The Diary of Ma Yan :: Book Sharing Monday

Ma Yan is a young girl determined to continue her education despite the hardships and struggles that ensue. Knowing that an education is the only thing that could rescue her from a life of poverty, Ma Yan continues her fight to stay in school. Her resilience is inspiring.

Some of her journals were lost,  as a result, the entries are broken (September - December 2000 and July - December 2001).  All entries are brief and from the heart as she writes of poverty, hunger, frustration, desire for an education, and the hope for a better future for herself and her family.

When Ma Yan's mother gave her daughter's diaries to a foreign journalist ... it paved the way for an incredible outpouring of love and financial support ... not only for Ma Yan but for other poverty-stricken children in China.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will encourage my daughter, who is passionate about Chinese culture, to read it for herself.  Ma Yan proves herself an articulate young woman and through her journal, we see glimpses of life in rural China.  This book also instills a greater appreciation for Americans' access to education and opportunity.