A beautifully written, timeless tale by Cao Wenxuan, best-selling Chinese author and 2016 recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award. Sunflower is an only child, and when her father is sent to the rural Cadre School, she has to go with him. Her father is an established artist from the city and finds his new life of physical labor and endless meetings exhausting. Sunflower is lonely and longs to play with the local children in the village across the river. When her father tragically drowns, Sunflower is taken in by the poorest family in the village, a family with a son named Bronze. Until Sunflower joins his family, Bronze was an only child, too, and hasn’t spoken a word since he was traumatized by a terrible fire. Bronze and Sunflower become inseparable, understanding each other as only the closest friends can. Translated from Mandarin, the story meanders gracefully through the challenges that face the family, creating a timeless story of the trials of poverty and the power of love and loyalty to overcome hardship.

Bronze and Sunflower

Children's Books

Wenxuan, Cao

Literature & Fiction

Candlewick

A philosophical picture book from one of China's most celebrated children's authors and 2016 Hans Christian Andersen Award-winner Cao Wenxuan. A feather is blown across the sky, meeting various birds along the way, and asking each one, "Do I belong to you?". Cao Wenxuan tells the story of a single feather who is swept away on a journey of discovery and belonging. Encountering a variety of birds, from a kingfisher to a magpie, Feather is hopeful of meeting the bird she belongs to. Again and again, she is dismissed or ignored. Only when she sees that there is also beauty in being close to the earth does fate offer a reunion... Feather is sure to charm young children with a plot at once compelling, meditative, and quietly moving. Roger Mello’s stunningly beautiful, dynamic illustrations will delight readers of all ages.

Feather

Animals

Elsewhere Editions

Summer is a poetic, inspirational picture book about the power of kindness from two of China's most acclaimed creators―and children will discover a surprise as they turn the pages!During a hot summer day in the grasslands, a group of animals race to claim the single spot of shade―under one tiny leaf that clings to a branch. The animals fight until they are inspired by an act of love to offer shade to one another.Through lyrical text from Hans Christian Andersen Award winner Cao Wenxuan, the story comes alive with bright, delicate art from award-winning illustrator Yu Rong and provides a vivid introduction to animals. In the middle of the book, pages grow shorter and then longer to emphasize each selfless action and to remind children of the importance of sharing and being kind.An Imprint Book"An exquisitely calibrated fable, with a lyrically plainspoken voice, a vivid sense of atmosphere, and deftly choreographed moments of high drama and humor." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)"As in fables of yesteryear, Cao holds a mirror to selfishness as well as to an individual's ability to transcend that tendency. Children will return often to enjoy the interactive opportunities and the harmony that prevails." ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Summer: Animals Share in a Poetic Tale of Kindness

Imprint

Dragonfly Eyes

A family saga spanning fifty years and three generations, which takes the reader from the France of the Golden Age to poverty-stricken post-war Shanghai via the re-imagined rural China of the Cultural Revolution.Ah-Mei and her French grandmother, Nainai, share a rare bond. Maybe because Ah-Mei is the only girl grandchild, or maybe because the pair look so alike and because neither look much like the rest of their Chinese family. Politics and war make 1960s Shanghai a hard place to grow up, especially when racism and bigotry are rife, and everyone is suspicious of Nainais European heritage. Ah-Mei and her family suffer much in this time of political upheaval, and when the family silk business falters, they are left with almost nothing. But Ah-Mei and her grandmother are resourceful, and they have one another and the tenderness they share brings them great strength.

Walker Books

Teen & Young Adult

Bolinda/Walker audio

From acclaimed Chinese author Cao Wenxuan, recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, comes a compelling family saga spanning fifty years and three generations.\nAh-Mei and her French grandmother, Nainai, share a rare bond. Maybe it’s because Ah-Mei is the only girl grandchild. Or maybe it’s because the pair look so much alike and neither resembles the rest of their Chinese family. Politics and war make 1960s Shanghai a hard place to grow up, especially when racism and bigotry are rife, and everyone seems suspicious of Nainai’s European heritage and interracial marriage. In this time of political upheaval, Ah-Mei and her family suffer much—and when the family silk business falters, they are left with almost nothing. Ah-Mei and her grandmother are resourceful, but will the tender connection they share bring them enough strength to carry through? This multigenerational saga by one of China’s most esteemed children’s authors takes the reader from 1920s France to a ravaged postwar Shanghai and through the convulsions of the Cultural Revolution.

A beautifully written, timeless tale by Cao Wenxuan, best-selling Chinese author and 2016 recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award.\nSunflower is an only child, and when her father is sent to the rural Cadre School, she has to go with him. Her father is an established artist from the city and finds his new life of physical labor and endless meetings exhausting. Sunflower is lonely and longs to play with the local children in the village across the river. When her father tragically drowns, Sunflower is taken in by the poorest family in the village, a family with a son named Bronze. Until Sunflower joins his family, Bronze was an only child, too, and hasn’t spoken a word since he was traumatized by a terrible fire. Bronze and Sunflower become inseparable, understanding each other as only the closest friends can. Translated from Mandarin, the story meanders gracefully through the challenges that face the family, creating a timeless story of the trials of poverty and the power of love and loyalty to overcome hardship.

A beautifully written, timeless tale by Cao Wenxuan, bestselling Chinese author and 2016 recipient of the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award.Sunflower is an only child, and when her father is sent to the rural Cadre School, she has to go with him. Her father is an established artist from the city and finds his new life of physical labor and endless meetings exhausting. Sunflower is lonely and longs to play with the local children in the village across the river. When her father tragically drowns, Sunflower is taken in by the poorest family in the village, a family with a son named Bronze. Until Sunflower joins his family, Bronze was an only child, too, and hasn’t spoken a word since he was traumatized by a terrible fire. Bronze and Sunflower become inseparable, understanding each other as only the closest friends can. Translated from Mandarin, the story meanders gracefully through the challenges that face the family, creating a timeless story of the trials of poverty and the power of love and loyalty to overcome hardship.

Candlewick on Brilliance Audio

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

The Straw House: A Novel

Shanghai Book Traders

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Wenxuan, Cao. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Wenxuan, Cao

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Wenxuan, Cao. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Bronze and Sunflower

Feather

Summer: Animals Share in a Poetic Tale of Kindness

Dragonfly Eyes

Bronze and Sunflower

Dragonfly Eyes

Bronze and Sunflower

Bronze and Sunflower

Bronze and Sunflower

The Straw House: A Novel