Customer Reviews

The Diary of Ma Yan: The Struggles and Hopes of a Chinese Schoolgirl

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I came to find out about this book by listening to an NPR interview of the French journalist who originally was given the diaries by Ma Yan's Mother. His interview was so moving that I ordered the book from Amazon. Ma Yan was writing about her life in a village where no foreigners had been in more then 60 years. I have since given this book as a gift to several girls and boys of Ma Yan's age (12-13-14) so that they can read first hand what it's like for kids their age in a remote part of our World.
This book is a lesson for all ages. Well worth reading.

The DIARY OF MA YAN is an incredible story of how one girl's determination, diligence, and hope impacted not only her life...but the lives of those around her.

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.

The book contains Ma Yan's diary entries from September - December 2000 and July - December 2001. The entries are brief and from the heart. She writes of poverty, hunger, frustration, desire for an education, and 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 as well with the establishment of the Association for the Children of Ningxia which has helped over thirty children.

It is a wonderfully honest book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am only sorry that more of her diary did not survive. Ma Yan proves herself an articulate young woman. And this book will make you appreciate Americans' access to education and opportunity.

I enjoyed this book, though it is painful to read about the poverty and hunger Ma Yan and her family experienced. As mom to a daughter from China, I can't help but wonder if my daughter's life would have been similar, had she not been adopted.

This book was also very hopeful, as Ma Yan's diary brings her some fame and brings world attention and help to her family and schoolmates.

I thought that this book was pretty good, and it makes me compare my life to hers. How she struggles and wants to learn and how I don't have as much of a passion for learning. I know that a girl of 12 or 13 wrote the diary, but the sentences were not very well written and were not complete sentences. The entries were very simple like," A teacher arrives. He's wearing a blue jacket and black trousers and he has black leather shoes. He explains what he expects of us. I think he's our Chinese teacher." The days weren't that informative and the ending wasn't the best, but the idea was pretty clear; one of many girls that struggle on a daily bases to maintain an education and the hard work their parents and they go through to get money to eat. In the diary, it shows how Ma Yan had to starve herself to get money for a pen and how she usually got so little to eat and we can ask for a many pens and get it and stuff ourselves with food till we're full or more.

It was pretty interesting to read the diary of a girl who goes through many hardships and how writing this diary could help her and many others live a better life than before. The diary probably would make whoever reads this more grateful for the life they have now, if it's better than hers. This would be a book I would recommend, especially to those who spend money wastefully and to those who have no intention to study but have an opportunity to do so. It's a book worth reading and I hope you enjoy it.

I read Ma Yan's Diary immediately after watching the opening ceremony for the Olympics. The diary is very moving; Ma Yan shares her experience with the culture of a small Chinese province. Between the lines, her writing explains a lot about the Chinese national pride we are seeing at the Olympics. It explained many questions I had about the way Chinese residents might feel after seeing the excess of the opening ceremony. Excellent view into a young girl's life and the culture she lives in.
Highly recommend!

I loved this story because of Ma Yan's spirit. This is the true story of Ma Yan who stuggles to stay in school in spite of her families severe poverty. She does not give up no matter what obstacles she faces.

I thought that this book was pretty good, and it makes me compare my life to hers. How she struggles and wants to learn and how I don't have as much of a passion for learning. I know that a girl of 12 or 13 wrote the diary, but the sentences were not very well written and were not complete sentences. The entries were very simple like," A teacher arrives. He's wearing a blue jacket and black trousers and he has black leather shoes. He explains what he expects of us. I think he's our Chinese teacher." The days weren't that informative and the ending wasn't the best, but the idea was pretty clear; one of many girls that struggle on a daily bases to maintain an education and the hard work their parents and they go through to get money to eat. In the diary, it shows how Ma Yan had to starve herself to get money for a pen and how she usually got so little to eat and we can ask for a many pens and get it and stuff ourselves with food till we're full or more.

It was pretty interesting to read the diary of a girl who goes through many hardships and how writing this diary could help her and many others live a better life than before. The diary probably would make whoever reads this more grateful for the life they have now, if it's better than hers. This would be a book I would recommend, especially to those who spend money wastefully and to those who have no intention to study but have an opportunity to do so. It's a book worth reading and a good one too.

Sorry, not the most articulate but my daughter is the one I purchased this book for. She enjoys it because it is easy to follow unlike the Maxine Hong book.

this book is about a girl's strugels to go to school and how she had her dream of going to school she wrote a letter to her mom saying that she wanted to go school because she didnt wanted to stay home and work she wanted to go to school