Hello again,
For those of you considering any sort of reading material for your high schoolers regarding China, I would like to suggest a group of books written by Robert Van Gulik that make up the Judge Dee Mysteries Series. The one that I would like to recommend is known as the Chinese Nail Murders. I gave my AP World History students as an option to fulfill their summer reading this past year. The book is set during Imperial China, I believe during the Tang dynasty. The book not only provides the reader with the unique way of how Judge Dee and his assistants go about discovering a murder mystery, but also provides a glimpse of Chinese life during this period of time. I don't really know which one this book is in the series, but unlike the recent "Twilight" series, you can read just about anyone (Chinese Gold Murders, Chinese Lake Murders, Chinese Bell Murders) and acquire the essence of these mystery novels. Also, the book provides illustrations that portray Chinese imagery of this time. It may not be for everyone, but it is something worth checking out.
Manuel Mendoza 😀