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Silkkipääsky
"Lu Si-yan, tänään on suuri päivä. Tästä päivästä lähtien sinun on opittava huolehtimaan itsestäsi elämän sameissa kuohuissa. Äitisi ja minä olemme auttaneet sinut hyvään alkuun. Nyt saat ohjat omiin käsiisi." Näin sanoen setä tarttuu 11-vuotiasta Silkkipääskyä kädestä ja taluttaa hänet torille myytäväksi.
Sinä päivänä Lu Si-yanin elämä muuttuu: hän saa katkerasti kokea, mitä on syntyä tyttölapseksi Kiinaan. Mutta Silkkipääsky on päättänyt taistella - kukaan ei saa turmella hänen sisintään.
Sinä päivänä Lu Si-yanin elämä muuttuu: hän saa katkerasti kokea, mitä on syntyä tyttölapseksi Kiinaan. Mutta Silkkipääsky on päättänyt taistella - kukaan ei saa turmella hänen sisintään.
189 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
31 people are currently reading
527 people want to read
About the author
Sally Grindley
247 books50 followersI came into children's books originally as Editorial Director of a nationwide children's book club, though I had written and directed a children's play while a student at Sussex University, which was performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. I wrote my first two children's picture books in 1984 and was lucky enough that Anthony Browne wanted to illustrate the second - Knock Knock Who's There? It was published in 1985, is still going strong today and is one of my most successful.
Shhh! was published in 1991 and has known great success in France/Belgium in particular (close on 300,000 copies sold). It's success in the UK - it won the Children's Book Award - was hampered by the liquidation of its original publisher.
I became a full-time author in 1995 and now have some 150+ titles published, the most recent being L'Histoire du Soir in France, Belgium and Italy.
Feather Wars, published in 2003, was my first sortie into young fiction and was followed by the very successful Spilled Water, which has been published in some ten different languages and is very popular in schools as a class reader. It won the Nestle Smarties Gold Award (and I wound up being a 'Pointless' answer on the back of it!) Broken Glass came next and was a Sunday Times Book of the Week.
I'm currently working on picture books again and have plans to illustrate one of my own in the not too distant future - watch this space!
Shhh! was published in 1991 and has known great success in France/Belgium in particular (close on 300,000 copies sold). It's success in the UK - it won the Children's Book Award - was hampered by the liquidation of its original publisher.
I became a full-time author in 1995 and now have some 150+ titles published, the most recent being L'Histoire du Soir in France, Belgium and Italy.
Feather Wars, published in 2003, was my first sortie into young fiction and was followed by the very successful Spilled Water, which has been published in some ten different languages and is very popular in schools as a class reader. It won the Nestle Smarties Gold Award (and I wound up being a 'Pointless' answer on the back of it!) Broken Glass came next and was a Sunday Times Book of the Week.
I'm currently working on picture books again and have plans to illustrate one of my own in the not too distant future - watch this space!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
April 13, 2013
Do not be fooled by the whimsical-looking cover and the “Children’s” genre. This book explores some very heavy themes: a girl’s place in society (that she is somehow “less” than a boy), betrayal, abuse, child labour, inhumane working conditions, and unscrupulous employers. It did not make me cry as I thought it would, but it still tugged at my emotions and made me feel for Si-Yan.
After some rudimentary Googling, I came to the conclusion that the phrase “spilled water” means something like a “waste” or I suppose “worthless.” This phrase is brought up a few times in the book, from people who look down on Si-Yan because of her poverty and the fact that she is a girl. (Note: the full proverb is actually “spilled water never returns to the cup” which I concluded means something like “you can’t get back the time you waste.”)
Si-Yan started off as a happy child living with her family in the countryside. They were poor, but they had what they need, they loved each other, and they were happy. Contrast this with Si-Yan’s Uncle Ba, who is rich, but is not happy. Also with the Chen family, a rich household with no love. It makes you think about how in the grand rat race of the world, some people are so focused with making money, thinking it is the guaranteed path to happiness, but they end up miserable or cold-hearted.
