Middle-Grade Books with Chinese Protagonists!

Hey, guys!!! Isabelle Knight here again with… book recommendations!!!! XDDD I hope know you guys love reading these! So, some of you may or may not know that I am actually Chinese, and so I always love reading about Chinese characters in middle-grade books, and I really think that diversity is incredibly important in reading – it lets us see into the heads and minds of people who are so different from us, and yet might not be so different after all. And I love being able to see characters who are basically a mirror version of me, if that makes any sense – characters who I can really relate to. Characters who can represent me and countless others out there in the world.

Now, I haven’t found exactly what I’ve been looking for. There’s a story I definitely do want to read, but I’m afraid it doesn’t really exist… Buuut, on the plus side, I found a bunch of amazing middle-grade books with Chinese protagonists, and I’m gonna be sharing them with you!!! It’s honestly just super hard to find books like this on your own, so I’ve compiled a hopefully very long list!

Enjoy!

NOTE: I will be updating this post over and over, each time I do find a good book with Chinese protagonists!

1. The Dragon Warrior by Katie Zhao

Oooh, this is a fun book!!! It’s got a lot of action, humor, the characters are AMAZING, and the worldbuilding is fantastic!!! This is a middle-grade fantasy novel by Katie Zhao, and it’s based off of Chinese mythology! There are a lot of Chinese gods/goddesses, deities, monsters, and there are several Chinese phrases peppered throughout that I definitely recognize!

So, The Dragon Warrior is about twelve-year-old Faryn Liu who is a member of the Jade Society. She dreams of honoring her family and the gods by becoming a warrior. But the Society has shunned Faryn and her brother Alex ever since their father disappeared a long time ago, and they’re forced to train in secret. And one night, on an errand, she accidentally stumbles into a battle with the nian, a Chinese monster, and helps defeat it. And let’s just say a lot of stuff happens, before Faryn is revealed to be the Heaven Breaker, a powerful warrior meant to work for the Jade Emperor, by commanding an army of dragons to defeat the demons. And so, she must embark on a journey across maaaaaany Chinatowns to reach the island of the immortals before the Lunar New Year.

I have to say – I love this book!!! The characters were all so fun and relatable, and the plot was super exciting! Katie Zhao’s writing is amazing, and it hooks you straight into the story!!! A must-read for fans of middle-grade fantasy and adventure, and I highly recommend it to fans of Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time and Sayantani DasGupta’s Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond!

2. Paper Dragons: The Fight for the Hidden Realm by Siobhan McDermott

Another fun book!!!! I actually did a full-on book review of this which you can find here, but anyway. This is a super fun book with lots of aspects of Chinese culture and an imaginative, rich world and a super fun plot!!!

The book is about twelve-year-old Zhi Ging, who lives in the village of Fei Chui, the village of the Glassmiths. She’s an outcast there, especially since her hair doesn’t glow around dragons like most Glassmiths’, and she wants nothing more than to become a Silhouette to train at an underwater school, Hok Woh, to become a fully immortal Cyo B’Ahon. But when she finally does, a lot of stuff goes on – dragon boat races, training with ageshifting tutors… and hear rumors of a dark force called the Fui Gwai. And to add to that, students who fail the training trials are starting to disappear…

As eerie as that sounds, it’s a very fun book!!! The worldbuilding is incredibly rich and fun, and I especially love all the jellyfish! Siobhan McDermott’s writing is amazing – it’s detailed and the pacing is PERFECT!!! It made me feel like I was right in this world with Zhi Ging!

The names in this book are Cantonese, so I had a lot of trouble pronouncing them (there’s a difference between Mandarin and Cantonese. Go look it up!), but even then, it’s a super fun book, and I loved seeing aspects of Chinese culture in there! Especially the food!!! The characters are fun and quirky, and I definitely recommend this book to fans of Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura!

3. Finally Seen by Kelly Yang

This book made me cry. I’ll just say that up front. It’s so heartwarming and so beautiful, and I absolutely love it!!! When I first picked up the book, it wasn’t exactly the story I was looking for at the same, but it was still an amazing story, and I LOVE it!

The book follows ten-year-old Lina Gao who finally moves away from Beijing and her Lao Lao (grandmother) to live in America with the rest of her family. For so long, she’s just grown up with Lao Lao and postcards from her mother, father, and little sister in America. The book really follows her adventure as she goes to school, struggles with speaking English, and really learning to belong and speak up. Especially when her teacher starts facing challenges over her new book selection, a book that Lina loves and really resonates with, a book she sees herself in.

I absolutely love this book!!! Kelly Yang’s writing immediately pulls you into the story and makes you feel for the characters, and I think this is an incredibly powerful book. And the title was chosen perfectly, because I believe this book will make so many children across the world feel seen, in a world where a lot of cultures are under-represented.

