(4) 4-6 Time Travel Guides series. Illustrated by Bill Slavin. Previously published in the Good Times Travel Agency series. Via magical guidebooks, twins Josh and Emma and little sister Libby travel back through time to the Viking Age and the Han Dynasty. They get a tour of various aspects of life (and encounter mild dangers) in these civilizations before safely making it home. Presented in graphic-novel format, the stories and images are appealing, although the factual information running across the bottom of each page distracts from the time-travel narratives. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Time Travel Guides titles: On the Run in Ancient China and Stowing Away with the Vikings.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(2) YA When the government announces a conscription to raise troops against an enemy invasion from across the Great Wall, Mulan answers the call--disguised as her deceased twin brother. The portrayal of fifth-century China is engrossing, but it's Mulan's story--her rocky introduction to combat and her growth in valor, plus the growing attraction between her and the duke's son--that makes this revisioning of the ancient Chinese legend captivating.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(3) 4-6 Using traditional legends, the limited historical facts available, and quotations from Confucius's own writing, Demi has created a readable picture-book biography that emphasizes the sage's philosophy and educational teachings--ideas that still live on twenty-five hundred years later. Demi's signature paint and ink illustrations--with their diminutive figures, intricate detail, and gold borders--are full of action. Bib.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Translated by Alyson Waters. A tigress, robbed of her cubs, is sent a princeling to assuage her thirst for human blood. The tigress cares for the boy as her own, then releases him back to the kingdom. An ancient-Chinese bronze vessel, which itself is based on a folktale about a boy reared by a tigress, inspired this large-format French-import picture book filled with vivid, intensely hued illustrations.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA In this reimagining of Disney's Mulan, Li Shang is mortally wounded defending China. Mulan must bring him back from Diyu, the Chinese underworld. Populated with characters from Chinese mythology, this action-packed but lengthy adventure reads like a Rick Riordan book. Lim layers culturally authentic additions onto the original (inauthentic) plot; hardcore Disney fans should appreciate the movie references, even if others find them corny.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) 4-6 Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries series. Each book in this series looks at a different ancient city or monument and explores unanswered questions about its construction and uses. Both historical and modern views are provided, with differences explained by recent research and technology. Plentiful photographs and illustrations bring the sites to life. "Dig Deep!" and "Myth Alert!" sidebars provide additional interesting context and detail. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Alternator Books: Ancient Mysteries titles: Mysteries of the Egyptian Pyramids, Mysteries of the Great Wall of China, Mysteries of Easter Island, Mysteries of Pompeii, Mysteries of Machu Picchu, and Mysteries of Stonehenge.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Amazing Chinese Inventions series. Illustrated by YongSheng Xuan. In bilingual editions of these original tales (Chinese texts not evaluated), the clever Kang brothers tackle various challenges: eating hot food (Chopsticks), scaring birds from their rice fields (Kites), salvaging their mother's botched cooking-contest entry (Noodles), and saving face at school (Paper). Bold images, reminiscent of traditional Chinese cut-paper designs, illustrate the tales. An author's note provides brief history of each invention. Recipe/activity appended. Review covers these Amazing Chinese Inventions titles: The Story of Chopsticks, The Story of Kites, The Story of Noodles, The Story of Paper.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: History Hunters series. This series provides brief surveys of ancient civilizations. In each book, double-page spreads focus on an aspect of culture, politics, military, home life, etc. The layout--with its many illustrations, background colors, bold vocabulary words, and fonts--is eye-catching without being distracting. The unfortunately named "Deadly Secrets" guessing game in several sections adds an interesting challenge, but the information is sparse. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Edge Books: History Hunters titles: Ancient Greece, Ancient China, and The Mayans.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 Fact Finders: Engineering Wonders series. This brief history of the Great Wall includes a look at its purpose in ancient China, the different dynasties that contributed to its construction, and the unique construction methods and materials. Illustrations, modern photographs, and text boxes on uncluttered pages work together to present the material in a clear, concise manner. Critical thinking questions appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Chronicles of the Black Tulip series. Illustrated by Dave Stevenson. Bren and his mysterious friend, Mouse, embark on a dangerous journey across Asia to find the Dragon's Gate and the magical objects created by the Eight Immortals. This alternate-1600s-set epic adventure uses multiple, intertwining narratives. Slow in places and dependent on familiarity with the world, this second book is best enjoyed immediately after The Vanishing Island; the ending stokes anticipation for the third volume.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gayle Garner Roski. Ancient Chinese villagers prepare for a festival, suffer a devastating flood, and flee before an enemy force. Fact and fiction collide in this explanation of how a horde of archaeological treasures came to be buried near modern-day Chengdu, China, over three-thousand years ago. Illustrated with stilted paintings, the story's point is obscure until the last few paragraphs and the explanatory author's note.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Ancient Civilizations series. Each volume in the attractive series explores various aspects of the ancient civilization's culture--from rulers to religion to daily life--and also each civilization's lasting impact on modern society. Maps, illustrations, photographs, and sidebars help break up the densely packed text. Bodden's effective writing style provides thorough information without drowning readers in it. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Ancient Civilizations titles: Aztec Empire, China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Discover Ancient Civilizations series. For upper-elementary-school students, these introductions to ancient civilizations cover origins, government, religion, contributions to culture worldwide, as well as other related topics. The accessible and easy-to-read texts are supported by plenty of well-chosen and -captioned color photos and reproductions. Some sections attempt to span centuries, making those parts seem rushed. Maps, reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Discover Ancient Civilizations titles: Discover Ancient China, Discover Ancient Egypt, Discover Ancient Persia, Discover Ancient Mesopotamia, Discover Ancient Rome, and Discover Ancient Greece.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Ming and his archaeologist father live a rough life in Communist China. When an imperial tomb is discovered in their village, Ming befriends a clay soldier that comes to life. The soldier tells stories about Emperor Qin's ancient China while helping Ming protect the site. Ironically, the clay soldier is the most fully realized character in this accessible if purposeful novel. Glos.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. In 1971, the tomb of "Lady Dai" was discovered, virtually intact and of enormous archaeological significance. Here, buried in 158 BCE, was her still-soft body and more than a thousand artifacts. Liu-Perkins describes the discovery in fascinating detail; brief imagined scenes supplement the evidence. Illustrative materials include maps and well-captioned photos as well as Brannen's watercolors of the fictionalized scenes. Timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2014

(4) 4-6 Searchlight Books: What Can We Learn from Early Civilizations? series. This series explores daily life in ancient civilizations and how various concepts and tools they invented influenced modern times. "Tools" and "treasures" are fairly loosely defined, making the books wide-reaching but also somewhat of a hodgepodge of topics; connections to current civilization are tenuous. Informative sidebars and photographs of interesting artifacts and sites break up the text. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. This review covers these Searchlight Books: What Can We Learn from Early Civilizations? titles: Tools and Treasures of Ancient Egypt, Tools and Treasures of Ancient Greece, Tools and Treasures of Ancient Mesopotamia, Tools and Treasures of Ancient Rome, Tools and Treasures of the Ancient Maya, and Tools and Treasures of Ancient China.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) K-3 Ancient Wonders series. Each volume offers the basic who-what-when-why-and-how for its titular ancient structure and concludes with a quick overview of its current condition and tourism. Color photos, maps, and other illustrations supplement the text; short question-and-answer footers provide additional detail. The brightly designed series is basic, but the content is sufficient for the target audience. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review includes these Ancient Wonders titles: Egyptian Pyramids, Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu, Statues of Easter Island, Stonehenge, and Taj Mahal.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo