The Scroll of Chaos
-
- $12.99
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
Join Astrid Xu in this action-packed adventure as she ventures into the world of mythological China in order to save her mother -- and the world! Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings!
When Astrid Xu stumbles upon an ancient scroll with Chinese characters, she just knows it’s the key to saving her mom from the “fog”—the depression that keeps her mom bedridden for days at a time. What Astrid doesn’t expect, though, is to be transported—along with her younger sister, Marilla—to Zhen, a realm where the Chinese legends of old are real!
In Zhen, Astrid and Marilla meet Erlang Shen, a powerful warrior, and Lan Caihe, one of the Eight Immortals. It seems an ancient evil known as Chaos is wreaking havoc all throughout this mythological world, threatening to shroud all of Zhen in darkness—and Astrid is the only one who can stop it.
With only her sister (who has been trapped in the body of a cat!) and two great mythological figures to help her, Astrid sets out on a journey to face her destiny. But will she be able to save her mom—and the world!—before Chaos reigns supreme?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A Chinese American tween traverses an alternate realm to stop a grim prophecy in this mythology-driven adventure from Chapman (All the Ways Home). In Vancouver, asthmatic 12-year-old Astrid Xu plays the clarinet to help her control her breathing, and she hopes her upcoming solo will encourage her depressed mother, who's taken to bed, to "get better enough to come watch." When she finds an old volume of Chinese mythology, she thinks she might be able to bond with her mother over the tales. But upon encountering a scroll inside and breaking its wax seal, Astrid and younger sister Marilla are transported into Zhen, or mythological China, home to fabled figures they've only read about. There, they learn that Astrid has unwittingly released the demon Chaos, who plans to bring about a realm-ending flood. Agreeing to help defeat Chaos in exchange for obtaining an immortal peach to help their mom, Astrid, along with Marilla and two legendary allies, set off to save Zhen from a dark fate. Interstitials from A Handbook of Ancient Chinese Myth aid in the plot progression of this imaginative middle grade novel about changing familial bonds and finding one's strength. An author's note includes mental health resources. Ages 8–12.
