Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah

Chinese Cinderella is about a young Chinese girl who faces problems within her family. Her mother died a short while after giving birth to Adeline which caused her to have the name of bad luck. Her father quickly remarried to a young woman, Niang, who was beautiful, but never had motherly instincts. She neither cared for her husband nor her children. Also she didn't treat the kids with true love.Above all, Adeline was the most abused and emotionally scarred by Niang.

Every day, Adeline comes home with fear. Her school is her hideaway from reality. She tries to hide her family issues from the other children, while at the same time she achieves several medals and awards. The only person she could truly trust was her Aunt Baba, who showed compassion as her own mother would have. Everything she accomplishment that she makes at school is to keep her Aunt Baba and her father proud of her. When she comes hone, Niang complains that she is bragging, and abuses her. She slaps her until she starts bleeding, and tells her words that sting her heart. Even through all of this, Adeline knows she can get a better life if she works hard enough for it.

Adeline is a strong and independent woman, who stands her ground for what she believes in. If she doesn't want to do something, she will try her hardest not to do it, until it is absolutely necessary. She would always do what she thought was right. She is really strong willed and wise. Adeline's life is a story that you would tell children to make them appreciate their life, and to let them know that even if it something seems to be the worst thing ever, and it won't improve, things will get better.

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/11/world/fg-needles11
The article above is about another Chinese girl, who was abused as a very young baby, by her grandparents. Her grandparents had wanted a boy, but she was a girl, so they were angry, and abused her. This relates to Adeline, because she was treated poorly too, when she was a child. Adeline's mother had died a few weeks after she was born, and the girl in the article had "ruined" the grandparents hopes of a male grandchild. The difference here, is that the girl was abused very young, and didn't remember. Adeline, on the other hand, was abused almost her whole life.