Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze
Set in turbulent China, the novel follows Young Fu as he trains to become a coppersmith and learns to stand on his own.
Work Information
In a large city, a boy learns work, language, and relationships one step at a time.
With help from scholars and missionaries but driven by his own effort, the boy carves out a future for himself in a representative early-1930s children's novel.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Square Fish
- Published
- 2008-04-29
- Pages
- 320 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 13.21 x 2.16 x 19.18 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780312380076
- ISBN-10
- 0312380070
- Price
- 2443 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Children's Books
When Young Fu arrives with his mother in bustling 1920s Chungking, all he has seen of the world is the rural farming village where he has grown up. He knows nothing of city life. But the city, with its wonders and dangers, fascinates the 13-year-old boy, and he sets out to make the best of what it has to offer him. First published in 1932, Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze was one of the earliest Newbery Medal winners. Although China has changed since that time, Young Fu's experiences are universal: making friends, making mistakes, and making one's way in the world.
Elizabeth Foreman Lewis (d. 1958) went to China in 1917 where she studied the Chinese language and history, and held teaching posts in Shanghai, Chungking, and Nanking. She is the author of Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze. William Low is the author and illustrator of Daytime Nighttime , Machines Go to Work , and the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Old Penn Station , as well as a four-time Silver Medal winner at the Society of Illustrators. He teaches at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.
Reviews
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I was a little concerned that this book might be too juvenile or slow for my teenager, but it turned out to be a treasure that our entire family enjoyed (ages 12, 15 and adult!). It is a gentle and well written story that held our interest while teaching us much about what life was like in the Chinese countryside a hundred years ago. Young Fu learns many important lessons about life, which the reader learns right alongside him. In fact, while the story is gentle enough for younger children, I suspect that much of the wisdom better served my teen. I'm so happy we gave this book a chance! Well done, Elizabeth Foreman Lewis!
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This engaging story follows the adventures and misadventures of a teenage boy who finds his place in the world in 1920's China. Main characters are richly developed over the course of the story which makes the readers feel as if they grew up alongside the protagonist Young Fu. It is told at a 7-8th grade reading level. Treat yourself to a cultural experience of living in historical China!
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Perfect, just as good a read as when I first came across it in the 1960's and a great orice
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Excellent
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I have a goal of reading all the Newberry Award winning books. I was in the midst of reading this one when I lost the book. This was actually a better copy and I took up right where I left off. I still put Because of Winn Dixie, Newberry Honor Winner, as my favorite and Maniac McGee as my second, Newberry Award, of the Newberry winning books. There are always lessons to learn and strong pre-teen/teen characters at the center of these books. This one takes place in China in the early 1900s. While bringing in a bit of history, we learn that hard work has its benefits.