Message in the Mooncake

by Sapphire Chow, Xiaojie Liu (Illustrator)

Overview

"An appealing retelling of a notable folktale." — Kirkus Reviews

"The guards will be suspicious of adults. Su-Ling, you are our only chance. I have full confidence in you."
"I can do it!"
"My brave little Tiger!"

Set 800 years ago in the Yuan dynasty, Su-Ling and her family live in a village where the Mongols have invaded and made life very difficult for them. But the villagers are smart, and a plan to revolt against the Mongols begins to form with a message tucked into the Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes: "On the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, on the day of the full moon, commence attack at midnight." It's up to brave Su-Ling to deliver the message to her uncle without getting caught by the Mongol guards.

This thrilling tale based on an ancient Chinese legend keeps kids on the edges of their seats as they cheer on Su-Ling to complete her mission to deliver the message in the mooncake.

• Unique, graphic novel-like illustrations
• Endnotes inlcude information about mooncakes, the history of the Mongol invastion, and the original ancient legend

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9798888592298
Publisher:	Barefoot Books
Publication date:	10/01/2024
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 9.75(h) x 0.14(d)
Age Range:	5 - 9 Years

About the Author

Sapphire Chow (1954-2023) grew up in Southeast Asia, where books were scarce, so her love for children's literature wasn't sparked until she immigrated to Canada and had her own children. She embarked on her author journey hoping not only to bring joy to children worldwide, but also to sustain and feed the imagination of growing minds. Whether she was folding dumplings with her grandchildren or sharing a fun story, Sapphire's positivity was contagious. Message in the Mooncake was shortlisted in the CANSCAIP Writing for Children Competition 2022.

Xiaojie Liu is an award-winning illustrator based in New York. She received a BA in illustration from the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts and an MFA in illustration from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Xiaojie's artistic focus is on children’s illustration, editorial illustration, and surface design for a wide range of projects including children’s books, publications, magazines, advertising, and packaging. She combines mixed media and materials to create illustrations, which include digital and hand drawing, paper cutting, clay, and fabrics.

Editorial Reviews

Kids will be drawn in by this lyrical story and lovely illustrations, while the informative backmatter lends themselves to creative ways parents and teachers can expand the reading to explore Chinese history, culture, and traditions” – Natasha Lim, author of Luna’s Yum Yum Dim Sum
 

An appealing retelling of a notable folktale. - Kirkus Reviews

“A young girl plays a part in resisting Mongolian occupation in Yuan Dynasty China . . . An appealing retelling of a notable folktale” – Kirkus Reviews
 

From the Publisher

2024-07-04
A young girl plays a part in resisting Mongolian occupation in Yuan dynasty China.

As Su-Ling and her Ma-Ma shop in the market, Su-Ling excitedly tries out her kung fu Tiger Kick. Their experience is somewhat tainted by the presence of a Mongolian guard; to prevent revolts, a law forbids Chinese people from gathering. Back at home, Pa-Pa informs them that there is indeed a rebellion planned. The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and messages with the time of the rebellion will be distributed inside mooncakes. Unfortunately, the guards might search adults carrying the traditional treats. So Su-Ling volunteers to make the delivery to her uncle Ming. Pa-Pa instructs Su-Ling to light a green lantern to signal a successful delivery or a red one to call off the revolt. Su-Ling sets out, but the same guard from the market soon spots her. Su-Ling plays it cool, though inside she’s anxious, and her quick thinking saves the day and allows her to proudly carry a green lantern home. Throughout, tiger imagery symbolizes her inner strength and courage. Chow’s well-paced narrative effectively builds suspense. Liu portrays characters with exaggerated proportions and uses bold colors and textures to make the pages pop with movement. Backmatter notes that the story is based on a well-known legend and discusses the Mongol occupation, the Mid-Autumn Festival, kung fu, and mooncakes.

An appealing retelling of a notable folktale. (timeline, author’s and illustrator’s notes)(Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews