Born Naughty

February 12, 2024
With Johnston (Ten Owies), debut author Wang recounts cheerful memories from her childhood in this captivating chapter book memoir. In 1982, mischievous eight-year-old Wang lives without electricity
or running water in Nan Ba Zi, a rural
Chinese village in Inner Mongolia that was “so little it was not even on a map.” Living near a desert in “a mud hut so tiny we barely fit inside,” Wang “felt the sting of its sand in the time of wind” and, because water was scarce, she “took baths once, maybe twice a year.” Yet Wang finds joy in the everyday and even during routine outings with her parents, as when her father’s excursion to a nearby town on a water trip yields new and exciting experiences. Though her adventures cause her mother anxiety—as when Wang justifies a worrisome tree-climbing endeavor by saying, “They held out their arms to me and said, ‘Climb.’ How could I not do what the trees asked?”—things always end on an uplifting note for the endearing, pigtailed youth. Earthy, textured b&w pencil spot illustrations by Baigude (Odi’s Library Day) depict Wang’s antics. All characters cue as Chinese. Creators’ notes conclude. Ages 7–10.

March 15, 2024
Wang looks back on her childhood in Inner Mongolia. Eight-year-old Jin lives in a one-room mud house in a village of 18 homes with her parents and two younger brothers. "In this small space, we ran into each other all the time," she says. Life isn't easy: Water is scarce, hunger is constant, and windstorms whip in from the desert. Offering a child's-eye view, the adult Wang explains it all in a charmingly matter-of-fact voice. She writes with humor and fondness for her childhood home, employing an understated style that conveys entire essays' worth of insight in just a few words. About her habit of climbing trees, she says that her mother "was afraid I would fall and break my head open, like a melon. Also she worried that I would rip the pants that had taken her so long to stitch. I am not sure which worry was worse." Each chapter describes a seemingly mundane episode that nevertheless feels fascinating: traveling with her father to fetch water, speculating about--and looking for--the wolves in the nearby hills, enduring a big storm, foraging for mushrooms, awaiting visits from the popcorn man, having a family portrait taken, and more. Readers will be drawn in by Jin's delightful voice and will become invested in her stories. The text is broken up by warm, black-and-white spot art, rendered in ink and pencil. Rich with affection, wit, and joy, a captivating peek into Chinese village life. (authors' and illustrator's notes) (Memoir. 7-9)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2024
Grades 2-5 *Starred Review* Bursting with delightful shenanigans, merry adventures, and family love, this memoir follows Jin Wang as an eight-year-old in the village of Nan Ba Zi, in the province of Inner Mongolia, China. It's 1982 (which is revealed only in the concluding author's note), and Jin lives in a one-room mud house with her mother and two younger brothers while her father, who works far away producing bamboo steamers, makes rare visits home. Episodic chapters, written in a conversational style and complemented with expressive spot art, charm readers with short narratives about daily living, friendship, cultural traditions, and sometimes being a bit naughty for the sake of fun. From traveling with her father to fill their water tank (as their home has no running water) to watching her mother stab the earth with a knife to quell a powerful thunderstorm, Jin's stories depict some of the beliefs and customs from her village. Other stories--like enjoying warm treats from the traveling popcorn man during a cold winter and feeling proud for climbing trees better than boys--reveal the collective pleasures of childhood and community. The final chapter, with descriptive scenes of New Year's preparations and festivities, ends Jin's year on a high note. The mostly unfamiliar setting combines with common feelings from youth to create a unique story of wonder and joy.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 12, 2024

Gr 2-4-While not quite the memoir of a wanton troublemaker, this is the tale of a real-life lovable scamp along the lines of Sara Pennypacker's Clementine. With the help of Johnston, Wang gives her audience a sense of her family's life in Inner Mongolia in the early 1980s, growing potatoes, awaiting the arrival of the local popcorn vendor, and celebrating the New Year. Young Jin-then known as Haiyan-is depicted in illustrations with a grin and two skyward-pointing pigtails, the kind of exuberant kid anyone would want to follow up a tree or join to see if an icy doorknob is as delicious as it looks. This is an approachable memoir for readers transitioning into chapter books, with episodic storytelling that honors a child's viewpoint and avoids too much explanation. A long recovery from a possible rabies infection is presented with the same matter-of-fact tone as hunting for mushrooms after the rain. Some readers will need coaxing to consider picking up Born Naughty, as high stakes and drama are nearly nonexistent, save one scene in which Haiyan's Ma fights off a thunderstorm. Back matter includes illuminating information on how the authors began their collaboration. VERDICT Part Ramona Quimby, part Little House on the Prairie, this is a charming snapshot of one child's lived experience in Inner Mongolia.-Alexandra Quay

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2024
Wang tells of her early life sharing a tiny mud house in Non Ba Zi, a remote village in Inner Mongolia, with her mother, father, and two younger brothers. Episodic stories offer glimpses of everyday experiences that center shifting seasons, child-pleasing details, and tight family bonds. From planting potatoes in spring, enduring frightening thunderstorms in summer, starting school for the first time in fall, and huddling inside with lambs in the freezing winter, each anecdote is matched by Baigude's lively black-and-white illustrations. Risking trouble over tearing her clothes, eight-year-old Jin races to climb to the top of a tree to defeat a teasing boy. With a strong sense of adventure, she relishes the chance to take a trip with her father to fill a large tank with water, a chore shared by all villagers. Jin displays profound gratitude toward nature and respect for elders throughout the narrative. Amid humorous depictions of childhood joys are realities of the hardships of having little food and water, no electricity, and limited access to healthcare. When Jin suffers a life-threatening dog attack, she is nursed to health by her mother's use of folk medicine. Reinforcing the strong sense of place, information about Chinese calligraphy, superstitions, and New Year's traditions are included. This concisely written and heartwarming memoir resonates with childlike wonder and optimism. Appended with authors' notes (placing the story in 1982) and an illustrator's note. Kristine Techavanich

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2024
Wang tells of her early life sharing a tiny mud house in Non Ba Zi, a remote village in Inner Mongolia, with her mother, father, and two younger brothers. Episodic stories offer glimpses of everyday experiences that center shifting seasons, child-pleasing details, and tight family bonds. From planting potatoes in spring, enduring frightening thunderstorms in summer, starting school for the first time in fall, and huddling inside with lambs in the freezing winter, each anecdote is matched by Baigude's lively black-and-white illustrations. Risking trouble over tearing her clothes, eight-year-old Jin races to climb to the top of a tree to defeat a teasing boy. With a strong sense of adventure, she relishes the chance to take a trip with her father to fill a large tank with water, a chore shared by all villagers. Jin displays profound gratitude toward nature and respect for elders throughout the narrative. Amid humorous depictions of childhood joys are realities of the hardships of having little food and water, no electricity, and limited access to healthcare. When Jin suffers a life-threatening dog attack, she is nursed to health by her mother's use of folk medicine. Reinforcing the strong sense of place, information about Chinese calligraphy, superstitions, and New Year's traditions are included. This concisely written and heartwarming memoir resonates with childlike wonder and optimism. Appended with authors' notes (placing the story in 1982) and an illustrator's note.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)