The gate, the girl, and the dragon

On one side of the Old City Gate live the Gongshi: stone spirits that are awakened when carved into statues. The spirits' job is to protect the humans on the other side of the gate. The Stone Lions -- cub Jin and his parents -- must also guard the Sacred Sphere, which maintains the open gate between the two worlds, but fun-loving Jin is far more interested in playing zuqiu (a soccer-type game) than in protecting anything. When a game is called off, Jin angrily kicks the zuqiu ball, which knocks into the Sacred Sphere, sending it through the gate. Chasing it, Jin becomes trapped in the human world, where he joins forces with a girl named Lulu and with Worm, a wise dragon stuck in a worm's form. The small cub, young girl, and tiny dragon prove that size does not necessarily equal courage as they face terrifying natural disasters and the deceitful Dragon-Head creature in order to retrieve the Sacred Sphere from a mysterious, shadowy figure. Lin (Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, rev. 9/09, and sequels) once again cleverly uses embedded narratives to provide background information about characters in her story. Small spot illustrations open each chapter, while occasional full-page art in gorgeous, saturated color accompanies key moments in Jin's journey. The tale's themes (touching on joy, grief, and the interconnectedness of all life) are naturally integrated into the diverting adventure, and an endnote discusses the author's various inspirations. Jennifer M. BrabanderJuly/August 2025 p.100 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.