Now, I’m Chinese but was basically raised to be a Western kid (a VEEERY long story), so I don’t really have any trouble speaking English. But through this novel, I really got to know Lina and what it was like to be her, and I got to step in someone else’s shoes and see the world from their point of view. And that is so incredibly powerful and important, especially today, in children’s literature. The plot was very fun and heartwarming. There’s a lot of serious stuff going on – her parents struggling with money – but I loved going on this journey with Lina and seeing her navigate all these challenges and yet still find a place in this world. A must-read for anyone who sometimes feels out of place or for anyone who needs to take a step into someone else’s shoes. 🙂

4. Where The Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Eek! Fun! And there are dragons!!! But not like Western/Tui T. Sutherland dragons! Chinese dragons!!! This book is one that has been on my TBR for SO LONG!!! It won the Newbery and I think its like the kind of book that’s a classic. And it has a lot of Chinese folktales in it! So I finally got it!!! Hurrah!!!!

The book follows a girl named Minli in, I think, ancient China. She lives in a village on the Fruitless Mountain, called the Fruitless Mountain, because that’s what it is. Hardly anything can grow there, and the people work all day to only get a few coins. Her Ba (father) always told her folktales and stories about dragons, tigers, and the Old Man on the Moon. Inspired by all these stories, Minli decides to set off on an adventure to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask how she can change her family’s fortune.

I really enjoyed this book – it’s so heartwarming and fun to read, and there are a lot of stories inside of it. I mean, yes, it does follow Minli on her adventure, but inside the book, the author has also written several stories, and you’ll know what I mean when you read the book. ;D The writing has a slightly old-fashioned, folktale vibe, which I think this PERFECT for the book, and the adventures that Minli go on are a lot of fun! And there’s even a dragon named Dragon, who can’t fly!!!

This book really has a lot of strong themes of friendship, hope, and bravery, and I love it! It definitely doesn’t follow the usual ‘tropes’ or ‘rules’ for books, I would say. Instead, it tells its own, little, intricate, odd (but awesome) story, and that’s what I really like about it! I highly recommend this book to fans of folktales and legends, and if you don’t mind this book not following the ‘rules’ for books, then you’ll love this!!!!

5. Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee

Oh my gosh, this is one of my favorites EVER!!! It’s definitely more deep and informative than ‘fun’, but I really love that! To be honest, I hadn’t really seen this book pop up in my recommendations a lot, despite it having won a bunch of awards and being totally famous and all that! But when I started searching for books like this, I FOUND IT!!! And I am so glad I did!!!

Maizy Chen’s Last Chance is about twelve-year-old Maizy Chen’s adventures when she and her mom head to Last Chance, Minnesota, to stay with their grandparents – just till Opa (their grandfather) gets better. They’re the only Asian Americans there, and Maizy soon discovers that this place has a deep history, stemming back all the way to the 1850s. And at the same time, she starts learning a lot about this place, its people (some of whom aren’t the nicest), all while someone’s leaving racist notes all over the place and a family treasure’s gone missing.

I really, really, really loved this book!!! As I’ve mentioned before, it has a less, “FUN!” vibe than the previous books mentioned. I mean, this definitely is a wonderful book and yes, it is fun, but at the same time, there are all these serious things going on, and Maizy is slowly discovering her family history and how everything in this place really came about. It really represents a crucial part of history and lets you take a deeper dive along with Maizy into the past and it shows you what it was like for those Chinese immigrants a long time ago. This book really shows you… a lot. From the good parts in history to the not-so-great parts in history, to the messy parts of life today, especially stuff about racism and all that.

This is a definite must read for all lovers of middle-grade contemporary and historical! It deals with a lot of heavier themes, so I’d recommend it to ages ten and up. But yeah! I think a lot of people will enjoy this and really relate to Maizy and all the characters here!

6. Maybe It’s a Sign by E.L Shen

I only discovered this book yesterday, but I immediately hopped online to my digital library to get it! No wait necessary (hurrahhh!!!), and yayyy, I’m so glad!!! This book definitely wasn’t what I expected, but still a super powerful book, one that so many people will relate to.

Maybe It’s a Sign is a middle-grade contemporary novel about Freya June Sun, who has always believed in the Chinese superstitions her father told her about. And ever since her father died a year ago, she’s become obsessed with them and believes that her father is sending her messages from beyond. She’s a violist, though not a good one, but she believes she has to stick with it, to make her father proud. Then she’s partnered with Gus Choi, a SUUUPER annoying classmate, for a home economics project, and it really follows her journey through her regular life as she learns to be her own person and to let go and make her own luck.

It might not sound like a lot at first, but I think this book is super powerful. It has less to do with Chinese culture and more to do with grief, loss, while also learning to let go. I was brought to near tears at the end! Freya is such a relatable protagonist, and while reading this book, you can really see what it’s like for her and how her father’s death has impacted both her and her family. The characters are all so relatable – none of them are perfect – and you can practically see inside their hearts and step inside their shoes for a bit to really understand.