The portrayal of abusive employers and inhumane working conditions may seem to be an exaggeration, but it is a stark and harsh reality. There are workers out there who are underpaid, ill-treated, and suffering conditions that you would never wish on anyone. Grindley shows this to us from the point of view of a young girl, not even a teenager, suddenly forced to work for some despicable people. Heart-wrenching, really.
Aside from the good exploration of such themes, I also enjoyed the characters of this book. Si-Yan is shown to be this girl who tries her best to be strong, but is knocked down, and still needs a little help from her friends. She was able to take what the world threw at her, not just for her sake, but for her family’s. It was beautiful and even painful to watch her grow from this naive little girl to the person she was at the end of the book.
I liked Si-Yan’s allies, but I also liked her adversaries. I liked that most of them weren’t just flat or stock antagonists who did things for the sake of being evil. We get to see their own inner pain, that they went through something that made them that way. It helps you understand them better, but you still can’t condone their actions. I like that in an antagonist, that they have more than one side to them, and they have a reason for being that way.
The writing style was easy to follow, and although Grindley didn’t immerse me in the world like I thought she would, she was still able to paint a picture of Si-Yan’s life. She was able to contrast the idyllic and clean countryside with the bustling and polluted big city, letting us see the good and the bad.
Overall: This book gets four stars from me meaning that I really liked it, and I recommend it. The book makes you think about those heavy themes that it laid out, but it doesn’t force you to. Either you can just be along for the ride and watch Si-Yan grow, or you can really get into the story, feel the things she feels, and grow along with her. I found it thought-provoking, and maybe even a bit inspiring, asking you to treat your fellow human being with the respect they deserve.
After some rudimentary Googling, I came to the conclusion that the phrase “spilled water” means something like a “waste” or I suppose “worthless.” This phrase is brought up a few times in the book, from people who look down on Si-Yan because of her poverty and the fact that she is a girl. (Note: the full proverb is actually “spilled water never returns to the cup” which I concluded means something like “you can’t get back the time you waste.”)
Si-Yan started off as a happy child living with her family in the countryside. They were poor, but they had what they need, they loved each other, and they were happy. Contrast this with Si-Yan’s Uncle Ba, who is rich, but is not happy. Also with the Chen family, a rich household with no love. It makes you think about how in the grand rat race of the world, some people are so focused with making money, thinking it is the guaranteed path to happiness, but they end up miserable or cold-hearted.
The portrayal of abusive employers and inhumane working conditions may seem to be an exaggeration, but it is a stark and harsh reality. There are workers out there who are underpaid, ill-treated, and suffering conditions that you would never wish on anyone. Grindley shows this to us from the point of view of a young girl, not even a teenager, suddenly forced to work for some despicable people. Heart-wrenching, really.
Aside from the good exploration of such themes, I also enjoyed the characters of this book. Si-Yan is shown to be this girl who tries her best to be strong, but is knocked down, and still needs a little help from her friends. She was able to take what the world threw at her, not just for her sake, but for her family’s. It was beautiful and even painful to watch her grow from this naive little girl to the person she was at the end of the book.
I liked Si-Yan’s allies, but I also liked her adversaries. I liked that most of them weren’t just flat or stock antagonists who did things for the sake of being evil. We get to see their own inner pain, that they went through something that made them that way. It helps you understand them better, but you still can’t condone their actions. I like that in an antagonist, that they have more than one side to them, and they have a reason for being that way.
The writing style was easy to follow, and although Grindley didn’t immerse me in the world like I thought she would, she was still able to paint a picture of Si-Yan’s life. She was able to contrast the idyllic and clean countryside with the bustling and polluted big city, letting us see the good and the bad.
Overall: This book gets four stars from me meaning that I really liked it, and I recommend it. The book makes you think about those heavy themes that it laid out, but it doesn’t force you to. Either you can just be along for the ride and watch Si-Yan grow, or you can really get into the story, feel the things she feels, and grow along with her. I found it thought-provoking, and maybe even a bit inspiring, asking you to treat your fellow human being with the respect they deserve.
