Only a Parasol Tree Will Do

This book is a collection of works published in 2009 by Zhang Mingming, a student in the high school olympiad class at the Affiliated High School of South China Normal University. It is her third collection, following I Don't Want to Grow Up and Home Alone. The book runs to about 175 pages and was published by Huacheng Publishing House. Its title is drawn from the Book of Songs, in the ode "Juan A" from the "Major Odes of the Kingdom": "The phoenix sings, on that high ridge; the wutong grows, facing the morning sun." She takes as her motto the phoenix's insistence that it will roost only on the wutong tree. The collection brings together her Chinese essays, English writings, life records, and study notes from the first year of junior high through the first year of senior high, along with some pieces from her primary school years. It is arranged in seven chapters by school stage and theme, covering campus life, competition experiences, the blending of Chinese and Western cultures, and the inner journey of growing up. Her Chinese essays are mostly prize-winning exam pieces, written with flair; her English essays flow smoothly and have won praise from foreign teachers; her life records draw large meaning from small moments and show original insight; and her study notes come from her firsthand experience in the top class and the olympiad class, including specific methods such as discussion-based learning in mathematics, inductive summarization, and keeping lists of mistakes and model problems. The book also describes campus life and friendships at the Affiliated High School of South China Normal University, presenting the vivid and bright youthful side of a top science student who is also strong in the humanities, beyond her coursework. It offers useful reference for middle school students of her age and for their parents.