Some American parents may be troubled by Cao's old-fashioned views about girls. If Sunflower comes up with an original idea or plan, she typically must be saved. If she gets lost in the marsh or picked on by the village bully, Bronze rescues her. If she does something wrong, Bronze volunteers to take the blame…To read their adventures is to be embedded in the Chinese countryside—for good and bad. The daily circumstances of their lives may be different from those of American children, but the emotions and relationships are universal.

★ 12/19/2016
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.)

To read [Bronze and Sunflower’s] adventures is to be embedded in the Chinese countryside — for good and bad. The daily circumstances of their lives may be different from those of American children, but the emotions and relationships are universal.
—The New York Times Book Review

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...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.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

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).
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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.
—Booklist (starred review)

Capturing a distinct time and place as well as moments of bittersweet universality, this vivid and accessible novel for 9- to 12-year-olds would make for a superb family read-aloud.
—The Wall Street Journal

The landscape, captured in lyrical, evocative prose, takes the leading role in this episodic novel set during China’s Cultural Revolution...This beautifully written depiction of a time and place not often seen in children’s literature makes for a strong purchase.
—School Library Journal

Told in spare yet glimmering prose, this story is a testament to all that love and loyalty are able to overcome... In a time when our divisions seem to be drawn more forcefully than ever, Bronze and Sunflower’s unlikely bond serves as a beacon of hope.
—BookPage

The details about rural Chinese life are a revelation...Cao shows English-speaking readers a foreign world where time is measured in the seasonal comings and goings of the swallows, but also a familiar one where the fabric of family is woven from shared hopes and unexpected acts of kindness.
—Shelf Awareness Pro

The author does not shy away from heartbreaking events such as famine, storm devastation, and the loss of loved ones, resulting in a moving and at times shockingly honest account...Translator Wang manages successfully the difficult tasks of maintaining the stylistic integrity of the original text and achieving a high level of readability in her translation.
—The Horn Book

These beautiful moments of love abounding in the midst of hardship and poverty are timeless and will appeal to all readers.
—School Library Connection

Two lonely children, scarred by tragedy, form an inseparable bond in this lovely novel from a beloved Chinese author set in the Chinese countryside during the Cultural Revolution.
—Buffalo News

The constant hardships of rural poverty are balanced by selflessness, love and the beauty of nature. The story's ending is both heartbreaking and transcendent, reminiscent of the best fairy tales.
—Plain Dealer

Ideal for bookclubs, this is one of the finest translations I’ve ever encountered and undeniably the best Chinese middle grade novel I’ve ever read.
—A Fuse #8 Production (blog)

08/01/2017
Gr 5–8—Quiet and gentle Sunflower is a bit lonely but content with her simple life in rural China during the Cultural Revolution. When she is orphaned by a storm, Sunflower and Bronze, a mute boy a few years older whose family takes her in, become steadfast friends who share adventures with the family's hardworking water buffalo. The story portrays the roles of men and women as befits the 1960–70s setting; men's shoes are "sturdy" while women's are "pretty." Bronze looks after "timid" Sunflower, protecting her from a bully, forgoing his schooling so that she can attend, and making sure she gets the best seat at the fireworks display. Life takes place largely outdoors: driving ducks, gathering reeds, and taking "lucky mushrooms" to market. Emily Woo Zeller narrates with authentic inflection on Chinese words and phrases. Occasionally Sunflower's cries of distress come across as shrill, but Bronze, family, and neighbors quickly lend a hand. VERDICT The writing and narration are lovely, yet the traditional role portrayals and agricultural setting may not have wide appeal. The chapters of adventure are separated by descriptions of selling shoes at a market, and netting ducks in a pond. Some chapters could work in a social studies or folk tale curriculum.—Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth, TX

02/01/2017
Gr 4–6—The landscape, captured in lyrical, evocative prose, takes the leading role in this episodic novel set during China's Cultural Revolution. From the start, readers are drawn into the tiny village of Damaidi, a world circumscribed by a seemingly endless reed marsh, a "vast ocean, rippling with green waves." A broad river serves as the symbolic and literal divide between the village and the Cadre School, a settlement of city dwellers sent to the countryside to tame the wilderness. Against this backdrop, we meet lonely Sunflower, age seven, who has accompanied her father to the Cadre School, and Bronze, the 11-year-old son of the poorest village family, who is unable to speak. When Sunflower's father drowns in an unusual and unfortunate sequence of events, the girl is adopted by Bronze's family, and the pair become fast friends, accompanied in their adventures by the family's water buffalo, a delightful sidekick, "more placid and better natured than most humans." Long as this work is on eloquence and charm, its core strength is its unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities of life in rural China. The family suffer through several catastrophes, including near starvation following a plague of locusts, but perhaps more telling are the endless small embarrassments of poverty. In one sequence, Sunflower pretends to visit friends when in reality she needs a place to do homework because her family can't afford oil for their lanterns. VERDICT This beautifully written depiction of a time and place not often seen in children's literature makes for a strong purchase.—Eileen Makoff, P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School, NY

Emily Woo Zeller rises to the challenge of bringing Chinese author Wenxuan’s novel to middle-grade listeners. The story is set in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. Sunflower, an orphaned girl from the Cadre School, is taken in by a poor yet loving family from the neighboring village. She develops a bond with the family’s mute son, Bronze, as everyone—parents, grandmother, and water buffalo included—faces grueling challenges. Zeller fills many roles. She is the unobtrusive narrator who details the rich details of flora and fauna as well as the inner thoughts of each character. She turns on a dime to voice Bronze’s grit and determination, the high-pitched squeal of Sunflower’s fear, or the resolved and reassuring statements of the family’s adult members. A.R. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

★ 2016-12-14
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)