January 24, 2019
To me, the book "Spilled Water" is talking about a new beginning or a new life. For example, the poor but happy life with mother and brother on the farm, rich, big city but lonely and prison-like life with the Chen's, the simple, happy life in the town life with friends but works at a factory that illegally hires children for workers, but, at last, the new beginning of her new life. So that makes me think the theme of the story is "Sometimes in life things can be difficult for you, but there is always a new way to start."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2011
Spilled Water by Sally Grindley is a story about a Chinese girl who beats all odds in her life to finding her way home to her family. To me, this book was very emotional and life changing and made me look at my life differently. This story is about an eleven year-old named Lu-Si Yan who lived with her mother, father, and brother. Until one day her father is killed in a tragic accident that leaves her and her family estranged. Since the father was the provider of the family, the mother didn't know how to take care of the brother and Lu-Si and the farm. So to meet ends meat it was decided that her and her brother were to be sold so that the mother could make enough money to buy them back. Little did they know, the person who bought Lu-Si lived very far and it was too late to turn back now. Now Lu-Si must go through obstacles and difficulties to try to find her way back home to her family. This book deals with family and the sacrifices people have to make to ensure another person's safety. Overall it was a fantastic book that is based off of true stories that happen in China during this time period. As a child personally, I didn't know that kids had to go through so much and I didn't know that they had to provide for their family.
January 10, 2019
I liked how the story was set in china, in the 1900s (I think). The story was told in first person, so I could understand the main character's thoughts and opinions easily in the book. I could see that boys were more privileged and respected than girls. I can make a connection to ALWTW where Salva goes to school, but Nya has to get water. Throughout the story, Lu Si-Yan realizes what it means to be girl in her culture and learns how to fight through hard times.
April 6, 2020
"Spilled Water" by Sally Grindley helped me explore a whole new world. In this world, young girls and boys are sold to keep their family alive. I liked how Grindley used flashbacks in the first few chapters. It can be confusing at first, but when you read further the pieces will all come together. This book also let us further understand a social issue. People who live in poverty are faced with life or death consequences every single day. I think this book is definitely worth checking out if you're interested. However, this novel wasn't that gratifying for me. I recommend this book to readers who are interested in topics like poverty and social issues. Enjoy! :)
*I estimated the dates read*
*I estimated the dates read*
August 22, 2011
As the blurb says it was heart-wrenching, I couldn't help but hope for Lu Si-yan completely and utterly and what was worse was that this situation happens, all the time and yet I don't even know them or think about it. Of course the concept of sweat shops everyone knows about, or if they don't they really should by now, it's a worldwide issue which HAS to be dealt with. The book is clever in that it filters this issue and yet leaves nothing important about the issue out such as the deductions in wages and impossible working hours with compulsary overtime. However it stays appropriate for a younger audience, hard to do for an author addressing such a hard issue.
She makes the character, relateable to her target audience and shows that simple things can bring a lot of happiness such as the possibility of buying something you love just because YOU like it and not what everyone else likes. The simple love of friends and how important family is to a person. This book inspired me even though it's technically for children , it's been on my to-read shelf for THAT long....anyway I will end up reading them all.....some....day.
http://theteenagebookworms.blogspot.com/
She makes the character, relateable to her target audience and shows that simple things can bring a lot of happiness such as the possibility of buying something you love just because YOU like it and not what everyone else likes. The simple love of friends and how important family is to a person. This book inspired me even though it's technically for children , it's been on my to-read shelf for THAT long....anyway I will end up reading them all.....some....day.
http://theteenagebookworms.blogspot.com/
April 6, 2020
This book was good. I loved how the author created twists and twirls in the book, so you think that this will happen but instead happened that. Even though the book was amazing through out I did feel like it was a bit rushed, and it didn’t really end smoothly. I can’t relate too much to this book, but I am currently reading a book in Swedish that is similar. It’s about a family, and how they fled from Cuba to the US then later to Sweden just to start a new life along with their other family members. Anyways, apart from the fact that the ending was a bit rushed it did leave a sense of hope that Si-yan was going to reunite with her younger brother, and her friend was getting to join her home (but to her home town were she belonged). After reading one of Sally’s books I’m waiting to one of her other books called Bitter Chocolate. I’ve read the sample, and can’t wait to be able to read the rest of the book.
