I have read and enjoyed many of Grace Lin's earlier books, but this one not so much. I have found that as she deviates from this world more and more and crosses over to the folklore of her own heritage, I become increasing lost. Perhaps this is because she knows of what she writes so well that she assumes that world cs being very clear to the reader as well. Not so. I listened to the audio book of this title and found the main character cub to be quite whiny and annoying. Maybe he does not come across that way on the page. But I bet he still would be naive and pretty selfish. The world beyond the gates and its connection to this world aren't really explained as clearly as needed. The worm/dragon story line is also lacking as were the unnecessary sacrifices of life. It's unfortunate that I find I can't recommend this book to. I just wanted the book to come to an end having given up on having a satisfied conclusion.

Grace Lin's The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon is a vibrant, emotionally rich journey that blends Chinese folklore with contemporary life, told through the unforgettable tale of a stone lion named Jin, a curious girl named Lulu, and a very confident worm who believes he's a dragon. The audiobook, brought to life by the talented narration of Mesmi Chu and the author herself, is an absolute treat for the ears and the imagination.

When Jin accidentally kicks the Sacred Sphere through the Old City Gate, he finds himself trapped in the human world, setting off a chain of magical events. Alongside Lulu and the peculiar dragon-worm, Jin’s quest becomes not just about returning home, but about discovering friendship, bravery, and identity.

The characters are incredibly well-developed—relatable, endearing, and distinct. I felt an emotional connection to both Jin and Lulu, and their story had me completely hooked. I found myself flying through the chapters, eager to see where their adventure would lead.

The audiobook enhances this magical tale beautifully. Mesmi Chu’s performance brings an energetic charm to each character, while Grace Lin’s own narration adds an intimate layer of authenticity to the storytelling. It’s engaging, emotionally nuanced, and perfectly paced for listeners of all ages.

I would highly recommend this audiobook to young readers, as well as to adults who enjoy middle grade novels filled with heart and folklore. Whether you're new to Grace Lin’s work or a longtime fan, this story—and its delightful narration—will not disappoint.

My thanks for the audio ARC goes to NetGalley and Hachette Audio; Little, Brown Young Readers. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre & Age: Middle Grade Fantasy, Asian Literature, Chinese Mythology, Dragon Books
Audio: I loved the voice and inflection of the narrator. But I think it would be fun to have the audio with the physical book to enjoy the illustrations too.
Readability: This is a stand-alone, but I think you'll enjoy it even more if you've read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

THE GATE, THE GIRL, AND THE DRAGON, a quest of a girl and a dragon, paints a captivating slice of Chinese mythology that sucked me in.

The characters are darling! I loved both of them. Jin, the dragon, is spunky, independent, and so much trouble—kids are going to giggle over him. Lulu is a strong female character and essential on the quest. Then there's a worm, who claims to be a dragon . . . this sidekick is going to capture you.

I feel like this novel is perfect for the younger span of middle grade books (probably starting at around 5 or 6). The adventure is wonderfully creative, there's a strong focus on family and friendship, and you can keep your eyes open for Easter eggs from her other books.

This book would be perfect for a teacher to read with a class. And I can't wait to see the physical book with its illustrations (obviously, that isn't possible in the audio version).

Happy (adventuring) reading!

Grace Lin is the author of one of my most favorite middle grade fantasy books, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. My adult daughter (who loves it too) and I still talk about it because we loved so much. I was very excited to read another book from Lin.

I loved how this story is told. Lin weaves a beautiful book with mythical magical creatures and characters from present day. Inside this book, tells many little stories of characters and their backstories. I loved the Chinese folklore and the adventures of the characters. I don’t want to summarize much because of spoilers but I loved how this story is told and the sweet Jin, Lulu, and the sculptor. How the book comes together is so touching and sweet.

The audio narrator tells with story with such a great variety of voices and tone. I loved how Mesmi Chu performed the characters. And the author’s note in her own voice was also wonderful.

I received an eARC for tour purposes and a NetGalley approval for the audio from the publisher. All views are my own.

A thrilling fantasy adventure, filled with wily creatures and a young hero who just wants to go home. Jin is a typical pre-teen - even if he is a lion stone spirit - and has a lot to learn about the world and the importance of family and the traditions that they uphold. When he throws a tantrum and winds up sending the sacred spear into the human world, he runs after it and winds up messing up things in both his world and the human one. As he works to figure out how to save himself and return home, he meets a wise worm (a dragon who unfortunately is stuck in the form of a worm) and a kind girl (who seems a bit adrift in the human world), who both try to help him on his quest.

The story is interspersed with short stories told by the secondary characters about different experiences they have had in their lives. The story interjections may make it a bit hard for younger listeners to follow the story but if they have the print version to read along with the audio it should be fine.

The Gate, The Girl, and The Dragon

I listened to the audio book and now I can’t wait to buy a copy of the printed novel. The audio book had the perfect narrator. Lots of changes in the tone and character voices kept the story flowing- it felt like I was listening to someone tell an animated folktale.

We absolutely love Grace Lins writing and this new book doesn’t disappoint. A perfect mix of mythology, life lessons, and lovable characters.

5 stars

Publication date: May 6, 2025

** Thank you Little, Brown Young Readers for providing this audio book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

This book was very well structured. Things that were at first confusing quickly ended up explained later on. The writing style is great for the age group but as an adult, I really enjoyed this book.
The narrator had a clear voice that was easy to understand. The voices for the characters were easy to distinguished and not too much. The pace was also very good. Overall, an excellent choice.

A lovely story and perfect for fans of Grace Lin's other works.

I'm not sure how old Jin was meant to be portrayed as, but the audiobook narrator made him seem extremely young sometimes.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audio review copy.

