100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery on in-stock orders πŸš€

Mao's Last Dancer: Young Readers Edition

4.14 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 32,287 ratings, 2,187 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Mao's Last Dancer: Young Readers Edition tells the true story of Li Cunxin, a boy from rural China who rises against all odds to become a renowned ballet dancer. Through his determination and talent, he overcomes a challenging upbringing during Mao's Cultural Revolution to achieve international success, illustrating themes of perseverance and hope. The book is an inspirational tale of pursuit of dreams and personal transformation.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2400
Elsewhere:
$2600
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're inspired by true stories of resilience and determination. It follows a young boy's transformative journey from a poor village in China to becoming a world-renowned ballet dancer, offering an engaging glimpse into cultural change and personal triumph. Perfect for young readers interested in dance, history, or tales of overcoming the odds.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

One day, not so very many years ago, a small peasant boy was chosen to study ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy. His mother urged him to take this chance of a lifetime. But Li was only eleven years old and he was scared and lonely, pushed away from all that he had ever known and loved.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

One day, not so very many years ago, a small peasant boy was chosen to study ballet at the Beijing Dance Academy. His mother urged him to take this chance of a lifetime. But Li was only eleven years old and he was scared and lonely, pushed away from all that he had ever known and loved.

He hated the strict training routines and the strange place he had been brought to. All he wanted to do was go home - to his mother, father and six brothers, to his own small village.

But soon Li realised that his mother was right. He had the chance to do something special with his life - and he never turned back...

Visit the official Mao's Last Dancer Movie website at maoslastdancermovie.com.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780143301646

Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 02 May 2005

Country: Australia

Imprint: Puffin

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 26.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 316g

Pages: 352

About the Author

Li Cunxin was born in 1961, in the New Village, Li Commune, near the city of Qingdao on the coast of north-east China. The sixth of seven sons in a poor rural family, Li's peasant life in Chairman Mao's communist China changed dramatically when, at the age of eleven, he was chosen by Madame Mao's cultural advisers to become a student at the Beijing Dance Academy. After a summer school in America, for which he was one of only two students chosen, he defected to the West and became a principal dancer for the Housten Ballet. Li went on to become one of the best male dancers in the world. He is now a senior manager in a major stockbroking firm and lives in Melbourne, Australia, with his wife Mary and their three children, Sophie, Tom and Bridie. Li's autobiography, Mao's Last Dancer has sold over 400,000 copies and has been published in over 20 countries. A children's version of the book was released in 2005.

Also by Li Cunxin

View all
  • Mao's Last Dancer
    Before you can fly, you have to be free. A new edition of the phenomenal international bestseller. From bitter poverty to the stardom of the West - this is the extraordinary true story of one boy's great courage and determination. In a small, desperately poor village in north-east China, a young peasant boy sits at his rickety old school desk,...
    Paperback
    $2700
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The Peasant Prince
    'This is your one chance. You have your secret dreams. Follow them! Make them come true!' A moving and inspirational story based on the author's life that delights the young and the old, again and again. This true story of a poor Chinese peasant boy, who at the age of ten was plucked unsuspectingly from millions of others across the...
    Paperback
    $2200
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • Pre-order
    The Lucky Son
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Pre-order
    Out 6 Oct 2026