March 25, 2020
At times, the book was being read...well, "like a book." There wasn't much "between the lines" reading opportunities, and there weren't many major plot twists. This is the exception of the end which in my opinion, was very poorly staged and extremely abrupt. It seems as if Sally was on a word limit, and decided to suddenly drop off. As I was reading, to be perfectly honest, I was occasionally drifting away from the story, and not really absorbed. Nonetheless, I still persist that this book is a exceptional read for school. Although I sound like I am contradicting my earlier thoughts, I believe there is a good purpose it has for the curriculum. First, the plot of the story is straight forward by the simplicity. Of course, there are the negative impacts of this like I addressed earlier, but to add on, the plot drives the theme. In this book, it has many. Multiple lessons of life and an introduction to human trafficking and social hierarchy can be learnt. In other words, this book makes a somewhat un-interesting self-read; on the other hand, it should have a great spot in our school curriculum due to the possibly learning opportunities in socratic seminars about the overall themes. For example:
Social status is prominent throughout “Spilled Water,” whether it is between slaves vs slave owners; factory workers vs factory owners; or even caved in houses vs tall strong apartments. Sally Grindley emphasizes social hierarchy, and as long as money exists, so does greed and inequality.
With a simple story line, the deepest themes can be shown. So at the end of the day, is it really better to use simple writing but with thousands of meanings? Sally Grindley never used complicated language to explain "Spilled Water." Yet do we need an explanation? Is the symbol strong enough?
Social status is prominent throughout “Spilled Water,” whether it is between slaves vs slave owners; factory workers vs factory owners; or even caved in houses vs tall strong apartments. Sally Grindley emphasizes social hierarchy, and as long as money exists, so does greed and inequality.
With a simple story line, the deepest themes can be shown. So at the end of the day, is it really better to use simple writing but with thousands of meanings? Sally Grindley never used complicated language to explain "Spilled Water." Yet do we need an explanation? Is the symbol strong enough?
April 9, 2008
Sold to a rich family, determined to get home, Lu Si-Yan never expected her life will turn out this way after her beloved father's death. In the rich family, Lu Si-Yan was told she would marry the son of the Chen's, when she get older, but she hardly ever seen him. She was sold to become a servant. When she finally get to meet him , while serving dinner, she thought he was pretty handsome ,but the way he act was kind of... childish. It really creep her out.
As Lu Si-Yan try to step out of one hole she falls into another. I like this book, because I get mad when something really "big" happen. Like the part where the father die, I wanted to scream "NO!" out loud and the way the Uncle acts made me want to dump the book on the floor and stomp on it , like it's the Uncle. Reading this book can really make someone get emotional.
As Lu Si-Yan try to step out of one hole she falls into another. I like this book, because I get mad when something really "big" happen. Like the part where the father die, I wanted to scream "NO!" out loud and the way the Uncle acts made me want to dump the book on the floor and stomp on it , like it's the Uncle. Reading this book can really make someone get emotional.
January 7, 2015
When this was recently rediscovered during the post-Christmas clear out, I was overjoyed. This was one of my favourites as a child; it was a fascinating story about what was, for a ten year old, a completely different world. For me this story was more than a tragic tale of a Chinese girl sold practically into slavery. It was more of a story of human kindness and redemption; Lu Si-yan cannot find her family without the kindness of strangers. Such a beautifully written book; as it progress the writing style changes and develops and this portrays more than any words the harrowing impact the plot has on the protagonist. Excellent little book.
April 18, 2015
This book is a really sad one that makes us all realize the realities and hardships of life that children have to face today. Sally Grindley really captivated me and I felt like I was being transported into another country while sitting in my room. I absolutely love this book, and no matter how many times I read it it remains fresh and new...
July 11, 2012
Spilled Water is a great, heart-breaking tale. It's filled with hope, despair and the struggle to survival. Told through the eyes of a Chinese girl who was sold into slavery, this book will send you flipping through the pages.
