Do Not Say We have Nothing

This award-winning Canadian novel begins with young Li-Ling who lives in Vancouver and seeks information about her father, a brilliant pianist, and why he killed himself. With the help of a relative who fled China, she traces the story as the novel flashes back to the 1940s and moves forward across the decades, following characters, some also musicians, who opposed the Chinese communist government, and endured many atrocities. This complex historical novel has strong characters, themes, language usage, and motifs and will challenge students and broaden their understanding of the world. Suitable as a literature circle or independent choice for grade 12.