Mei Li

Thomas Handforth was not Chinese, but that did not stop him from publishing one of the most iconic children’s books of the time in 1939, dedicated to the peculiarities of Chinese culture and tradition.

A successful American engraver and artist, Handforth traveled a lot, having traveled almost half the world. He lived in France, North Africa, India and Mexico, and in the early thirties he spent several months in China. There he met a girl named Mei Li, who lived next door, and she inspired him to create a children’s book.

According to its plot, the perky and courageous Mei Li comes with her family to Beijing to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The festive fair is noisy and cheerful, but according to ancient traditions, there is no place for a woman there. Numerous competitions and entertainment are designed exclusively for a male audience. Mei Li is immensely upset by this state of affairs and sets out to prove to everyone, and above all to her brother, that girls can cope with tasks no worse.

The book’s explicit feminist message, very timely at the time, did not go unnoticed; it was highly praised by American critics and warmly received by readers. In 1939, the story of Mei Li was awarded the Caldecott Medal, one of the most prestigious American awards in the field of children’s illustrated books, which had been established, by the way, just a couple of years earlier.