Young adult books from Asia, India and Russia
The spring tone by Kazumi Yumoto; translated by Cathy Hirano. Japan, 1999.
Plagued by headaches and nightmares, Tomomi tries to make sense of her grandmother's death, her little brother's obsession with saving sick and abandoned cats, and her fear that she is becoming a monster.
Let one hundred flowers bloom by Feng Jicai ; translated by Christopher Smith. China, 1995.
This searing tale centers on a Chinese artist cruelly victimized during the Cultural Revolution of 1966. Hua Xiayu graduates at the top of his class from the Beijing Academy of Fine Arts in the early `60s, only to be given an undesirable position in a remote porcelain factory. He makes the best of his plight, finding beauty and solace in the pottery-making process and even his less than friendly fellow workers, but is incredulous to learn that his colleagues believe him to be a counter-revolutionary, a suspicion that eventually leads to a full-blown accusation. Beaten mercilessly by the Red Army and then sentenced to hard labor at a quarry, Hua remains hopeful despite the bleak conditions and takes inspiration from the beautiful creations of local folk artists.
The girl with the white flag: an inspiring story of love and courage in war time by Tomiko Higa; translated by Dorothy Britton. Japan, 1991.
Higa tells of her experiences as a seven year old wandering for seven weeks in battle-torn Okinawa in 1945. Her nine-year-old brother was killed beside her as they slept. Separated from her sisters, she survived on her own and then with an elderly, handicapped couple. Although bloody corpses are a common sight, the book is not depressing. Aspects of Oriental culture and religion, such as the importance of family and the relationship of man to nature, can be seen.
Hostage to war: a true story by Tatjana Wassiljewa; translated from the German translation of the original Russian by A. Trenter. Russia, 1997.
The author relates her experiences from 1941-1953 as she struggles to survive as a Russian teenager caught up in all the horrors of World War II and its aftermath.
Naming Maya by Uma Krishnaswami. India, 2004.
When Maya accompanies her mother to India to sell her grandfather's house, she uncovers family history relating to her parents divorce and learns more about herself and her relationship with her mother.