bearfamilyreads's review against another edition
3.5
Helpful to bring to life the city of Chang'an, the Silk Route along the Taklamakan Desert, and what life may have been like on a caravan journey during the Tang dynasty.
amac_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Chengli and the Silk Road is a work of historical fiction set in seventh century China. Chengli is a young teen who can hear a wind that no one else can even feel. While working for a merchant in a city, he begins to feel the urge to learn about his missing father and to follow the wind he hears. He’s given part of a jade pendant that belonged to his father and joins a caravan looking for answers. What sort of adventures will he have during his travels? Will he learn anything about his father?
This was an amazing work of historical fiction for young adults. The author did a fantastic job describing the setting and the atmosphere of the work. It was immersive and brought a great level of depth to the book. Fascinating cultural lore was also included that added depth. For example, fog rolling off the mountains was explained as a demon who pushed the clouds low over the land. Unique cultural views like this were present throughout the work, adding to its immersiveness.
The author also did an excellent job at writing relatable and enjoyable characters. The protagonist and most of the secondary characters were young teens, and the author managed to give them the voices of teens while still making them relatable to older audiences. While this book is geared towards a younger audience, I found it enjoyable as an older reader. The style was simple but not overly so.
The only thing I found to dislike about this work was that there were several errors throughout. While they were not large enough to detract from my enjoyment of the work overall, the book could use another round of editing.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in non-western historical fiction. This work is suitable for young adult readers as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was an amazing work of historical fiction for young adults. The author did a fantastic job describing the setting and the atmosphere of the work. It was immersive and brought a great level of depth to the book. Fascinating cultural lore was also included that added depth. For example, fog rolling off the mountains was explained as a demon who pushed the clouds low over the land. Unique cultural views like this were present throughout the work, adding to its immersiveness.
The author also did an excellent job at writing relatable and enjoyable characters. The protagonist and most of the secondary characters were young teens, and the author managed to give them the voices of teens while still making them relatable to older audiences. While this book is geared towards a younger audience, I found it enjoyable as an older reader. The style was simple but not overly so.
The only thing I found to dislike about this work was that there were several errors throughout. While they were not large enough to detract from my enjoyment of the work overall, the book could use another round of editing.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in non-western historical fiction. This work is suitable for young adult readers as well.
I received a complimentary copy of this work through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
goolsbybloom's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Enjoyable readaloud with the kids from our curriculum.
aanya12's review against another edition
5.0
First of all this is so beautifully described, the way the author has woven each and every word into such a beautiful story.
The heart-wrenching way in which Chengli holds on to the pieces of his father's life, is just mesmerizing........
His journey through the desert is fun, and quite enjoyable!
The most memorable part has to be the princess' transformation.
The heart-wrenching way in which Chengli holds on to the pieces of his father's life, is just mesmerizing........
His journey through the desert is fun, and quite enjoyable!
The most memorable part has to be the princess' transformation.
raoionna's review against another edition
3.0
Adventurous ~ Atmospheric ~ Charming
tl; dr: Young boy travels along the Silk Route.
This sweet novel tells the story of a young orphan boy who travels with merchants along the Silk Route in 630. This is a short book that strong young readers will be able to finish quickly. The book does a great job of dropping the reader into this amazing world, full of sounds, smells, and camels. But, the story gets a little boring about 2/3 of the way through. I think the author was more in love with the Silk Route than her story.
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
tl; dr: Young boy travels along the Silk Route.
This sweet novel tells the story of a young orphan boy who travels with merchants along the Silk Route in 630. This is a short book that strong young readers will be able to finish quickly. The book does a great job of dropping the reader into this amazing world, full of sounds, smells, and camels. But, the story gets a little boring about 2/3 of the way through. I think the author was more in love with the Silk Route than her story.
3.5
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
katyjean81's review against another edition
3.0
"He did, however, like to watch the foreigners. They talked with words strange to the ear and ate foods strange in taste and smell. Chengli loved this part of the city, the Western market, and always slowed the cart to look at the silver and gold jewelry, the woven straw baskets filled with dried fish and a smell so strong it made Chengli's nose crinkle long before he even got near them. He listened to women bargaining to get the cheapest price, and he watched the seller of herbs mix medicines with strange sounding names, and he stopped to gaze at the piles of vegetables he knew and those he feared even to touch. But today the sights and sounds made him feel restless."
This description of Chengli comes about 5% of the way into the story, and it made me feel like I had something in common with this thirteen year-old boy in 630 AD China. Like Chengli, I have spent most of my life happy enough where I am, but yearning to go somewhere new, see something different, meet someone unusual. Like Chengli, I love a market full of people I don't know or understand with customs that sometimes make my nose crinkle. I wasn't immediately sucked into this book, but this quote made me pay attention and want to know where Chengli would go and what he would do.
Hildi Kang's tale of a young boy on a caravan on the Silk Road is an excellent introduction to the Silk Road, to adventure and to historical fiction for upper elementary or early middle grades readers. What was occasionally overly simplistic for me will be "just right" for my 9, 10 and 11 year olds. It's fascinating to imagine this point in history, particularly from the perspective of an early teenager, an orphan, someone with no standing in his society.
