First published 1995
Li Lun cannot conquer his terror of the ocean waters. While other boys in his village master the art of fishing, he trembles at the sight of rolling waves. His family and neighbors call him a coward. They banish him to a desolate mountaintop where no crops have grown for generations. Li Lun must make rice seedlings thrive in this harsh soil or never return home. The mountain tests him with brutal weather, dangerous wild creatures, and crushing isolation. He battles against impossible odds with only his determination. This Newbery Honor winner shows how true bravery emerges not from fearlessness but from facing what frightens us most.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, coming-of-age
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, underdog
Setting: Village, Mountain
Period: 20th-Century
96 pages · Paperback · Bloomsbury USA Childrens