REVIEW Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: May 10, 2022
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Personal Library)
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books 

Xiran Jay Zhao’s Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor was an amazing middle grade debut. Akin to Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series or The Kane Chronicles series meeting Yu-gi-oh, a young Chinese American boy’s life is changed forever when he discovers he is the descendant of the first emperor of China. 

This book is full of mythology, history and adventure. The author does a great job of weaving historical facts from the history of China in with the more fantastical elements (i.e. how every time a story gets told about them and added to their legend, the emperors and other spirits ‘power up’). I really appreciated how the author made things accessible and understandable for those who might not be familiar with Chinese history (both ancient and modern), as readers get to learn a lot of the stories at the same time Zachary does. It was also fun to see how modern technology played a role in the book (the first emperor botches his attempt to possess Zachary, and is now bound to his video game headset). The video game-esque fight scenes were quite amusing to read, and added a bit of a lighter tone to help balance the darker themes the author touches on in the book. China has a complex history, and the author does not shy away from criticizing some of the government’s past failings as well as their more recent ones while at the same time highlighting some of the things they love about their culture. 

The characters were quite compelling. As a second generation child of China (who has immigrated to the US), Zachary struggles with his identity. He distances himself from his heritage in an attempt to fit in, and his burgeoning feelings towards other boys don’t help either. As a middle-grade novel main character, he was very relatable. Despite his love of video games, he never asked to be a hero or to be caught up in some quest to ‘supposedly’ save the world. He has a developing sense of right and wrong (which comes to play later in the book), and at the end of the day he just wants to save his mom. 

Overall, this was a great read and I’m excited to see more set in this world (It’s written such that it implies a sequel, but there has been no word as to when that will be released). If you or a young reader in your life enjoys action packed middle grade reads complete with fantasy, mythology, and adventure, this would be a great choice. 

REVIEW Theo Tan and the Iron Fan (Theo Tan #2) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Theo Tan and the Iron Fan (Theo Tan #2) 

by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: June 27, 2023
Format: Audiobook (Borrrowed from Library)
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends 

In the sequel to Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit, Theo Tan and the Iron Fan, human teenager Theo and his fox spirit companion Kai are on a quest to the land of the dead in a desperate attempt to bring his older brother (and Kai’s former master) Jaime back to life. A wild adventure ensues, as they travel through the various courts of hell and battle demons to make it happen. 

The worldbuilding in this book was once again top-notch. The book takes its inspiration from Chinese mythology, and the story heavily surrounds the notion of what happens after you die. I loved getting to dive more into the lore and learn more about Diyu (which is essentially “Hell’s Waiting Room”). There are a lot of figures and demons that the group encounters during their journey - the Demon Bull King and Princess Iron Fan herself were very imposing figures. I was also pretty enamored with Fragrant Sausage. 

Caleb Yen and Kimberley Wong did an excellent job of bringing Theo and Kai’s perspectives to life in the audiobook version of the book. Despite the heaviness surrounding being in the land of the Dead (and the resulting grief and trauma that Theo and Kai  in particular have to go through), there’s still a humorous air to the book. The goofiness and heart of the characters were a highlight of the book. Each of the teenagers had to learn to lean on each other in order to make it out of Diyu alive. I enjoyed how Kai still made multiple sarcastic comments under her breath to break the tension. The dynamic between Kai and Xioahua (the two spirit companions of the book) was humorous at times as well. 

Overall, this was another excellent middle-grade mythology tale. If you are a kid or an adult who's a kid at heart and would enjoy a diverse tale with a unique magic system, immersive cultural elements, and a strong sense of family then Theo Tan and the Iron Fan should be your next read! It's unclear whether this is part of a larger series or set as a duology, but I think the book wraps up nicely either way. 

About the Author

Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and sees both cities as her homes. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, though she has yet to figure out a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. She is currently living back in Jakarta on the same street as her parents and about seven hundred meddlesome aunties. When she's not tearing out her hair over her latest WIP, she spends her time baking and playing FPS games. Oh, and also being a mom to her two kids. 

