MESSAGE IN THE MOONCAKE

A young girl plays a part in resisting Mongolian occupation in Yuan dynasty China.

As Su-Ling and her Ma-Ma shop in the market, Su-Ling excitedly tries out her kung fu Tiger Kick. Their experience is somewhat tainted by the presence of a Mongolian guard; to prevent revolts, a law forbids Chinese people from gathering. Back at home, Pa-Pa informs them that there is indeed a rebellion planned. The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and messages with the time of the rebellion will be distributed inside mooncakes. Unfortunately, the guards might search adults carrying the traditional treats. So Su-Ling volunteers to make the delivery to her uncle Ming. Pa-Pa instructs Su-Ling to light a green lantern to signal a successful delivery or a red one to call off the revolt. Su-Ling sets out, but the same guard from the market soon spots her. Su-Ling plays it cool, though inside she’s anxious, and her quick thinking saves the day and allows her to proudly carry a green lantern home. Throughout, tiger imagery symbolizes her inner strength and courage. Chow’s well-paced narrative effectively builds suspense. Liu portrays characters with exaggerated proportions and uses bold colors and textures to make the pages pop with movement. Backmatter notes that the story is based on a well-known legend and discusses the Mongol occupation, the Mid-Autumn Festival, kung fu, and mooncakes.

An appealing retelling of a notable folktale.