'Shaozhen has no intention of staying in his remote Henan village and becoming another poor farmer: he’ll finish school, and then, hopefully, work in a factory in one of the major cities, just like his father. But when Shaozhen returns home for the summer holidays, imagining days filled with nothing but playing basketball with his friends, he’s in for a shock. The worst drought in over sixty years threatens the crops that the entire village relies on for income. As the water situation becomes dire, Shaozhen realises he must come up with a plan. But will it be enough to save his family and friends and secure the future of his village?'
Source: Publisher's blurb.
Teachers' notes from publisher’s website.
'I’ve been thinking lately about what a good review can offer readers, especially teachers who have so many demands on their time and limited opportunity to read the huge range of new texts available for their students in the classroom. Reviews can give a pointer to teachers about some texts that merit their attention. Obviously, an opinion is called for – what is the appeal of this text and to whom may it appeal? I won’t waste your time on texts if I don’t think they will engage some of your students in the classroom. I can’t recommend texts which haven’t engaged me too, at some level. A brief idea of what happens, the style of writing or designing and the impact of the text written or created and perhaps some ideas on how it might be used in the classroom. With a much greater focus in classrooms today on student choice and voice about what they read and view it’s important to have a range of texts to capture their interests and enthusiasm. Not all these texts will work with all students, but there will be readers, and reluctant and disengaged ones as well, who will find something here that speaks to them.' (Introduction)
'Shaozhen is a fine addition to the Through My Eyes ... series. Set in the northern province of Henan during the terrible drought of 2014, it tells the story of a young boy whose family's way of life is crumbling before his eyes. Wai Chim's story is a real eye-opener. It brings to life the predicament of farming families in rural China, where drought threatens livelihoods and political systems make solutions hard to come by. (Introduction)
'Shaozhen is a fine addition to the Through My Eyes ... series. Set in the northern province of Henan during the terrible drought of 2014, it tells the story of a young boy whose family's way of life is crumbling before his eyes. Wai Chim's story is a real eye-opener. It brings to life the predicament of farming families in rural China, where drought threatens livelihoods and political systems make solutions hard to come by. (Introduction)
'I’ve been thinking lately about what a good review can offer readers, especially teachers who have so many demands on their time and limited opportunity to read the huge range of new texts available for their students in the classroom. Reviews can give a pointer to teachers about some texts that merit their attention. Obviously, an opinion is called for – what is the appeal of this text and to whom may it appeal? I won’t waste your time on texts if I don’t think they will engage some of your students in the classroom. I can’t recommend texts which haven’t engaged me too, at some level. A brief idea of what happens, the style of writing or designing and the impact of the text written or created and perhaps some ideas on how it might be used in the classroom. With a much greater focus in classrooms today on student choice and voice about what they read and view it’s important to have a range of texts to capture their interests and enthusiasm. Not all these texts will work with all students, but there will be readers, and reluctant and disengaged ones as well, who will find something here that speaks to them.' (Introduction)
