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For this book club, we will be using the book Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie. You can purchase it in digital, paperback, hardcover, and audio formats. It is also available at many local libraries.

Additionally, you will need The Norton Sampler: Seventh Edition, edited by Thomas Cooley. The essays are different in each edition, so you will need the 7th edition for this course.

To complete the grammar exercises, you will need Barron's E-Z Grammar by Dan Mulvey.

You will also need a notebook or binder for your notes, vocabulary, and writing.

Note to the Parent:

This novel explores life during China’s Cultural Revolution, including themes of political persecution, reeducation camps, and censorship. It features adolescent characters who experience sexual awakening and brief romance, mild sexual references, occasional profanity, and mentions of alcohol. The novel is thoughtful and sensitive, but addresses mature themes of oppression and personal transformation.

This book has sexual references (Part 3, Chapters 4-7). Please review the book in advance if you have concerns.

We have chosen this book because it is a valuable description of the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Parent Review: