The Straw House — Cao Wenxuan

Set in China's Jiangnan area in the early 1960s, The Straw House centers around ordinary village life and follows a young boy named Sang Sang. Within the seemingly simplistic life of everyday China emerge several interwoven, deeply moving stories that bid farewell to the innocence of childhood, and embrace―albeit reluctantly―the responsibilities of adolesence. First published in 1997, The Straw House has been called a landmark work in the history of Chinese children's literature.

Recommended for ages 12 and up