Ji-li Jiang was born in Shanghai, China, in 1954. Haunted by the years she lived under the Cultural Revolution, she moved to the United States in 1984. During her first years in the country, she was constantly astonished by the freedoms Americans enjoyed. After making it through college and embarking on a successful career, Jiang found she still could not forget China. In 1992 she started her own company, East West Exchange, to promote cultural exchange between the United States and China. She also wrote Red Scarf Girl, which was published in 1997. Jiang speaks about her experiences and her writing:

Why did you want to write this story for young readers instead of for adults?

To tell the truth, I didn't plan to write a children's book when I started. I was inspired by The Diary of Anne Frank, and I decided to write my story through a little girl's innocent eyes instead of as an adult looking back. Before I even started, I was very clear that I wanted to limit the story to what a child might have been aware of at that time, without an adult's analysis, without judgment. I guess that's the main reason this became a book for young adults. I am very happy with the result. I used to be a teacher myself, and I feel very rewarded to be able to reach so many children with my story. When I first came to America, I was amazed by the beautiful lives American children have. Wow, I thought, they have everything, big houses, nice cars, tons of toys, countless books. They even have school buses to pick them up every day. They really have everything you can imagine. But gradually, I learned that American kids also have a lot of difficulties in their lives, although different from mine. At home, some kids have a single parent or even abusive parents; at school, they have to deal with peer pressure related to drugs, sex, gangs, violence, etc. I realized that all of us, little Ji-li in China in the 60s, or little Mary or David in America in the 90s, have to deal with difficulties in our lives. If they can gain a little courage from reading my book, and learn to follow their own hearts and use their own brains to make decisions instead of yielding to pressure, I will feel extremely gratified.

What was it like to write about a time in your life that was confusing, scary, and sometimes sad?

It was very painful to relive this dark time. Many times, I couldn't continue. I had to drive to the beach to recover myself. I stared across the Pacific Ocean, seeing that little girl, frightened, suffering and struggling. I cried.

How did your experiences during this time shape who you are today? How have they contributed to your beliefs and to your way of viewing the world around you?

Before the Cultural Revolution, I was a very happy and innocent girl. The world seemed perfect to me. The Cultural Revolution was the first time that I experienced constant humiliation, horror and despair. Since I didn't have older brothers or sisters, I had no choice but to face them myself. As a little girl, I dried my tears and plucked up the courage to deal with one difficulty after another. To survive I had to become stronger and tougher. The Cultural Revolution taught me to never give up. The Cultural Revolution made me more mature politically. I understood how evil the greed for power and money can be and I learned not to blindly trust and worship anyone. Instead of being bitter, I realize I can do something, even if in a very small way, to prevent this from happening again. That's the reason I wrote this book. I don't think we will ever make evil disappear entirely, but we can make a difference by doing what we can where we are. I do believe a better understanding will make the world more peaceful and better.