When eleven-year-old Hailey and her friend Kyle make a wish on a Chinese lion statue, they accidentally bring a dragon to life.
Scared at first, the kids soon realize that Zhu the dragon means them no harm, and they show the dragon around their city. It's all fun and games until Animal Control gets wind of a wild creature on the loose. The kids have to find a way to send their new friend back home before she's taken away.
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April 15, 2024
Grades 2-5 Set against the backdrop of Edmonton's Chinatown, Chan's beginning chapter book pays homage to the city's vibrant cultural heritage at the site of its China Gate. Reeling from the recent loss of her grandpa Wong, main character Hailey and her friend Kyle meet up at the China Gate one last time before the city tears it down for a subway tunnel--until one wish unexpectedly brings the dragon to life! The water dragon, Zhu, quickly befriends Hailey and Kyle, and though having a dragon for a friend is lots of fun, Zhu needs to get back home to the Middle Kingdom. Chan's vivid character dialogue and engaging, nicely paced storytelling take readers on a fantastical journey through streets full of history and personal meaning. The story, pitched for newly independent readers, is enhanced by minimal grayscale illustrations depicting key moments with imagination. Cultural insiders will likely recognize elements like folklore and food in this entertaining adventure featuring plucky kids and a magical creature.
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August 23, 2024
Gr 2-6-Hailey misses her Grandpa Wong and their dim sum dates, the way he always knew how to have fun, and his encouragement to be adventurous. So when Hailey and her best friend Kyle accidentally awaken a Chinese dragon that loves gummy worms, it seems like the kind of adventure she would have shared with her grandpa. Then animal control gets wind of a strange creature on the loose, and Hailey and Kyle must help Zhu find her way back home before it is too late. A delightful and imaginative romp through the bliss of childhood, this early chapter book packs a ton of Chinese culture, multigenerational love, friendship, and adventure into quick and easy-to-read chapters. Hailey and Kyle are 11, but readers as young as seven will find nothing objectionable, and older developing readers will be drawn in by the fast-paced story. The depiction of a librarian in an "information ninja" t-shirt seems slightly culturally insensitive. Black-and-white illustrations complement the text, ranging in size from one-quarter to full page. VERDICT A fun and meaningful addition to early chapter book collections everywhere, recommended for purchase.-Emily Beasley
Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.