Secrets of the Terra-Cotta Soldier

January 27, 2014
Compestine (Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party) teams up with her son Vinson in this riveting work of supernatural historical fiction set in 1970s Maoist China. As a result of Chairman Mao's attacks on intellectuals, 13-year-old Ming and his professor father are forced to move from the city to a small farming village outside of Xi'an, where his only hope of making a living is to persuade the government to open an archeological office to house local artifacts. When a terra-cotta soldier (one of 8,000 modeled after honored soldiers) named Shi is unearthed, it comes to life and leads Ming into Emperor Qin Shi Huang's 2,000-year-old mausoleum. Shi tells Ming stories about fighting the Mongols at the Great Wall at age 14; meanwhile, a greedy and scheming political officer is hot on their trail. The authors' attentiveness to Chinese cuisine, culture, and landscape creates a rich backdrop for a story about the ethics and brutal realities of war. An array of fascinating historical art and photographs enhance the narrative; recipes and historical background are also included. Ages 10â12.

January 1, 2014
Ancient China literally comes alive to expose buried treasures in this novel co-written by Ying Chang Compestine (Crouching Tiger, 2011, etc.) and her son, Vinson. Under Maoist rule, Ming lives in a village with b? ba, his father, an archaeologist who works for the museum in Xi'an and who is on the verge of losing his job. When reward-seeking farmers bring Ming newly unearthed head and limb fragments fashioned from clay, Ming discovers the artifacts have much to reveal. The clay head begins to speak, claiming to be Shi, one of thousands of terra-cotta soldiers created to protect the tomb of Emperor Qin, the ruthless leader who built the Great Wall of China. As Shi tells Ming stories of his life in battle, they become fast friends. They embark on a mission to save the tomb from corrupt government officials and to save Ming's father from being sent to harsh labor camps. Shi's brutal war stories tend to overshadow aspects of Ming's personal story, like Ming's relationship with his father, but they are compelling nonetheless. Although Ming's acceptance of a talking statue feels swift, their friendship is believable. They hail from different eras, but they share a common desire: to keep their parents safe. Historical photos and Indiana Jones-style adventure enrich this tale of an unusual meeting between the Qin Dynasty and the 20th century. (glossary, authors' note, recipe, authors Q&A) (Fantasy. 10-12)

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April 1, 2014

Gr 4-7-After being exiled to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution, Ming's father is in danger of losing his job when three farmers unearth a terra-cotta statue. Amazingly, the statue comes to life and tells the 13-year-old Ming about his life guarding the Great Wall from invading Mongols. At the same time, Ming is ridiculed by his classmates and teacher for not being a peasant. When he and the statue uncover a plot to rob the Emperor Qin's tomb and denounce Ming's father, they are determined to stop it. The story draws on the parallels between the ruthless leadership of Chairman Mao and Emperor Qin (comparisons frequently made at the time of the former's dictatorship) while still shying away from many of the Cultural Revolution's horrors in order to stay age-appropriate. Chinese words and characters are incorporated, sometimes awkwardly, but the history is skillfully woven into the action. The statue's backstory and the secret traps of the tomb provide ample adventure. A good match for fans of Jeff Stone's "Five Ancestors: Out of the Ashes" series (Random). Several photographs help illustrate the daily life during the 1970s and artifacts excavated from the emperor's tomb.-Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 Mother-and-son team Ying Chang and Vinson Compestine take a historical, adventure-packed peek into Mao's China with their young protagonist, Ming, whose archaeologist father is an ostracized member of the intellectual elite brought low by the Cultural Revolution. Ming's classmates, as well as greedy locals, only exacerbate the isolation he feels while attending school. When some reward-seeking villagers bring him an earth god they dug up, Ming is happy to accept it on behalf of his father. He gets more than he bargained for, however, when he discovers it's a terra-cotta soldier built to protect Emperor Qin's ancient tomband he talks! Shi, the soldier, has quite the tale to tell about life under the emperor, which compares in many ways to Ming's life under Mao's regime. Despite the hardships, both courageous characters work to uphold their respective duties: Shi to protect the tomb and Ming to protect the cultural legacy of China's people. With archival art, recipes, and end notes, this title is sure to be a hit in the classroom.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)