October 30, 2013
Read this book when I was about 14, couldn't remember the name of it and have been looking for it for years! This book was gripping from start to finish and a total emotional roller coaster. The plot was a real eye opener. Recommend anyone and everyone to read.
September 23, 2014
A really short book but filled with a lot of beautiful memories and words
September 28, 2014
A harrowing read about child trafficking and slavery set in China. This one's for a younger age level so deals with domestic and factory forced labour. There is hope.
April 13, 2020
This book explained how Chinese culture was maybe over 20 years ago.
The theme of this book is never give up on something you believe in. Lu Siyan, the girl who was sold to an unknown family, was trapped like a slave! She always believed that she could somehow get out of this family and she ended up getting a chance. When Ms. Hong told her that she needed to leave, she found a chance and started believing in getting home and meeting her brother and mother again. This type of perseverance carried her throughout the book and she most of her wishes came true. But 1 didn't...
A thing that the author did good is setting out clues that can lead us to the book and also leaving some cliff hangers at the same time.
That is also the thing that I didn't really like about this book. With all the clues that the author gave out, I kind of guess the ending when I was throughout the book!
In conclusion, this book is worth it to read and will help the people who want to understand Chinese history learn something about the past in China.
The theme of this book is never give up on something you believe in. Lu Siyan, the girl who was sold to an unknown family, was trapped like a slave! She always believed that she could somehow get out of this family and she ended up getting a chance. When Ms. Hong told her that she needed to leave, she found a chance and started believing in getting home and meeting her brother and mother again. This type of perseverance carried her throughout the book and she most of her wishes came true. But 1 didn't...
A thing that the author did good is setting out clues that can lead us to the book and also leaving some cliff hangers at the same time.
That is also the thing that I didn't really like about this book. With all the clues that the author gave out, I kind of guess the ending when I was throughout the book!
In conclusion, this book is worth it to read and will help the people who want to understand Chinese history learn something about the past in China.
March 17, 2020
I think the resilience and bravery of Lu Si-yan is an amazing example of a theme that can represent the whole of this book. This is a strong, powerful novel that paints a perfect picture of a young girl's strength, bravery, and resilience. To go around that river bend and enter the muddy whirlpool of Lu Si-yan's muddled life. Si-yan escapes her ‘foster family’ to go back home, which takes so much resilience to fight for herself. It requires bravery to take the risk of traveling with barely anything, to a family where you don’t even know if they want you or not. Also, towards the beginning of the story, when Si-yan's father passes, Si-yan stays strong even though the ‘sun’ of their family had gone. She tries her best to stand up in front of their uncle, take care of the farm and the chickens, and--most important—takes prime care of her brother and mother. Another small example of this theme is when the roof from their house is struggling to keep up, Si-yan does not complain but helps along. Compared to children now, it is so sweet to see such a down to earth 11-year-old. Si-yan also stays brave in the situation, as she doesn’t show the fear of the moment the roof would come crashing down.
March 19, 2020
Spilled Water by Sally Grindley shows the reader how hard life can be. As the protagonist of the book, Lu Si-Yan faces many encumbrances and hardships throughout her teenage life. This ranges from indefatigably serving the affluent to losing half of her family. Her parents' presence fading like their deteriorated roof. Her family's wealth declining like a falling leaf. Her life being sold to the world. Spilled water, she was. However, under the circumstances of being an ignoble figure and constantly being badgered, she did not show her indignance with fury. She relied on motivation to keep her feet moving along the road. Lu Si-Yan is an example of being strong in spirit and purpose. “You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.”
Quote by Shaun Hick
Quote by Shaun Hick
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March 19, 2020I have finished reading this book. I believe that this book is like a rollercoaster because it always changes all the time, such as the past than the future, then presents and it changes all the time. I believe that it's not right to make a girl marry a disabled child. She should have the freedom and marry who she wants. I really hope that we can read more books like that.
October 5, 2021
Sydäntäsärkevä. Jätti jotenkin ihan sanattomaksi. Suosittelen aikuisille vaikka tämä kai onkin lasten/nuortenkirja. Niitä kirjoja, jotka jokaisen pitäisi lukea (ainakin jokaisen, joka on joskus ostanut jotain halpatuotantomaassa valmistettua). Silti tässä oli iloakin, ystävyyttä ja ripaus toivoa.
September 21, 2014
THIS IS MY ORAL RESPONSE
I decided to read the book Spilled Water by Sally Grindley because the first time I read it, it was given to me by a teacher as a "Book Study Project" in Primary School and I absolutely loved it. I recently remembered the book and decided I wanted to locate it and read it again and see if I still love Spilled Water's amazing story, which I do.
I really liked the main character Lu Si-yan. She is so brave, courageous and stubborn. I found her interesting because she grew up very poorly as her father hardly worked, but their family continued to stay in such a joyous mood. She’s also had an incredibly hard life, having being sold to slavery at the age of 11.
A quote that I found very interesting in the text was “Where was Uncle taking me, was he trying to sell me?” The reason why I find the quote interesting is because it’s a quarter way through the book, this is where the story really begins to unfold and Lu Si-yan really has no idea what is going on, she scared, she’s confused and so many thoughts are running through her head. But it also makes the reader put themselves in the shoes of Lu Si-yan, meaning they also begin to feel scared, confused and wonder deeply about what’s about to happen.
However my favourite quote is what Lu Si-yan's father always said "we're rich!" and when people would look at him funny he would smile and say, "we're rich because we have everything we need." This is my favourite quote because it taught me that you don't need to be rich to live a happy life.
The text made me think deeply about my life compared to Lu Si-yan and to be completely honest it really made me question myself as a person. Am I brave? Am I courageous? Could I survive like she did if I was in her situation?
I decided to read the book Spilled Water by Sally Grindley because the first time I read it, it was given to me by a teacher as a "Book Study Project" in Primary School and I absolutely loved it. I recently remembered the book and decided I wanted to locate it and read it again and see if I still love Spilled Water's amazing story, which I do.
I really liked the main character Lu Si-yan. She is so brave, courageous and stubborn. I found her interesting because she grew up very poorly as her father hardly worked, but their family continued to stay in such a joyous mood. She’s also had an incredibly hard life, having being sold to slavery at the age of 11.
A quote that I found very interesting in the text was “Where was Uncle taking me, was he trying to sell me?” The reason why I find the quote interesting is because it’s a quarter way through the book, this is where the story really begins to unfold and Lu Si-yan really has no idea what is going on, she scared, she’s confused and so many thoughts are running through her head. But it also makes the reader put themselves in the shoes of Lu Si-yan, meaning they also begin to feel scared, confused and wonder deeply about what’s about to happen.
However my favourite quote is what Lu Si-yan's father always said "we're rich!" and when people would look at him funny he would smile and say, "we're rich because we have everything we need." This is my favourite quote because it taught me that you don't need to be rich to live a happy life.
The text made me think deeply about my life compared to Lu Si-yan and to be completely honest it really made me question myself as a person. Am I brave? Am I courageous? Could I survive like she did if I was in her situation?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2013
What I really hate in stories (and in real life) are retarded parents that become useless, snivelling wrecks when one of them dies or divorces. They sit around all misty-eyed, remembering the good old days and neglecting their children, who consequently suffer horribly. I'm not a motherly person, yet it makes my blood boil when I hear about such people. What's worse is when they try to act all picturesque and responsible while the going's good, but crumble into a pile of worthless dust as soon as something goes wrong and leave the poor kids to pick up the pieces. So annoying!
For this reason, I hate Si-Yan's mother. In a way, she's worse than Uncle Ba because if she'd only got her act together maybe he wouldn't have been driven to... well; you can read the book and find out.
For this reason, I hate Si-Yan's mother. In a way, she's worse than Uncle Ba because if she'd only got her act together maybe he wouldn't have been driven to... well; you can read the book and find out.
March 21, 2019
This is one of my absolute favourite books. I loved it as a child and decided to read it again a few weeks ago and the magic of it has not changed at all!
