Born Naughty: My Childhood in China
by Jin Wang and Tony Johnston; illus. by Anisi Baigude
Primary, Intermediate    Schwartz/Random    112 pp.
5/24    9780593563618    $16.99
Library ed.  9780593563625    $19.99
e-book ed.  9780593563632    $9.99

Wang tells of her early life sharing a tiny mud house in Non Ba Zi, a remote village in Inner Mongolia, with her mother, father, and two younger brothers. Episodic stories offer glimpses of everyday experiences that center shifting seasons, child-pleasing details, and tight family bonds. From planting potatoes in spring, enduring frightening thunderstorms in summer, starting school for the first time in fall, and huddling inside with lambs in the freezing winter, each anecdote is matched by Baigude’s lively black-and-white illustrations. Risking trouble over tearing her clothes, ­eight-year-old Jin races to climb to the top of a tree to defeat a teasing boy. With a strong sense of adventure, she relishes the chance to take a trip with her father to fill a large tank with water, a chore shared by all villagers. Jin displays profound gratitude toward nature and respect for elders throughout the narrative. Amid humorous depictions of childhood joys are realities of the hardships of having little food and water, no electricity, and limited access to healthcare. When Jin suffers a life-threatening dog attack, she is nursed to health by her mother’s use of folk medicine. Reinforcing the strong sense of place, information about Chinese calligraphy, superstitions, and New Year’s traditions are included. This concisely written and heartwarming memoir resonates with childlike wonder and optimism. Appended with authors’ notes (placing the story in 1982) and an illustrator’s note.

From the ">September/October 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.