Chinese Cinderella and The Secret Dragon Society by Adeline Yen Mah, tells the story of Ye Xian, a young girl growing up in China in the 1940s. As the title suggests, her life slightly resembles Cinderella's, and is even given the nickname CC (Chinese Cinderella). After her father and "evil stepmother"kick her out of the house, she finds a home with the kung fu students of Grandma Wu and becomes a member of the Secret Dragon Society. What begins as a journey to learn martial arts, ends with CC fighting for something much more: her country and her freedom.
This novel is very well-written and could easily be used in a middle school classroom. I would probably use it for a 6th and 7th grade level though, simply because it is an easier read. There are lots of activities that could be done in conjunction with the novel, including researching China during the 1940s and learning about Cinderella stories from different cultures. Even though the novel has a female protagonist, I think it appeals to a diverse audience. Overall, I think this is a great multi-cultural novel to teach to the young middle school age.
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