Campus Novel Volume

Author: Yang Hongying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-07-01
Features: A golden key to unlock Yang Hongying's literary world, sharing the joy of reading and the happiness of writing. With these three volumes, you can explore the essence of Yang Hongying's literature. A strong collaboration between Yang Hongying and An Wu Lin.
Yang Hongying is a highly skilled writer who connects deeply with children. She is also an imaginative and loving author. Her understanding and insight into children surpass many fellow writers who create for young readers. Her thoughtfulness and tenderness are unparalleled, making her works effortlessly resonate with children.
I admit that children have diverse needs in reading or literary appreciation. They enjoy various genres and styles, but Yang Hongying's works have shown us a significant revelation: caring about children's real-life situations can win their affection. In other words, realistic works are highly favored by children. Whether it's The Diary of a Female Student, The Diary of a Male Student, The Bad Boys of Class Five Three, or the Ma Xiaotiao Series, her works mirror children's real lives. She is not only a faithful chronicler of children's lives but also a meticulous guardian of their hearts and emotions.
I have no doubt that her fairy tales and science fairy tales will also win the hearts of children. One of the key reasons why Yang Hongying's works are so beloved by children is that many of her characters are based on real-life prototypes. Beautiful teachers like Ma Xiaotiao, Ran Dongyang, and others are vivid and lifelike. They come from children and return to their midst—a natural process. Therefore, in a way, her works are like clear mirrors, reflecting the shadows of countless children. Their worries, pains, joys, sorrows, secrets, and anxieties can all be found in Yang Hongying's works, where they receive listening, understanding, tenderness, and care.
Of course, this requires a writer to possess keen observation skills, rich expression, a sacred sense of mission, and a high sense of responsibility. Otherwise, she would neither come from children nor return to them. This demanding process of accumulation has been authentically experienced by Yang Hongying, which is truly remarkable.
I also acknowledge another fact: her teaching experience has provided her with an inexhaustible source of creative inspiration. Another significant feature of Yang Hongying's works is their approachability. She doesn’t talk to children from a position of authority but sits down and engages in heartfelt conversations with them. This allows her to understand and portray children's worlds with meticulous detail. This attitude or quality is evident even in her early works—especially her fairy tales. I believe this is closely tied to her experiences and insights as a mother, teacher, and writer. She never communicates with children through just one identity. In many of her works, we can sense her engaging with children through multiple roles simultaneously. Beyond these three identities, she is also their friend.
If we interpret Yang Hongying's works through only one lens, we would fail to fully grasp why children love her stories and might even draw the opposite conclusion.
Of course, this approachability is also reflected in the simplicity of her works. Her writing is so concise that it borders on being sparse, so clean that it seems almost devoid of effort. In reality, this is a highly concentrated embodiment of wisdom and talent.