Chinese Cinderella

Her father doesn't know her birthday. Her stepmother forbids birthday parties, friendships, and pocket money. She is shuffled between boarding schools, and so little does her family make contact that classmates suspect she is an orphan. Felice Yeh aptly chronicles how Adeline overcomes cruelty to be the top student, earning her an escape from a childhood of isolation. Yeh's calm narration allows the brutal facts of Adeline's childhood to fill listeners with admiration for this sweet, smart girl who makes something of herself despite her parents' virtual abandonment. J.M.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine