The true story of a poor Chinese peasant boy who, plucked unsuspectingly at the age of ten from millions of others across the land to be trained as a ballet dancer, turned the situation to his advantage to become one of the world's greatest ballet stars.
Simply told, with charm, humour and compassion and at times, great drama. His childhood, despite the terrible hardships, is drawn with love and affection and contrasts starkly with the seven lonely years of gruelling training at the Peking Dance Academy. At the age of l8, Li performs at the Houston Ballet school in the US, which leads to his dramatic defection.
This is a condensed edition, specially for younger readers, and has an Afterword especially for children.
- ISBN10 0141320869
- ISBN13 9780141320861
- Publish Date 6 July 2006 (first published 1 September 2003)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 11 October 2023
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
- Format Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
- Pages 352
- Language English