Grace Lin has this magical talent at weaving Chinese folklore into a beautiful story filled with life lessons. We listened to the audiobook version of this story, which is so well narrated by Mesmi Chu. We thoroughly enjoyed the story and the narrator. It is a great addition to your library and your books to read with your children or your students.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book prior to publication.

Wonderful fairy tale vibes with stories within stories. Loved the narrator who matched the empathy and energy of the writing perfectly!

I received an advance reader copy of this book to listen to in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

***AUDIO BOOK VERSION***
The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon is a captivating and relaxing book to listen to and delivers a great message to the listener.
Lulu and Jin (a lion cub) are on a quest to find the sacred sphere and then open a doorway/portal for the spirits and enable them to get home themselves too.
I loved the lessons the characters learned within this story and how captivating the Chinese folktales and mythology were woven within it so fluidly and mixing traditional with modern giving homage to the generations before and now.
I would love to get a physical copy of this book as I think it may have illustrations to bring each scene even more to life.
The characters are a great mix, and I feel Jin will be a character most children will find themselves relating to. This was a beautiful story filled with adventure, friendship, trust, independence, and family in its many forms.

As a stone lion, Jin was one of the Guardians of the Old City Gate, but in following his passion as a ball player, he encounters an unexpected mishap.

As a result, he finds himself in an abrupt transition from the spirit world to the very real material one, from where Jin must find a way to return to his original form.

That however, is easier said than done. Luckily, he has a motley crew to assist him in that endeavour - even if they are just a human girl and a worm with apparent delusions of grandeur!

A charming story that draws on traditional Chinese folktales to weave an adventure that will appeal to modern readers, this one is worth checking out.

A great story showing the nature of gradian spirits of the Chinese culture. The ideas of family, responsibility and understanding of others in a folk lore like tale. The Story shows the nature of making mistakes and taking responsibility. Looking to find solutions that is beneficial to all is the main focus, of the story. It shows children that selfish behaviors cause problems both for families, and society.
The book shows multicultural aspects of Chinese culture. A strong female character. The book also shows social change that benefits all.

A unique tale fused together with many charming short stories and powerful emotions. The writing is beautiful! The stories feel so separate as they are being told and then begin to overlap and connect in wonderful ways. I love the way the story is based in folktales as well as the meaningful themes that the reader can take away from this fantastic story.
The audio is really well done with wonderful voices and a nice cadence, but I also can't wait to get my hands on the physical book to see the beautiful images that I have heard other reviewers mention.

Thank you so much for letting listen to this audiobook. This was such a cute and adorable story. I very much enjoyed the voice interpretations of the narrator.

The Gate, The Girl and The Dragon is a beautiful book with unique characters that aims to show the value of duty, patience, respect, and friendship. It’s a children’s book and is mysterious, magical, and thoroughly enjoyable.

The world is exceptionally well created and the narrators for the audiobook are perfect and relaxing to listen to. It’s especially special that one of them is Grace Lin, the author herself.

A very memorable audiobook.

4 stars

Thanks to Grace Lin and publisher for my audiobook in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

What an absolute JOY the audiobook was. I LOVE Grace Lin's storytelling and writing. The character evolution is always so heartwarming and satisfying in her stories. The mix of folktales that are woven together to craft a rich and unique story, are artfully done - her books are infused with heart, warmth, culture, and meaningful values. The narration was perfect, the character voices were done extremely well and were full of nuance and personality. Sometimes the narration felt like you're being let in on a secret. The tone was soft and engaging at times, and then more bold at other moments - I felt it captured the range and spirit of storytelling for this novel perfectly. I enjoyed listening to the whole audiobook.

This story centred around Gongshi - the stone guardian spirits who watch over the human world. We find Jin, a lion cub, stuck in the human world and tasked with finding a way to keep the bridge between the two worlds alive. He is young, and grapples with taking on responsibility in the way that his father would expect of him. It is a journey of self-realization, discovering your purpose, moving forward with courage, learning the value of duty and sacrifice, of true friendship, being greatful and learning to be compasionate to others.

There are so many characters introduced through the story - Lulu, the sculptor, the worm, the dragons, the Gongshi spirits/guardians, the family in the human world, the bell , the goddess - it is amazing how each character plays their role and we have something meaningful to learn from each of their stories.

Something integral I find in Eastern/Asian inspired fantasies is the focus on family, community and nature. Being from Bharat (India), I appreciate these common culural values and themes being presented so beautifully in this story.

This book even touched upon themes of loss, grief, pride, acceptance of who you are, loyalty, courage - among many other things. Grace Lin's books are a masterclass in meaningful storytelling. I loved her author's note in the end, speaking about all the seeds of inspiration that came together to form this complete book, and the care with which she appraoched it. I liked what she said about how you can't make a plant grow faster by pulling it up from the soil. To craft something to the best it can be, can take time and patience.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio-arc of this story. I received it for free, and I'm voluntarily leaving my honest thoughts and opinions in this review.

Thank you Hachette Audio, Little, Brown Young Readers, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic audio review copy of this book. This is a wonderful story, seamlessly merging Chinese mythology with present day story. Full of great characters, action, and adventure, Grace Lin does a wonderful job showing character growth and development. Can’t wait to share this story with my students.

Grace Lin's writing is always engaging and interesting, and I just loved the note at the end about where the ideas came from. More authors who write stories based on myths and legends should do that.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free audio-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute children's book filled with magical creatures, Chinese lore, and wild adventures. The publishers have already provided a great synopsis of the story, so I won't focus on that. The characters were all great, and there was a great message for children about the importance of patience, duty, love, family, and finding a balance between all of these.

I received the audiobook arc of this story, but I believe that the actual book will come with illustrations, which I'm sure will be gorgeous and add beautiful depictions of the story. It's definitely a great read for a young audience and would be a good classroom read.