When Young Fu arrives with his mother in bustling 1920s Chungking, all he has seen of the world is the rural farming village where he has grown up. He knows nothing of city life. But the city, with its wonders and dangers, fascinates the 13-year-old boy, and he sets out to make the best of what it has to offer him.

First published in 1932, Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze was one of the earliest Newbery Medal winners. Although China has changed since that time, Young Fu’s experiences are universal: making friends, making mistakes, and making one’s way in the world.

Elizabeth Foreman Lewis (1892-1958) received special training in religious education and English literature, and in 1917 was sent to China by the Methodist Women’s Board. There she studied the Chinese language and history, and held teaching posts in Shanghai, Chungking, and Nanking. Young Fu was her first book.

William Low was born and raised in New York City. He is the author and illustrator of Chinatown and Old Penn Station, as well as a four time Silver Medal winner at the Society of Illustrators. Currently, he teaches at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.