THE GATE, THE GIRL, AND THE DRAGON

Mesmi Chu narrates this fantasy infused with Chinese folktales. A lion couple and their cub, Jin, guard the Old City Gate, the entry to their unseen world of stone spirits, Gongshi, who protect the modern city's residents. Jin shirks that responsibility; he resents his father's devotion to duty and the Sacred Sphere that binds their worlds. Chu highlights Jin's selfishness with youthful whininess. When Jin is locked out of the magical gate, he finds Lulu, an ethereal girl whom Chu portrays with soft-spoken kindness. They must unlock the gate and the interwoven stories of a sighing bell, a dragon, and a sculptor. Chu keeps the story flowing with a variety of voices for the city residents, Gongshi, and dragons. L.T. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2025]