Yikang's Day: From Dawn to Dusk in a Chinese City

Published in 2001, this book follows seven year old Ren Yikang through an average day in her city, Changzhi in China. She has her daily chores, her breakfast, ride to school, classes, homework and bedtime routines which will ring familiar to children all over the world. Through informative photographs we get involved in her world. For breakfast there is a photograph of eggs soaking in tea and steamed buns (mantou) sitting in their bowls. No big yellow school bus delivers Yikang to school, instead, she rides on the back of her father's bicycle as he pedals along on the road through an early morning fog and passing a cart and horse coming in the opposite direction. When you get to school do you grab your mop and start cleaning duty? Yikang and her classmates mop the floors as part of their routine. This day is the birthday of China, October 1, so there is a flag-raising ceremony and a salute on the playground en masse to the Chinese flag. What Yikang eats might be different from what your child eats during the day, but the importance of education is universally shared, the family connections are reassuring and the fun of playing Chinese checkers and reading comic books will feel like a familiar bond to children everywhere. Informative and eye-opening as we see how other people live around the globe. 32 pages Ages 6-10