There were a lot of things I liked about this novel. I enjoyed the perspective I was given of life in 630 AD China; I liked the journey Chengli gets to travel from being an underappreciated to orphan to a heroic young man. I liked the suspense Kang built as Chengli's met the worst possible fate, the responsible adults fled and Chengli was the only hope. At times I felt that Kang tried to hard to interject historical information and her characters spoke in a manner which didn't match their age or societal standing. The beginning could have sucked me in more quickly, but after I pushed through a bit I couldn't put it down. In the end, however, this book made me long to explore the Silk Road, to visit China, and to live in times gone by. That's a pretty good endorsement. While I wouldn't add this to my favorites list as an independent reader, as a librarian this will be making my order list for next year. It will be an excellent text to recommend to students interested in historical fiction or adventure, and it would be an excellent complement to a humanities class.
This book was courtesy of Tanglewood Press (a favorite publisher of mine!) through NetGalley.
This description of Chengli comes about 5% of the way into the story, and it made me feel like I had something in common with this thirteen year-old boy in 630 AD China. Like Chengli, I have spent most of my life happy enough where I am, but yearning to go somewhere new, see something different, meet someone unusual. Like Chengli, I love a market full of people I don't know or understand with customs that sometimes make my nose crinkle. I wasn't immediately sucked into this book, but this quote made me pay attention and want to know where Chengli would go and what he would do.
Hildi Kang's tale of a young boy on a caravan on the Silk Road is an excellent introduction to the Silk Road, to adventure and to historical fiction for upper elementary or early middle grades readers. What was occasionally overly simplistic for me will be "just right" for my 9, 10 and 11 year olds. It's fascinating to imagine this point in history, particularly from the perspective of an early teenager, an orphan, someone with no standing in his society.
There were a lot of things I liked about this novel. I enjoyed the perspective I was given of life in 630 AD China; I liked the journey Chengli gets to travel from being an underappreciated to orphan to a heroic young man. I liked the suspense Kang built as Chengli's met the worst possible fate, the responsible adults fled and Chengli was the only hope. At times I felt that Kang tried to hard to interject historical information and her characters spoke in a manner which didn't match their age or societal standing. The beginning could have sucked me in more quickly, but after I pushed through a bit I couldn't put it down. In the end, however, this book made me long to explore the Silk Road, to visit China, and to live in times gone by. That's a pretty good endorsement. While I wouldn't add this to my favorites list as an independent reader, as a librarian this will be making my order list for next year. It will be an excellent text to recommend to students interested in historical fiction or adventure, and it would be an excellent complement to a humanities class.
This book was courtesy of Tanglewood Press (a favorite publisher of mine!) through NetGalley.
marshmallowpudding's review against another edition
4.0
Historical fiction has always been my cup of tea - going on an adventure whilst getting to learn about fascinating wonders of the past.
The story is based on Ancient China and the famous Silk Road, which is still in use today. What I like most about this novel is that it seems to entrance me and bring me to the deserts and mountains of long long ago.
But one thing got me wondering - how does the princess rid herself of her haughty ways so suddenly? One second she's Lady Oh-I'm-the-best-ignore-my-order-and-you'll-lose-your-head and the next second she becomes Little Miss Nice-girl-who-befriends-servants-and-caravan-workers. Huh, worth pondering.
The story is based on Ancient China and the famous Silk Road, which is still in use today. What I like most about this novel is that it seems to entrance me and bring me to the deserts and mountains of long long ago.
But one thing got me wondering - how does the princess rid herself of her haughty ways so suddenly? One second she's Lady Oh-I'm-the-best-ignore-my-order-and-you'll-lose-your-head and the next second she becomes Little Miss Nice-girl-who-befriends-servants-and-caravan-workers. Huh, worth pondering.
catng's review against another edition
4.0
It played out like a popular Chinese tv miniseries in my head. I’m always glad when a multicultural book like this is published. #NetGalley #ChengliandtheSilkRoadCaravan
bibliogirl's review
3.0
Chengli is haunted by the wind. It pulls at him, always talking in his ears, and tells him to go beyond the wall to find out the truth about his father. He has a broken piece of jade and a story to follow, but that is all. He becomes a camel boy, and as he experiences the rough and beautiful world around him, we see Chengli grow into a person we'd like to meet. The descriptive language, presented in a simple straightforward style, takes us on a journey many took when the Silk Road was filled with travelers. Chengli encounters friends and enemies alike, and makes his way closer to the answers he seeks. Great glossary of terms, with enlightening historical background, helps give the reader a sense of time and place depicted in the book. I agree with this blogger, who feels that Chengli should get more attention than it has. http://literatelives.blogspot.com/2012/01/looking-for-newbery-chengli-and-silk.html Well-crafted books which keep a sense of adventure throughout their historical story are just not that easy to find. Having reviewed it as a galley, I found one or two clumsy bits in the writing, but the solid storytelling, the rich word paintings and the wonderful sense of place put it at the top of the list for middle grade readers.
toggle_fow's review
4.0
I got this book from Netgalley, and picked it out because it looked like the kind of book I could learn a whole lot from. I was obsessed with Daughter of the Mountains for a while as a kid, and hoped that Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan would provide a similar vibrant, multi-faceted exploration of long-ago places and customs.
The premise is somewhat similar -- Chengli leaves the only place he has ever known in search of his father, rather than a stolen dog -- but the journey along the Silk Road holds plenty of interest. Chengli would have needed a little more detail, a little slower pace, and more heart to be just as good as Daughter of the Mountains, but I still wholly enjoyed it!
The premise is somewhat similar -- Chengli leaves the only place he has ever known in search of his father, rather than a stolen dog -- but the journey along the Silk Road holds plenty of interest. Chengli would have needed a little more detail, a little slower pace, and more heart to be just as good as Daughter of the Mountains, but I still wholly enjoyed it!
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