The book tells the horrific story of the life of a chinese girl sold into slavery at a very young age. The story recounts the life of Lu Si Yan from the day she is taken away from her mother and brother and sold as a slave by her uncle. Lu Si Yan has to face up to the realisation that a value has been put to her name, she is now owned by a family who she knows nothing about and within days a new and completely different life is what she becomes accustomed to. Thoughout her journey back to freedom, she meets many people both good and bad. Sally Grindley uses powerful descriptive language which allows you as the reader to really enter into the time that this story was set and associate with the powerful emotions of characters which are portrayed in the book.
I think this book could be a good read for children in Year 6. There are very emotional parts and ideas which are hard to come to terms with in the book which I think might be too much for younger children. However, for slightly older children not only does the story teach a lot about the history of china and slavery, but it is an incredibly engaging read and leaves you wanting to know more all of the time. I would highly recommend!
The book tells the horrific story of the life of a chinese girl sold into slavery at a very young age. The story recounts the life of Lu Si Yan from the day she is taken away from her mother and brother and sold as a slave by her uncle. Lu Si Yan has to face up to the realisation that a value has been put to her name, she is now owned by a family who she knows nothing about and within days a new and completely different life is what she becomes accustomed to. Thoughout her journey back to freedom, she meets many people both good and bad. Sally Grindley uses powerful descriptive language which allows you as the reader to really enter into the time that this story was set and associate with the powerful emotions of characters which are portrayed in the book.
I think this book could be a good read for children in Year 6. There are very emotional parts and ideas which are hard to come to terms with in the book which I think might be too much for younger children. However, for slightly older children not only does the story teach a lot about the history of china and slavery, but it is an incredibly engaging read and leaves you wanting to know more all of the time. I would highly recommend!
June 23, 2020
I read in a previous review that it seemed like the author was trying to make social commentary on too many things at once. Whilst it could have been executed well in a longer book where each problem Lu Si-Yan encountered could have been fleshed out more, it felt like too much shoved into too little writing. However, Si-Yan's experiences in the factory were beautifully written. I think I would have rather had the whole book centre on that. Grindley's description of sweatshops was written well and showed how horrific and widespread this exploitation of workers was. It was jarring, as it needs to be.
I found the money being stolen off Si-Yan a particularly devastating moment because she seemed so close to freedom and it was all just robbed from her. The book ends on a very sad note, which felt bittersweet but in line with the serious undertones of the story. Although it felt abrupt, the ending doesn't brush over all of Si-Yan's suffering and act like everything goes back to normal when she reunites with her family as many 'happy endings' in books do (especially in books targeted towards a younger demogeaphic). Si-Yan, who was once so hopeful and resilient, is left broken and in despair and this solidified how serious and damaging what Si-Yan went through was.
I think a good takeaway from this book is how small acts of kindness can make a world of difference. From the villagers offering extra food and help at the farm to Si-Yan's family after her father's death, Xiong Fei encouraging Si-Yan to keep her head up and making her laugh, Mrs. Hong asking Si-Yan to read to her and encouraging her to talk about her family and putting Mrs. Chen in hrr place, the comraderie and loyalty between Si-Yan's friends at the factory, it all went to show how important kindness is.
I found the money being stolen off Si-Yan a particularly devastating moment because she seemed so close to freedom and it was all just robbed from her. The book ends on a very sad note, which felt bittersweet but in line with the serious undertones of the story. Although it felt abrupt, the ending doesn't brush over all of Si-Yan's suffering and act like everything goes back to normal when she reunites with her family as many 'happy endings' in books do (especially in books targeted towards a younger demogeaphic). Si-Yan, who was once so hopeful and resilient, is left broken and in despair and this solidified how serious and damaging what Si-Yan went through was.
