Mao's Last Dancer is a fantastic book. It is about a young boy who lives in a family with 6 brothers, in poverty in China, and Cunxin, his name, is chosen, when he is 11, to be part of the Beijing Dance Academy. He takes this chance, and studies ballet, as well as school subjects, there, for 5 years. He goes to America, but there, marries and defects, despite worrying about his family, in poverty, back in China. He later re-marries, and moves to Melbourne, in Australia. Mao's Last Dancer is a book that is hard to put down. It portrays a story of a small boy, who has followed his dreams, and persisted, and they have come true. I highly recommend this read to anyone of any age.