Mei Li
written and illustrated by Thomas Handforth
1938
I have to admit that when I picked up this book, I was expecting to find page after page of Chinese stereotypes. I was wrong. Oh me of little faith. According to the book jacket, Thomas Handforth lived in China after receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship for study in 1931, and both the story and the illustrations show his respect and love for the Chinese culture. Of course, I don't know anything about what life was like for people in China in 1930, so I can't say with any certainty that the story is an accurate portrayal of that place and time. It felt authentic, though, and that's what makes for an interesting story.
The story is all about Mei Li, who convinces her older brother, San Yu, to take her to the New Year Fair in the city. While there, she plays with the acrobats and the trained bears, she rides the circus ponies, she gets attacked by a kite (flown by San Yu...typical brother!), and most importantly, she has her fortune read. According to the fortune teller, Mei Li will one day rule over a kingdom. At the end of the story, as the family celebrates the new year, the kitchen God appears to tell Mei Li that her home is her kingdom and her family will be her subjects. The pictures are very detailed, and Mei Li is just adorable. I wish the whole book was in color, because I love her rosy cheeks there on the cover.
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