The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon
CCBC Review:
Like all Gongshi, Jin is a stone statue imbued with a spirit whose sacred duty is to watch over humans. Jin, though, prefers kicking around the zuqiu ball with other Gongshi to spending time in the human world. While the statues may take any shape, Jin is a lion cub; his lion father is additionally tasked with guarding the Sacred Sphere, which maintains balance in the universe. When the Sphere falls off its pedestal and rolls through the Old City Gate one day, Jin chases it—and finds himself trapped in the human world. There he meets a girl, Lulu (Chinese), who can hear the same mysterious, disembodied voice that’s calling Jin. Joining forces with a mustached worm who claims to be a dragon, they race to unlock the Gate before the Gongshi on the other side perish. What Jin doesn’t realize is that the Sphere was summoned through the Gate by an enigmatic Sculptor who wishes to use the Sphere for his own purposes; the owner of the mysterious voice, too, has his own self-serving intentions. The threads of this action-packed story based on elements of Chinese folklore are woven into a satisfying ending that sees villains vanquished, families reunited, and Jin gaining a new appreciation for his sacred responsibilities. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
CCBC Age Recommendation: 8-12
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format:
Novel
Subjects:
Action/Adventure
Animals (Fiction)
Fantasy
Folk and Fairy Tales
Journeys and Quests
Mysteries
Diversity subject:
Asian
Publisher:
Little, Brown
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 340
ISBN: 9780316478328
CCBC Location: Fiction, Lin