| Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom | |
| Author: | Katherine Paterson |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | Dutton Juvenile |
| Release Date: | June 21, 1983 |
| Media Type: | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages: | 229 pp (hardcover edition) |
| Isbn: | 978-0-525-66911-1 |
| Isbn Note: | (hardback edition) |
| Congress: | PZ7.P273 Re 1983 |
| Oclc: | 9218013 |
Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom is a 1983 children's book written by American novelist Katherine Paterson. Set during the Taiping Rebellion in China, it focuses on Wang Lee, a 15-year-old peasant boy who is abducted into a secret rebel organization. Mei Lin, a female soldier, teaches Wang Lee to read and instructs him on the movement’s dogma. Wang Lee’s transition into being a soldier is marked with acts of violence and betrayal, and he is forced through difficult circumstance to learn humility as part of his training.[1]
Following its publication, Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom received the Parents' Choice Award and was named the NCSS-CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies.[2]