#grace lin

Bringing In the New Year (2008)

Story and Art: Grace Lin

I read this because a. I have never read a Grace Lin novel (and I have a friend who loves her work!) and b. for work, I want to read more new releases for kids! This was a little slow in the beginning for me but a lovely story about family, home, friendship, and duty.

The story follows a young, Stone Lion named Jin whose parents are the guardians of the Old City Gate. He is part of a community of Gongshi, the stone spirits that look over humans. Until one day, Jin kicks a ball and knocks over the Sacred Sphere, which rolls out the Gate.

The plot follows several other characters, including Jin's parents, his new friend, Lulu, and the sculptor. The layers of stories create a rich and vibrant world. This is not only a great book for children to be introduced to tropes but for adults to revisit them in a portal fantasy that feels simultaneously familiar and new.

Mesmi Chu's narration brings the diverse cast of characters to life, however, if you listen to the audio, you should still check out the physical for Grace Lin's gorgeous art. The narration and art both added dimension to an already layered story.

Jin's journey was very rewarding to read, despite the predictable beats it hit. His newfound friendship with Lulu and his relationship with his parents were incredibly endearing.

Dragon-a-Day- Dragon and Friends

WtMMtM is an award-winner, and rightfully so, but The City of Ember definitely had its time in the spotlight when I was in elementary school