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REVIEW Winston Chu vs the Whimsies by Stacey Lee

Winston Chu vs the Whimsies by Stacey Lee
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: February 7, 2023
Format: Audiobook (Bought from Libro.fm)
Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents 

Stacey Lee’s Winston Chu vs the Whimsies, one of the most recent releases from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, takes readers on a magical journey of a modern take on Chinese culture and folktales. The title is perfect for the book, and I love how lighthearted and whimsical (pun intended) the book is. 

On paper, Winston is living a good life. He’s surrounded by his family as well as a loyal circle of friends. However, he’s struggled to come to terms with the death of his army veteran father, and he’s unable to move on even though it seems everyone else has. One day, when he stumbles across a unique oddities shop ‘Mr. Pang’s Whimsies’, the owner offers Winston the chance to take home one item (as long as it's the first thing he touches). Instead of something cool like the ‘Kick Me Boots’, a floating canoe, or a magical ukulele, an accident leaves Winston sent home with a seemingly ordinary broom and dustpan set (which is definitely not the two for one deal the average teenager hopes to get). As soon as Winston gets home, however, he realizes that there’s more than meets the eye to his parting gifts as things start to disappear from his house, escalating all the way up to the disappearance of his little sister (who’s been body swapped with a former inhabitant from the store). 

There’s so much detail packed into this book, it was fun to get to experience things alongside Winston and his friends. There’s a bucket load of snark and humor and very quotable one-liners to be had. I admittedly wasn’t familiar with the mythological stories and references that the book was centered around, but I felt that the author includes enough context to make it easy to understand what was going on. Ms. Lee also includes some cultural references, like the principles of feng shui and qi. Winston Chu vs the Whimsies is unlike the other books in the imprint, with magical items running amuck instead of gods or monsters, but it worked out well and I can tell the author had fun coming up with all the different whimsies featured in the book. 

While the book has a lighthearted playfulness to it, there’s also some more somber notes to the story. Throughout the book, Winston struggles with the death of his father. To him, it seems like he’s the only one going through it but over the course of the book he realizes that everyone else has stuff going on as well (even if it’s not as obvious). I think this could be a great resource for anyone going through grief, no matter their age, to realize they are not alone. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I appreciated the temporary escape with all the heavier stuff going on in the world right now. Audiobook narrator Brian McCormick did an excellent job bringing the book to life. It’s unclear whether this is meant to be standalone or part of a larger series (I would guess standalone), but I think the ending of the book would allow it to work either way. No matter what, I’m excited to read more of Stacey Lee’s books in the future! 

About the Book

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents best-selling author Stacey Lee's modern reimagining of a classic Chinese folktale—replete with magic, boba, and lots of trash talking.

Twelve-year-old Winston Chu is supposed to learn impulse control at the cooking academy his mom enrolled him in. But learning to think before he acts won’t happen overnight.

While skateboarding home with a pie in hand, Winston inadvertently stops a robbery at Mr. Pang’s Whimsies, an oddities shop in Chinatown. As a reward, Mr. Pang invites Winston to choose any item in the store. But the strange old man warns Winston to browse carefully, for the first thing Winston touches will be the thing he gets. Before Winston can decide, a magpie flies under a shelf, and he impulsively grabs an old broom to sweep it out.

Mr. Pang hands him the broom, along with a dustpan. “Two for one. Congratulations.”

Deflated, Winston returns home, determined to put the broom incident behind him. Or at least in the closet. But when some of his most beloved possessions go missing, all Winston can think about are the broom and dustpan. Did they somehow take his stuff? And what—or who—will they dispose of next?

It’s time to break into Mr. Pang’s Whimsies, where clearly there’s more going on than meets the far-seeing eyeball. It’s time to fight magic with magic. And this time, Winston better have a plan. 

