Spring Pearl: The Last Flower (Girls of Many Lands) [School & Library Binding]

Laurence Yep (Author), Kazuhiko Sano (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Part of the Girls of Many Lands series, this colorful novel introduces the spirited 12-year-old Chou Spring Pearl against the backdrop of Canton, China, during the Opium War of 1857. The recently orphaned girl has been liberally raised by her artist parents she can read and write and speak English but now she's a charity case, taken in by Master Sung, a wealthy friend of her father's. Life with Sung's arrogant wife and daughters (who call her "Miss Ratty" after her poor ghetto neighborhood) starts off rocky, but Spring Pearl rises to the challenge through strength of character, gradually earning the respect of the entire household. When Master Sung is arrested and imprisoned, Spring Pearl's courage and ingenuity help bring the family safely through the ordeal. Spring Pearl has a bit of both Cinderella (she's assigned menial chores at first) and Mary Lenox (she restores the Sungs' neglected garden), but she emerges a fully realized character. Offering his typically lively dialogue and strong supporting cast, Yep (Dragon's Gate) also integrates period detail into a well-honed plot. A "Then and Now" afterword draws on Yep's story to contrast conditions facing girls in 19th- century China with those today. Ages 9-12. (Oct.)
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Spring Pearl is orphaned at age 12 after her mother dies of poverty and overwork. Because her father was a scholar and an artist, his patron, Master Sung, takes her in. She is not welcomed by his wife or daughters, but she endures. At her new home, she intimidates her hosts by speaking knowledgeably on scholarly topics and defeating the eldest son at chess and dominoes. In fact, her ability to read, write, and speak English is quite staggering. Nevertheless, this is 1857 in Canton, and the Chinese are struggling in the Opium War against Great Britain and France. When Master Sung is imprisoned for protesting extra taxes, Spring Pearl is the only one who can save him. Her good deeds win over Mistress Sung, who entrusts her with running the household. Amazingly, the child has friends among the British invaders and the looting Chinese thugs, and saves the Sung family at every turn. They open their arms to her as family, but she chooses freedom. Girls craving adventurous heroines will be drawn to the story, but it leans more toward historical fantasy than fiction.
Be Astengo, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• School & Library Binding
• Publisher: Rebound by Sagebrush (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0613462319
• ISBN-13: 978-0613462310
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,605,317 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Laurence Yep has been fascinated with tales of sibling rivalry from the day he was born. His older brother, Tom, chose his name Laurence - after a saint who died a particularly gruesome death. Laurence has been trying to get even ever since. Laurence Yep now lives in Pacific Grove, California, with his wife and is one of children's literature's most respected authors. His award-winning titles include Newbery Honor Books Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tale that flourishes like a lone camellia from beginning to end, February 9, 2007

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Spring Pearl: The Last Flower (Girls of Many Lands) (Paperback)

The year is 1857. While other children are preparing themselves for the upcoming Moon Festival, twelve-year-old Spring Pearl is mourning the death of her scholarly parents, and packing her belongings to make the trek to Master Sung's home, where she will live with his family until she can find better accommodations for herself. However, while Spring Pearl is mesmerized by the lavish living of Master Sung, and his family, she can't help but miss her family's tiny cottage by the river, where she spent hours watching her handiwork in the garden flourish into a floral haven. Here at Master Sung's home, the garden has gone to pot, and all that remains are long, sharp weeds that sprout up every which way. Spring Pearl is supposed to be a guest in the Sung household, but Mistress Sung views her as nothing more than an orphan - one who would be better suited as a male, instead of a female, given the fact that she can read and write, but can't stitch to save her soul. She instantly begins treating Spring Pearl as one of the help, and allows her daughters - Miss Emerald, Miss Willow, and Miss Orion - to refer to her as such. Luckily, Spring Pearl finds solace in the form of Doggy, one of the Sung's hired help. Doggy is her age, and respects her, along with her tomboyish ways. However, when the Second Opium War begins building within the walls of Canton, China, and Master Sung is taken away for being a traitor, the only person there to help hold the family together is Spring Pearl. Together, she and Mistress Sung attempt to hold the family together, and keep it from going bankrupt. But as the French and British military begin to invade, the family begins contemplating whether an escape from within the walls would be safer for them all. It is only with Spring Pearl's "swamp-rat" ways that the family may be able to survive, and rescue Master Sung once and for all. But for that to happen, they must unite as one, and put their differences aside, in an attempt to come out on top and defeat their enemies.

I have read very little historical fiction revolving around China and the mid-1800's. However, from page one of SPRING PEARL: THE LAST FLOWER, I was drawn into the world of Pearl, and the somber cloud hanging over her as she attempts to ingratiate into the Sung household, and find her place among semi-royals. Laurence Yep has given Spring Pearl a strong voice, combined with vivid descriptions, as well as a brave heart and soul. Her intelligence during a time when female's were held down, and encouraged to obey their elders, as well as their male counterparts, is a wonderful thing to witness. Not only does Spring Pearl have the knack for reading and writing, but she has a talent when it comes to tongues, and the quick wits to bargain with just about anyone she comes in contact with. While it is sometimes tragic to witness the interactions Spring Pearl must hold with Miss Willow, Miss Orion, Miss Emerald, and even Mistress Sung, it is always entertaining to see the amazing way she holds her own, and manages to keep her cool, even as she is called names, and put-down. Spring Pearl is a heroic character, who will instantly win a place in the hearts of female readers, especially as she demonstrates her ability to overcome any obstacle she may face. A tale that flourishes like a lone camellia from beginning to end.

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spring Pearl-Story of a brave and stubborn girl, December 13, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Spring Pearl: The Last Flower (Girls of Many Lands) (Paperback)

Spring Pearl, by Laurence Yep, as part of the Girls of Many Lands series from American girl, is a book about a girl living in 1850's China . Her mother and father are dead and she has to go and live with a friend of her father's . The friend's family is very rich and is not used to doing things for themselves, unlike Spring Pearl. Many times in the book her strong education gets her out of trouble. This book will make you feel like you are right there in the 1850's in China during the Opium wars. Spring Pearl is an outstanding story for girls who like books about brave young women. This story made me have a fondness for historical fiction.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This flower is unique and has rare beauty., March 4, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Spring Pearl: The Last Flower (Girls of Many Lands) (Paperback)

Chou Spring Pearl is a twelve year old girl growing up in Canton, China in the year 1857. She has just found herself an orphan. Spring Pearl goes to live with her father's friend, Master Sung, a rich scholar. Master Sung lives in a huge house in the very nice part of town. Spring Pearl has lived all of her life in the Rat's Nest of China (the run down part of town). Now that she has come to live with them they want to change her apperance which includes everything from her hair, which is done in a out of date style, to her feet, which seem to be a couple sizes to big. With all of this going on, Spring Pearl can only say that she has one good friend, Doggy. Doggy is a servant in the Sung household. Probably one of the strangest things of the time was that Spring Pearl was smarter than alot of the boys her age, even though she did not attend school and she doesn't care what other people think of the way she acts. Will Chou Spring Pearl be able to adjust to the new life changes or will she keep her differences? Find out for yourself.

I really enjoyed the book it really gave me an incite into the life of a girl in China during the "Opium War". I just could not put the book down. The author uesd exquisite details. Another really good book in the series, that you should also consider reading, which is not a book about a chinese girl but it is about a girl growing up in England in 1592. This book has alot of the same views. The name of the book is Isabel: Taking Wing by Anne Dalton