This page is not only for kids who have read my books and would like know me better as an individual, but also for you who have stumbled upon my web site and would like to check it out.

This is how I would like to introduce myself: I will put up some general questions from other kids, and my answers to them. Should you have more questions, please write me: info@ruowenwang.com                                        

Q. When did you first start reading?

A. I cannot remember exactly when I first started reading, because no one meant to teach me at certain age. I just picked it up along the way. But I do remember one early incident: My aunt, my adoptive mother’s younger sister (my biological mother, as a matter of fact), borrowed some picture books for my brother, who is 17 years older than I am. He was reading to himself in bed. I crawled over and asked him to read it out loud so that I could share. He wouldn’t. Instead, he pulled the blanket over his head to hide himself and the book. That aggravated me. I was not strong enough to pull his blanket off his face, but located where his nose was. I took a bite on his nose through the blanket! That got him jumping!

My mother told my brother, “Never irritate a teething baby. Read to her or she will chew your book up.” My brother behaved. I guess that was when I started to get along with books.

Q. What kind of books did you like to read when you were a child?

A. I read whatever I could lay my hands on. My family was cast out of the city because my father was not in line with the Communist Party. There were limited books available in a village in China back then. Most books were prohibited because they were not Communist enough. Many a time, to keep out of sight of other people, I had to read such a book under the table. When I saw a neighbour with a book, I used to offer her some boiled water (To boil water, it cost coal, which cost money.) or do any favour to please her so that I could coax her into lending me the book.

Q. How much did you read when you were in elementary school?

A. I read the entire local library. Since the Commune’s head office was situated in our village, they built a new library there. It was about as small as a medium-sized convenience store. It was a showcase, of course, because not many people could read, including the lady who ran the library. The library rented books at the rate of one penny a day, but there were hardly any people interested. I was the only one renting books regularly. One penny every day was a lot  of money to me, because my family’s income was only ten Yuan (1,000 pennies) a month, therefore, I had to devour books like crazy day and night to get the most out of every coin spent. I remembered once, in a public washroom, I found some pennies in an urinal. That was God’s gift. I scooped up the pennies, washed them clean and ran to the library!

At age ten, I lost both my birth mother and my adoptive mother. Their death turned my world into eternal darkness. Reading was the only way to keep my mind occupied from sad thoughts. Quickly I ran out of money. I went to the library, intending to speak to the lady. To my surprise, the head of the Commune was there for his annual inspection. I heard the library lady telling him, “This poor little girl comes everyday. She does not have much money, and her mother has just died.” That man glanced at me with a poker face, or at least tried to hide his expression, and then he turned his back on me pretending to browse books on the shelves. Without a word, he waved his hand at the lady as his authorization. That lady sent me out with a couple of books, and never charged me for reading from then on. That was how I read the entire library.                                                                                                          (With my sister - when I was ten.)

Sorry, if this part is too gloomy for you. However, if you wish to read more stories like this about my early life in China, wait for my next book, Yu Da. I’m having a hard time writing it though because it brings too many sad memories. I will have to write a little at a time.

Q. What were you like when you were a little girl?

A. Just like any of you, except a little too much of a handful for a girl. My parents spoiled me, and people around me shook their heads in disapproval. Read my book, Little Wen, which is based on my early childhood memories. It also gives you a glimpse of what life was like in China then.

Q. Did you know what you wanted to be in the future when you were a child?

A. I only knew I wanted to go to a university because that was what my father kept telling me at bedtime when he rocked me to sleep in his arms. My father was an artist by profession, but he could not afford to finish primary school. He had no clue what a university was like. However, education has always been his priority in life. He just knew that only special scholars were selected to attend the highest learning institutions, and being one of them would bring a great honour to the family. Back then, all I could understand was “Students in universities are state treasures. Even their washrooms are indoors and heated with a burning stove.” That motivated me! Forty years ago in China, public washrooms were on the streets and were very cold in winter. It was a dream for a little girl to go to a washroom without a frozen bum. And that was all my life goal was by then. True enough, the washroom in my university was indoors and it was heated.

Q. Did you ever get in trouble?

A. All the time. Only dolls do not get in trouble. Getting into trouble is part of the learning process for children. If you ever get into trouble, before you feel bad, think about what I have said. As long as you learn from your mistakes and try to do better next time - and try to make every day better than the day before - you are growing.

Q. Have you failed in school?

A. Yes, but not academically because with only a few sets of textbooks, there was not much available to learn in a school. I flipped through the textbooks in the first two weeks, and skipped the rest of school year. Regardless of my high marks, I got expelled for having a poor attendance of just 13 days! I was a lost soul for one whole year. That experience made me think, and taught me a lesson. One year later, I went to another school to start fresh. It was a 40-minute bicycle ride from home. I worked very hard, made up one year’s learning in two months, and became a top student six months later. As you can see, we all stumble and fall in our lives, but we can always pick ourselves up and get back on our feet again. In my case, I learn better and gain more from my failures than from my successes.

Q. Why do you like reading and writing?

A. Because I have nothing better to do - I mean that it is the best thing I could do. Reading satisfies me, and puts me in my own paradise. Writing is a passion. In my case, I started growing this passion with love letters at very young age. My first love letter was written at age 7, to my kitten. I hid it in a cigarette tin. I was embarrassed when my brother discovered it. Now when I look back, I can laugh about it. If you are interested in writing, write about something that interests you. It is not a bad idea to start with love letters to your pets. It feels good when you can express your feelings. And your feelings to your pet will urge you to write more.

Q. What made you want to become a writer?

A. I have this answer in the For Adults section of this web site; therefore, I do not want to sound like a broken record that plays the same thing over and over again. You are more than welcome to visit the For Adults page. My warning: It is a longer page.

I have to stop here before you get bored. Before I finish, I just want to tell you this: Writing is a “flammable passion." The more you write, the better you will become. The better you become, the more you want to write, and your passion for writing will grow. When you are good at writing, you feel empowered! Reading is one’s right. No one can take that right away from you. Exercise your right. It is also a privilege. Take advantage of it.

You do not have to buy the books you see on my web site. If you wish to read them, take advantage of your local or school libraries, or even bookstores. When you cannot find my books in your local bookstores or libraries, you can always ask them to carry these books. You will need to show them my name, the name of my books, and their ISBN numbers. Please see the list below. Print this page out and take it with you when you talk to a library or a bookstore.

Happy reading and writing, everyone!

Books by Ruowen Wang and their ISBN numbers:

Little Joy - ISBN 978-0-9738799-7-1
My Ghostwriter –ISBN 978-0-9738799-0-2
To Share One Moon - ISBN 978-0-9738799-5-7
The Hidden Treasure –ISBN 978-0-9738798-1-0
Eenie Meenie Minie Moe –ISBN 978-0-9738798-4-1
Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking?–ISBN 0-9738798-0-7
Zigzoo – When a Dragon Catches a Cold.–ISBN 978-0-9738799-8-8
Little Wen – What Is this Saying in Chinese? – ISBN 978-0-9738799-3-3

More books will be added to the list and posted online at: www.kevinandrobinbooks.com. Ask your teachers and librarians about them and feel free to tell other people about my books and my website. Thank you.