About the Author

Stacey Lee is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of historical and contemporary young adult fiction, including THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL, Reese's Book Club Late Summer 2021 YA pick, and her most recent, LUCK OF THE TITANIC which received five starred reviews. A native of southern California and fourth-generation Chinese American, she is a founder of the We Need Diverse Books movement and writes stories for all kids (even the ones who look like adults). 

REVIEW Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit (Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit #1) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit (Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit #1) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: May 31, 2022
Format: Audiobook (Borrowed from Library)
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends 

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Jesse Q. Sutanto’s newest book, the middle-grade fantasy novel Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit is an entertaining, witty, and fast-paced tale. Our main character, Theo, is determined to ignore the Chinese side of his identity and embrace his “American-ness” as much as possible (unlike his practically perfect in any way older brother Jaime). Things go wrong, however, after his brother dies and he inherits his brother’s sarcastic and snarky fox companion spirit, Kai. The two irk each other to no end, but they must join forces to find out what happened, unravel all the secrets around Jaime’s death, and make sure his death is not in vain. 

The grief that both Theo and Kai are experiencing is palpable. They both loved Jaime in their own way, and while he was alive they competed for his affection and attention. After he dies, the time they are forced to spend together allows them to learn more about each other, and eventually, they grow to become friends. Although they’d both deny it, I saw their interactions as something akin to a sibling bond. The story is told from their alternating points of view, and I appreciated how that decision gave more depth and perspective to the story (and their interactions). 

The magic system in this book was interesting. There’s “cirth”, which is the commercialized fuel for day-to-day magical spells (and even some video games). There’s also “chi”, which is the more ancestral (for lack of a better word) fuel for magic that most humans have forgotten how to use. I appreciated getting to learn about the various diverse animal companions in the world of Theo Tan, and how many of them were influenced by stories in Chinese folktales and mythology. 

One unexpected but important lesson that I learned from this book was about the nuances of the Mandarin language. Mandarin is a tonal language, with four core tones that can make one syllable be the difference between two very different words. Theo has spent most of his life ignoring his heritage, and thus not putting much effort into learning the language, so once he actually has to use it there are multiple mishaps and spells gone wrong. Kai, given her immortal nature as a fox spirit, is much more skilled at the language and takes great amusement in correcting Theo’s mistakes (often small ones based on single syllables or tones). 

Overall, this was a very enjoyable and heartwarming book. I can’t speak to the accuracy of the Mandarin pronunciation in the audiobook, but in my opinion (as a white caucasian reviewer) narrators Caleb Yen and Kimberley Wong did a great job bringing the book to life. If you are a kid or an adult who's a kid at heart and would enjoy a diverse tale with a unique magic system, immersive cultural elements, and a strong sense of family then Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit should be on your TBR list!

About the Book

After inheriting a grieving fox spirit, a Chinese American boy must learn to embrace his heritage to solve the mystery of his brother's death in Jesse Q Sutanto's magical, action-packed middle grade fantasy, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit.

Theo Tan doesn't want a spirit companion. He just wants to be a normal American kid, playing video games, going to conventions, and using cirth pendants to cast his spells like everyone else. But, when his older brother dies, Theo ends up inheriting Jamie's fox spirit, Kai.

Kai isn't happy about this either. Theo is nothing like Jamie, and the two of them have never gotten along. But, when they realize the mysterious journal Jamie left Theo is filled with clues and secret codes, it's clear that something strange was going on with Jamie's internship at Reapling Corp.

But the only way onto the campus is the highly competitive Know Your Roots summer camp program, a celebration of Chinese and Indian cultures designed to help connect students with their heritage. Theo and Kai will have to put aside their differences long enough to honor Jamie's last wishes, or the mystery he died for will remain unsolved forever...

About the Author

Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Jakarta and Singapore and sees both cities as her homes. She has a Masters degree from Oxford University, though she has yet to figure out a way of saying that without sounding obnoxious. She is currently living back in Jakarta on the same street as her parents and about seven hundred meddlesome aunties. When she's not tearing out her hair over her latest WIP, she spends her time baking and playing FPS games. Oh, and also being a mom to her two kids. 

Check out the author's Twitter

Check out the author's website