Booktalk: I’d like you to think about . . . your feet. What do they look like? Are they big feet? Are they small feet? Are they wide? Narrow?
Now that you have a picture of your feet in your heads, imagine that the kind of person you can marry depends on what your feet look like. Imagine that you could become a social outcast because of what your feet look like. Imagine that the only choices you had in life were to become a nun, a concubine, or a farmer’s wife because of what your feet look like.

In China, for many centuries, if you were a woman, it did matter what your feet looked like. Little girls had their feet bound, wrapped tightly in strips of cloth, and it resulted in deformed feet, tiny wedges upon which they tottered. Why? Because a woman with bound feet was guaranteed a good husband.

But in 1911, change was taking place in China. There was talk of a revolution, new ideas. Alinn is already 5 years old and her feet have yet to be bound. This worries the women in the family because a good marriage has been arranged for Alinn, and her future mother-in-law wants to know why her feet are not yet bound. But when Alinn’s mother and grandmother forcefully bind her feet, she screams and fights so violently that her father stops them from doing it. Four months later, Alinn’s future mother-in-law cancels the engagement to her son.

What good could possibly come of a woman with unbound feet? Find out in TIES THAT BIND... ( )

Ailin bucks a thousand years of Chinese tradition when she refuses to get her feet bound at age 4 like all young, respectable women of her day are expected to do. It is the mid 1900's, and women with bound feet are considered beautiful and it is necessary in order for them to have good marriage prospects. However, because of this decision, Ailin's life is ruined in her family's eyes as her future mother in law has called off her future marriage, and there are no prospects for a girl with "big feet." However, Ailin has more than big feet, she has a mind of her own. Lensey Namioka tells the story of a young Chinese girl not bound by tradition, and who is willing to leave everything behind in order to be true to her own self. ( )

In China in 1911, Ailin resists tradition and pressure from her family by refusing to have her feet bound to make her more attractive for her future husband. Her act of defiance alters her life forever.

BBYA Top 10 2000; RGG: Interesting story about a young girl in 1920's-30's China, who rebels against foot binding, and the independence that brings her.

This is a wonderful book about the struggles a daughter had to endure when she refuses ti go through with the practice of foot binding. This is a book everybody should read because it does also tell a story of triumphing over obstacles. It was a quick read for me in under 24 hours but that doesn't make it any less meaningful. Pick it up and read it. ( )