^This book is authored by Grace Lin. I didn't enjoy her book, "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon"; maybe I read it when I was too young for it. I'm glad I gave the author another try because I did enjoy this one.

This story originates from a poem in a Chinese folk tale. It is about a brave girl called Mulan, living in Imperial China. Many of you will know the story of Mulan from the Disney movies. This book is her story before she joined the army when she was 15 years old. Mulan was nothing like other girls. Instead of embroidery, she liked to ride her horse, Black Wind, through the town. When her little sister Xiu is bitten by a poisonous nine-legged spider, Mulan must go on a quest to find the antidote to the poison before the full moon. The whole book is about Mulan's adventures to find the antidote.

There are many interesting characters that she meets on the way. Key to the story is a mythical rabbit who is a healer. There is also the rabbit's immortal rival, the white fox, who will stop at nothing to ensure they do not get the cure in time, even if it means killing both the Hua sisters. The white fox, like the rabbit, can change shapes and tries to trick Mulan.

I found the book interesting because the story is complicated and it takes many twists and turns. I enjoyed reading this book, and it taught me a little about Chinese mythology. I find the story about Mulan before she joins the army interesting because it shows her love and loyalty to her family and friends and how she would put herself in danger to save them. It is also those same qualities that lead to her joining the army, to save her father's life.

I recommend this book to 10-12-year-olds who like strong female figures.