Comic Book Review: Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu & Andrés Vera Martínez
Da Qin (Na Liu’s childhood nickname) and her little sister Xiao Qin lived a peaceful life with their parents in Wu Han. When Da Qin was four, a very sad thing happened. The leader of her country, Mao Zedong, died. Her parents owed much to the opportunities granted them by the Communist Party, and grieved deeply. Things were about to change in China.
This “graphic novel” is a set of eight stories about Da Qin’s childhood; there are moments of great happiness, and also of privation and sorrow. Xiao Qin was born right after the One Child Policy was enacted; the family wasn’t fined, but some resources were only allotted to one child, which meant that one or the other had to do without.
There are stories of China’s folklore and why the New Year is celebrated with firecrackers, and of past starvation which is why children mustn’t waste food.
A particularly affecting story is the title one, which takes its name from a handmade jacket with the duck sewn on it. Da Qin wears it on a visit to her father’s remote home village, and learns that China’s prosperity is not distributed evenly. The village children are amazed at such luxury, and the white duck becomes unrecognizable with their filthy handprints all over it.
There is a glossary at the back for the Mandarin Chinese terms used, a further autobiography of Na Liu past her childhood, and translations of some Chinese writing that is left untranslated in the main story.
The art and coloring is very “children’s book” with influences by traditional Chinese painting. It works well here.
This is a valuable look into the lives of children in late 1970s China, a time and place not much covered in American schools. (And even then most likely with an emphasis on the suffering of people under the Red Chinese government.) While Da Qin is about four in most of the stories, the book is more suitable for children a touch older, perhaps six on up. (Parents should be aware that there are scenes of starvation, and animal abuse.)
Recommended to families seeking a wider selection of comics for their children who want to learn about the world and its peoples.
