About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is grappling with feelings of powerlessness or is beginning to ask deep questions about fairness and systemic injustice. It is a powerful choice for children who feel restricted by expectations and need to see a protagonist who claims her own agency against all odds. Set in medieval China, the story follows eleven-year-old Jing, who is sold by her family to be a child bride. Her journey is one of profound resilience as she escapes her captors and navigates a world filled with both historical cruelty and mythological wonder. While the premise of a child bride is heavy, the book handles it with grace and focuses on Jing's inner strength and the magical assistance of animal spirits. It is best suited for mature middle-grade readers who can handle themes of poverty and mistreatment. Parents will appreciate the way it introduces complex historical realities while maintaining a sense of hope and self-discovery. It is an excellent tool for discussing how one can find a 'crystal ribbon' of internal worth even when the world treats them as a commodity.
