BRONZE AND SUNFLOWER

Emily Woo Zeller rises to the challenge of bringing Chinese author Wenxuan's novel to middle-grade listeners. The story is set in the countryside during the Cultural Revolution. Sunflower, an orphaned girl from the Cadre School, is taken in by a poor yet loving family from the neighboring village. She develops a bond with the family's mute son, Bronze, as everyone--parents, grandmother, and water buffalo included--faces grueling challenges. Zeller fills many roles. She is the unobtrusive narrator who details the rich details of flora and fauna as well as the inner thoughts of each character. She turns on a dime to voice Bronze's grit and determination, the high-pitched squeal of Sunflower's fear, or the resolved and reassuring statements of the family's adult members. A.R. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2017]