Out of the hands of the 12-year-old Nancy Yi Fan, the fantasy novel SWORDBIRD was published worldwide this February by one of the world's leading publishers, HaperCollins. Media from many countries are buzzing about this New York Times Children's Bestseller. This March, PLP published the Chinese-English bilingual edition of SWORDBIRD, which had been translated by the author herself. Indeed, the book went right into the hearts of both media and readers. Why was this book so well-received? Research results pointed to these factors: 1. Theme. The fluttering world of birds lightly veils a repeated message: peace is wonderful; freedom is sacred. It is undeniable that most people value and support these things. Your daily ritual of instant messaging upon your laptop or reading below a tree might as well be nothing if you add, say, an atomic bomb falling down into the picture. 2. The book was written by a 12-year-old author. It's got a touch of childish charm. Remember those little doodles of stick-figures? It's like that, simple and poignant, and reading it may just bring out your young self. 3. Inspirational for other children. It's astonishing how peer examples can animate and motivate kids. 4. 2008 Olympics to be held in China. Because of this, China's turning into a hot topic, so it's not hard to understand why the work of a young writer of Chinese origin gets so much attention. Even Jackie Chan recommends this book . Chinese culture is now in display to the world. HarperCollins' recent plan to translate and publish 50 Chinese modern classics is an example and a symbol of this. 5. Recognition. Since the book was published, many experts in children's literature wrote reviews on Nancy Yi Fan's debut novel. The General Administration of Press and Publication in China placed SWORDBIRD into the 2007 List of 100 Best Children's Books, in which SWORDBIRD ranked 3rd out of the 30 novels and collection of short stories in the fiction and art genre and 1st in the original chapter books category. It shows that the literary personnel involved in this wanted to see the differences between Chinese and American educational programs, as well as encourage kids to read, write and imagine. It's wonderful how this small book has risen into the sky of children's reading as a star. HarperCollins, in publishing books including SWORDBIRD, has encouraged the reading of children as well as the peace of the world. Jane Friedman not only has helped spread a wave of reading and writing enthusiasm among American kids, but also planted the seeds of peace and freedom in the hearts of global kids. She should be one of the greatest CEOs of the publishing industries in the world.