Taken from The Children of China: An Artist’s Journey © 1995 Song Nan Zhang published by Tundra Books

The Children of China: An Artist’s Journey traces author and artist Song Nan Zhang’s travels in his homeland of China. Crossing a vast country, Zhang writes about and paints pictures showing the diverse peoples of his ancestral land. From Mongolia to the Silk Road, Tibet to Sichuan, Zhang deals with not only the present but also the history of this colourful land. One or more of Zhang’s paintings accompany each page of text, thus giving students visual clues to the content. The author’s paintings are vibrant and colourful, exemplifying Chinese minorities at work and at play.

This 32-page book is upbeat; it looks at the positive aspects of China, making the book a pleasure to read. For example, Zhang writes about the Tajiks of southern China, saying they “taught [him] a lesson in how it is possible to be happy without wealth, to spread cheer through music and dancing, even though the work is hard and the climate difficult.”

The book touches on China’s politics, religion and economics, providing readers with sufficient information without being overwhelming. Zhang mentions briefly the Cultural Revolution of 1966 – 1976, and the hardships the Chinese lived through during that political upheaval. He also refers to the religious practices of different peoples, such as the Buddhists of Tibet and the Muslims of Tash Qurghan. The author writes about the Silk Road, where shops and open markets have been around since the time of Marco Polo.

Although the focus of this publication is the children of China, it is by no means a book for children only. The information Zhang provides makes this work a valuable resource for all age groups, including adults. The vocabulary the writer uses is at an advanced level, but the book’s many illustrations help students to understand the context even when they don’t always understand the text. Student reviewers state that they are able to “work their way through the text with the help of the pictures.” Students also enjoy the fact that each page and accompanying picture represents a different area of China, thus making the book a compilation of separate stories.

Overall, The Children of China is a valuable book presenting China in a manner that is easily understandable for fundamental literacy students.