Freedom Swimmer

Description

Ming survived the famine that killed his parents during China's 'Great Leap Forward', and lives a hard but adequate life, working in the fields. When a group of city boys comes to the village as part of a Communist Party re-education program, Ming and his friends aren't sure what to make of the new arrivals. They're not used to hard labour and village life. But despite his reservations, Ming befriends a charming city boy called Li. The two couldn't be more different, but slowly they form a bond over evening swims and shared dreams. But as the bitterness of life under the Party begins to take its toll on both boys, they begin to imagine the impossible: freedom.

Wai was born in New York City. Although her parents didn't speak much English, Wai harboured a passion for books from a very young age, sneaking stories into bed to read well into the night. Wai graduated from Duke University with majors in Economics and English. After graduation Wai moved to Japan, where she spent over a year teaching English. She has lived in Australia for ten years, enjoying the sun and pursuing her passion for writing. Wai Chim is also the author of a junior fiction series called Chook Chook.