences, and the orphan and the family must join together to protect their home and lives. Spring Pearl emerges as a likable character who follows her heart despite challenges, and her descriptive, first-person narrative is personable, often poignant, incorporating both humorous commentary and insightful observations about the events and people around her. Yep does a smooth job of working in historical detail, and there's an afterward describing girls' lives in China, past and present. As with other books in the series, this includes photos and an author's note. Shelle Rosenfeld
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: Pleasant Company Publications
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 1584855193
• ISBN 13: 9781584855194
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208
• Illustrator: Sano Kazuhiko