The village is planning a rebellion against Mongolian invaders. Can Su-Ling use her courage to deliver a secret message? During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Su-Ling's small village is planning a rebellion against the Mongolian invaders ? and Su-Ling wants to help! Can she use her wits and courage to deliver a secret message hidden in a box of mooncakes, without getting caught by Mongol guards? Set 800 years ago in the Yuan Dynasty, this thrilling tale is based on an ancient Chinese legend, which is explained in the educational endnotes. AGES: 5 to 9 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. SELLING POINTS: . CULTURAL REPRESENTATION: Set in a time and place not often seen in picture books (China in the 1200s CE), during a major cultural celebration ? the Mid-Autumn Festival. . STRONG HEROINE: Main character is a courageous young girl who perseveres in a time of conflict and comes up with her own creative solution to the challenge. . GRAPHIC NOVEL ADJACENT: Illustrator Xiaojie Liu brings an exciting, fresh, contemporary feel to the artwork with panels, speech bubbles, and graphic text design. . RELEVANT MESSAGE: Universal, timeless theme of resistance against oppression. . SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Delivers a strong message about cleverness, courage, and bravery, wrapped in a thrilling, high-stakes story that will engage even reluctant young readers. . EDUCATIONAL ENDNOTES: Includes more information about mooncakes, the history of the Mongol invasion during the Yuan Dynasty, and the ancient legend behind this story.
