by Gao Yue and Clare Farrow, illustrated by Helen Cann.

Little Leap Forward: a Boy in Beijing tells the story of the author’s own childhood experiences in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution of 1966. Little Leap and his family live a traditional life in an old courtyard in Beijing. He plays his flute, flies kites with his friends and even meets a special girl. Little Leap keeps a wild yellow bird in a cage. He plays his flute for the bird to make it sing, but the bird remains silent. Then the Red Guard arrive in his neighborhood, persecuting intellectuals, artists, and musicians like Little Leap’s family. Little Leap must survive the oppression, yet his music allows him to keep his spirit free.The story of “Little Leap Forward” is beautifully told, with illustrations by Helen Cann.

reviewed by Victoria