mandylovestoread's review
4.0
What a cute idea for a series... Disney Princesses, Before The Story . Who doesn’t love the Disney princesses. My daughter and I are massive Disney fans and her favourites are the princesses. We loved reading this book about Mulan as a child together and are really looking forward to reading more of these books. Thank you Scholastic for this book to read and to help encourage my daughter to read.
In this story we follow Mulan on her first days of school. She is so excited, being the quizzically minded child that she is. She is ready to learn. But when she gets there she is disappointed to find that school is nothing like she is expecting. She wants to learn like the boys, about things that will challenge her and make her a strong woman. Instead she is learning to cook rice
In this story we follow Mulan on her first days of school. She is so excited, being the quizzically minded child that she is. She is ready to learn. But when she gets there she is disappointed to find that school is nothing like she is expecting. She wants to learn like the boys, about things that will challenge her and make her a strong woman. Instead she is learning to cook rice
thistlechaser's review
5.0
Years ago a YA author told me that the only difference between good YA and adult fiction is the length of the story. Again and again, I find that to be the case. This book is intended for 5-8 year old kids, but know what? I completely enjoyed it.
Set before the movie takes place, it tells the story of Mulan finally getting to go to school. (Girls in China didn't attend school in this period.) Unfortunately "school" is just classes with the village matchmaker, so they can learn skills to take care of their husbands...
There was actually a plot element that completely surprised me, which so rarely happens in books.
While this book had two things I didn't like, the author can't be faulted for either:
1) It was way too short! It took me just over an hour to read. (But since it was for such young readers, it makes sense it was short.)
2) I'm getting more and more depressed at reading stories about women being second class citizens. Yeah, for a long time girls couldn't go to school at all, but it's still depressing as hell to read about that. Not at all the book's or the author's fault, it just made me really sad.
Those two issues aside, this was a really good book. The writing was great, the inside illustrations really made the story shine. Recommended for adult or child readers.
Set before the movie takes place, it tells the story of Mulan finally getting to go to school. (Girls in China didn't attend school in this period.) Unfortunately "school" is just classes with the village matchmaker, so they can learn skills to take care of their husbands...
There was actually a plot element that completely surprised me, which so rarely happens in books.
While this book had two things I didn't like, the author can't be faulted for either:
1) It was way too short! It took me just over an hour to read. (But since it was for such young readers, it makes sense it was short.)
2) I'm getting more and more depressed at reading stories about women being second class citizens. Yeah, for a long time girls couldn't go to school at all, but it's still depressing as hell to read about that. Not at all the book's or the author's fault, it just made me really sad.
Those two issues aside, this was a really good book. The writing was great, the inside illustrations really made the story shine. Recommended for adult or child readers.
bookish_brooklyn's review
4.0
Mulan’s Secret Plan is such a sweet book, filled with friendship to the brim. I absolutely loved this peek at young Mulan’s life, living with her Mum and Grandmother and beloved pooch Little Brother, helping her family tend to the household whilst they anxiously awaited Mulan’s Father’s return from the War.
When Mulan learns she’s going to start attending School, she’s so eager! I absolutely adored her enthusiasm and excitement at getting to learn writing and mathematics, though when Mulan and her closest friend Na find what’s actually in store for them is lessons from a stern Matchmaker, who essentially pitches the girls against one another in various tasks such as weaving silk, making the perfect rice and applying make up, all tasks which done perfectly, supposedly will ensure that the girls find a suitable partner, bringing honour to their families. This aspect of the story definitely had me thinking about young girls’ lives, who bore that expectation of not being schooled in the traditional sense like their male counterparts, but expected to follow the womanly roles in the family.
Friendship was such an important aspect in this book, not just between Mulan and Na, but the other three girls that Mulan and her friend are schooling with! Whilst the Matchmaker would essentially discourage the girls from learning together, let alone teaching them first, Mulan realises that the girls all have a common goal: they want to do the best they can to bring honour to their families, she plots an idea where the girls share their knowledge with one another and work together to excel in these tasks! Mulan’s Secret Plan was just such a cute, fun and endearing read and at 126 pages with perfectly adorable illustrations throughout, I finished this in one sitting! I definitely recommend this to fans of Disney of any age!
When Mulan learns she’s going to start attending School, she’s so eager! I absolutely adored her enthusiasm and excitement at getting to learn writing and mathematics, though when Mulan and her closest friend Na find what’s actually in store for them is lessons from a stern Matchmaker, who essentially pitches the girls against one another in various tasks such as weaving silk, making the perfect rice and applying make up, all tasks which done perfectly, supposedly will ensure that the girls find a suitable partner, bringing honour to their families. This aspect of the story definitely had me thinking about young girls’ lives, who bore that expectation of not being schooled in the traditional sense like their male counterparts, but expected to follow the womanly roles in the family.
Friendship was such an important aspect in this book, not just between Mulan and Na, but the other three girls that Mulan and her friend are schooling with! Whilst the Matchmaker would essentially discourage the girls from learning together, let alone teaching them first, Mulan realises that the girls all have a common goal: they want to do the best they can to bring honour to their families, she plots an idea where the girls share their knowledge with one another and work together to excel in these tasks! Mulan’s Secret Plan was just such a cute, fun and endearing read and at 126 pages with perfectly adorable illustrations throughout, I finished this in one sitting! I definitely recommend this to fans of Disney of any age!
melniksuzuki's review
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
just_perfiction's review
3.0
Thank you to Scholastic Aus for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Mulan’s Secret Plan is a quick and fun story about friendship and kindness. Whilst Mulan wants to learn what the boys get to at school, like martial arts, she instead gets to learn how to be a housewife. While school wasn’t what Mulan initially thought it would be, with her friends, she finds a way to make the best of it! If you’re a Disney fan, you’ll for sure enjoy this book!
Mulan’s Secret Plan is a quick and fun story about friendship and kindness. Whilst Mulan wants to learn what the boys get to at school, like martial arts, she instead gets to learn how to be a housewife. While school wasn’t what Mulan initially thought it would be, with her friends, she finds a way to make the best of it! If you’re a Disney fan, you’ll for sure enjoy this book!
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