More from Children's Books

View all
  • New Release
    Royalslinger
    K Pop Demon Hunters fans will love this! Graci Kim is back with the second book in her exciting and fantastical Slinger series where dragons and phoenixes roam the skies of Seoul; meals magically appear based on your mood; and dreams literally come to life. Praise forΒ Dreamslinger: β€œA mind-blowingly original fantasy adventureβ€”Graci Kim has done it again!”—Rick Riordan,Β New York TimesΒ #1...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Detective Beans and the Map of Mystery
    Enjoy this new DETECTIVE BEANS adventure in the bestselling and award-winning graphic novel series by Li Chen! Your favourite kitten detective is back with a new mystery to solve . . . and treasure to find! When Captain Scuttlebeard gives Beans a treasure map, Beans is determined to find the prize at the end. The clues take him all over...
    By Li Chen
    Paperback
    $1900
    Elsewhere:
    $2200
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Mei Mei the Bunny
    New Release
    Mei Mei the Bunny
    Mei Mei the Bunny is Laufey's picture book debut about a bunny learning to believe in herself through music. Experience a heartwarming tale of self-belief in this enchanting picture book by GRAMMY Award-winning musician Laufey. Meet Mei Mei, a little bunny with a big dreamβ€”to spread joy through her music! As her debut recital at the H'Opera House draws near,...
    By Laufey
    Hardback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Hunted: Wolf Girl 15
    Just when Wolf Girl is finally reunited with her father, he is torn away from her once more, and Gwen vows to stop at nothing to track him down. But danger is closing in: a giant snow leopard and a mysterious hooded figure are hot on their trail. As Gwen and the pack race through deep caverns to snowy peaks,...
    By Anh Do
    Paperback
    $1699
    Elsewhere:
    $1899
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    What If You Could
    From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for teens on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people in the world leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed β€” herself included....
    Paperback
    $2599
    Elsewhere:
    $3000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Lonasei and the Mystery of Origin Grove
    Eleven-year-old Lonasei is lonelyΒ β€” she wishes her older sister Eva Grace wasn't so mean, and that her mum Aria didn't have to work so much. But when Aria inherits her childhood home, Lonasei discovers she can enter her late Aunt Malia's paintings and experience the memories within. Through them, she discovers that her mother had another sister, Agnes, who went...
    Paperback
    $2199
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Dawn Raid: The Apology
    This sequel to Dawn Raid follows Sofia Savea’s family, 50 years later, as Sofia's grandson becomes involved in the quest for a government apology. INVERCARGILL, 2020 Wow, I thought I knew a bit about the dawn raids, but this is HUGE. It happened to my OWN family and I never knew! I had no idea that Granfia and her family...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2099
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Big Bang Bread
    New Release
    Big Bang Bread
    In this time-travel storybook and cookbook with a cosmic twist, take a journey through time and space to discover the secrets of baking! Did you know that bread is made from stardust? Board the rocket and blast off on an adventure through time and space to discover the secrets of a home-baked loaf! Big Bang Bread is a kids' time-travel...
    Paperback
    $1800
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • B is for Bird
    From award-winning artist, Lily Emo, comes a beautiful celebration of birds. Paired with a fun rhyming story, gorgeous illustrations, and fold-out pages, this book is set to be a favourite for everyone and the perfect gift. Make your way through the alphabet with this stunning book featuring a cast of familiar birds. From albatross to fantails, gannets to quail, and...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    (1)
    Backorder
    Ships mid August
  • Signed Copy
    New Release
    The Curse of the Carnivorous Cactuses
    (Sam: Nothing could be as bad as being covered in icky purple blobs ... wait, what does carnivorous mean again?) The gang is determined to defeat Glam-Evil and her nasty curses so that they can save their park and get back for Shackleton and Amelia's very first sleepover. But Glam-Evil has a few new tricks up her ultravillainous sleeve ......
    Paperback
    $1400
    Elsewhere:
    $1499
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Bluey: Rain
    On Sale
    17% off
    New Release
    Bluey: Rain
    It's raining! Bluey is trying to dam the water in the front yard, but does she need Mum's help? Join Bluey as she plays in the water when a heavy summer rain thunders over the Heeler home. Can Mum stop Bluey from dirtying the house? Featuring: A nearly wordless picture book with visual storytelling that mimics the dialogue-free episode. A...
    By Bluey
    Hardback
    $1500
    Elsewhere:
    $2100
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Ed Sheeran
    Discover talented singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran's life story, from writing his first song aged just 11 to becoming a global superstar! Ed Sheeran's love of music began in childhood in Suffolk, where he sang in a church choir and taught himself guitar while still at primary school. Little Ed was bullied at school, but his music gave him confidence and a...
    Hardback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.