I think a good takeaway from this book is how small acts of kindness can make a world of difference. From the villagers offering extra food and help at the farm to Si-Yan's family after her father's death, Xiong Fei encouraging Si-Yan to keep her head up and making her laugh, Mrs. Hong asking Si-Yan to read to her and encouraging her to talk about her family and putting Mrs. Chen in hrr place, the comraderie and loyalty between Si-Yan's friends at the factory, it all went to show how important kindness is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2020
The book Spilled Water is about a girl called Lu Si-Yan who was sold at a market by her Uncle, who she did not like. Once she was bought, she was sent to a house to be a worker and do all of the jobs in the house. She bad been told what to do everyday by her boss Mrs Chen. She had to make the family who lived there meals throughout the day, however she always managed to do something incorrectly, she had been helped by a man who cooked there. Mrs Chen was not pleased by his work as he was being distracted, so she fired him. An old lady who visited the house was very kind to Lu Si-Yan and therefore gave her money and told her to escape. She had got on a ferry and met a lady who offered her a job at the factory as she had lost her money, she needed it to be able to visit her Mum. After agreeing to work there she had met some friends. Unfortunately, because of all of the work, she did not feel well so she went to the hospital. While she was there, her Uncle came and told here that her Mother had died. She was furious, as she was not well she had to go home. I gave this book a rating of four as the ending was not explained well, this can be improved by the book explaining what happened to her after when she was older. However, this book is good as it is very intriguing and gripping.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2019
Spilled water is about a girl that had a happy family, but they were poor. And the father died. mom and uncle had to choose younger brother and had to sell the girl away. The girl was sold from a random rich family that she doesn't even know. The connection between spilled water and a long walk to water is that both people had to choose to leave, or loose something for future good. So what I mean is that in spilled water, girl's family had to sell her to get money, and in a long walk to water, they had to leave their homes because of the war. So people had, or have to loose their stuff in both books to help it's country or homes. I really liked this book and I really recommend.
June 16, 2020
As a mother of an daughter adopted from China, I learned a lot about expectations Chinese society has placed on girls. The vulnerability of children is often something others take advantage of in all cultures. This is a story that will also touches the hearts of anyone who is interested to know more about the plight of factory workers in China. I am glad that the story had a happy ending but my thought is that it is unlikely that a child forced to work at an early age and for unkind employers would ever find their way out of such a system.
This book is great. It made me laugh and it made me cry,and most of all i felt like it put me in a different world while i read it, like i could see the story happening before my eyes. spilled water is all about a young girl trying to find freedom and happiness, and in the end she does, but in a way you wouldn't expect.
This book is great. It made me laugh and it made me cry,and most of all i felt like it put me in a different world while i read it, like i could see the story happening before my eyes. spilled water is all about a young girl trying to find freedom and happiness, and in the end she does, but in a way you wouldn't expect.
December 3, 2012
Another thought-provoking novel. A young girl's life is thrown into misery with the death of her father and her uncle selling her as a servant. The book touches on many tough issues such as child labor, exploitations through scrupulous factory owners, arranged/forced marriages, the low status of girls in some societies and poverty, making especially women and girls vulnerable. The author does an amazing job, letting the reader travel with Lu-Si Yan, feeling her anger, fear, frustrations, and sheer hopelessness. This book will make you angry at some point, no doubt, but will also force you to wonder how many ties you might have bought and used items produced under the inhumane conditions described in the book...
November 25, 2007
This book follows a girl’s struggles after she is sold into slavery to repay her family’s debt after her father’s death. The author addresses topics such as classism, sexism, and ageism through the girl’s fight to return to her village. At times, it feels like the author is forcing unlikely sequences of events together just to add social commentary. Also, maybe for that same reason, the good characters are stereotypically good, to the point of being one-dimensional. But the author does do a good job of using the girl’s desperation to propel the story on. It was an average-to-good read, with an interesting view of life in China.
January 2, 2018
This story is well-written, and as someone who loved reading about culture and different societies as a child, this book was fascinating to me. The plot itself is heart-wrenching with some truly interesting characters and Grindley brings up some very important issues such as terrible conditions in sweatshops and the role of women. The main issue, however, that I have with this novel is that Sally Grindley is writing from a place of privilege (specifically white, middle-class, UK privilege) about poverty in China, which is slightly problematic. Having said that, I would recommend this book to young readers but would also suggest works by Adeline Yen Mah.
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