I really enjoyed this book!! I would definitely recommend it to anyone – young or old – who’s struggling with the loss of a loved one and who needs to know that they’re not alone and that it’s okay to let go and all that. And even to those who aren’t struggling with loss – this book will definitely give you a new perspective. So go read it!! I really feel like this is a super underrated book….

7. The Comeback by E.L Shen

Another book by E.L Shen! And one I LOVED!!! I kid you not, I sped through this book SO FAST, I was done in a few hours! 0_0 Which might just be record-breaking speed! I really loved this book – it was fun, heartwarming, makes you feel for the character, and it has ice-skating!!! Which I am just a teeeny bit obsessed with. ;D

This book follows twelve-year-old Maxine Chen, an figure skater who is determined to glide to victory and perhaps even one day make it to the Olympics. Her parents worry that competitive skating is too much pressure for her, but she isn’t really that worried. But then a bully at school starts acting all mean to her because of her Chinese heritage, and at the skate rink, she finds herself up against a new, AMAZING skater named Hollie, whose grace and skill might just edge Maxine out of the competition…

I love this book!!! As I’ve said, I sped through this SO FAST. Maxine is such a relatable protagonist, and I love how determined and inspired she is to keep at her dream – even during the tough times, even when she’s on the verge of giving up. The writing in this book is amazing, and it really made me feel like I was right there with Maxine, going through the struggles with her, especially when she was on the ice. All throughout this book I found myself really rooting for Maxine!

But I think what I love most about this book (other than the ice skating, which btw I have never done) is the underlying message of not giving up and to keep chasing your dreams, even through all the tough times. I think this is a really fun, yet also deep middle-grade book that explores dealing with racism, rivalry, and most of all, friendship. A must-read for fans of the movie, Ice Princess, and to anyone who might be struggling with the same issues.

8. Ruby Lost and Found

Oh my goodness, this is another amazing book!!! It’s so deep and stirring, with relatable protagonists and incredible writing that brings you straight into the MC’s world and lets you step in her shoes! This brought me to near-tears at the end – and for good reason! I couldn’t even put the book down!

Ruby Lost and Found is about a girl named Ruby Chu who is thirteen years old and knows San Francisco like the back of her hand, thanks to her Ye-Ye’s (grandfather) scavenger hunts. But after his death, she feels lost, and it seems like everyone is just going off and abandoning her. When Ruby gets in trouble at school, her parents decide to make her spend the rest of the summer at a local senior center with her grandmother, Nai-Nai. Which is pretty embarrassing… The book really follows her adventures through the summer as she works with Liam (another character) to save a historic Chinatown bakery, as she discovers a secret about Nai-Nai that might change everything, and most important of all, as she retraces Ye-Ye’s scavenger hunt maps to find a way out of her grief and to find herself.

This is another book that deals with grief, and I absolutely loved this!! It brought me to near-tears, and after what happened with Nai-Nai I was just immediately hooked. Ruby Chu is the kind of protagonist who’s not perfect, and you can really see she’s struggling. Might not be incredibly apparent at first, but through all the subtle ways Christina Li weaves it through the story, you can see it. I loved all the Chinese phrases scattered throughout the book, too!

I think this book is an incredibly powerful one that really lets you take a step in someone else’s shoes and one that finds its way into your heart and shows you something more and really teaches you something. Ruby Chu is a character I think so many people, especially those struggling with grief and loss, will relate to and her journey is one that will definitely help inspire so many others. It follows Ruby as she really navigates her grief and struggles to move through it and eventually, find herself. A must-read for fans of Kelly Yang, Rebecca Stead, and Maybe it’s a Sign.

9. Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao

I LOVE THIS BOOK. I saved the best for last (not really last since this thing is gonna be updated so…)! ;D The writing is so much fun, and I FINALLY found a Chinese protagonist whose actually like me – he’s more of an American kid and hardly knows anything about Chinese culture! 🙂 So hurrah! It only took eight books for me to find this…

The book follows a boy named Zachary Ying who has never really had many opportunities to learn about his Chinese heritage. His mother has always been super busy making sure they got by, and his schools never taught anything but Western history and myths. Which means he is incredibly unprepared when he discovers that he’s supposed to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China on a mission to seal the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld. But a bunch of stuff happens and the First Emperor binds to Zack’s AR gaming headset instead of Zack himself. And then his mom’s soul gets taken by demons, and Zack has to set out across China to steal magical artifacts, battle figures from myths, and try and wield some water dragon powers.

This one was so much fun and I love it!!! The writing is amazing and so fast-paced and fun (though I think this is a pretty long book), and I could not put it down!!The characters were super fun and relatable, and I felt like each of them had their own quirks and special traits. It was VERY fun to see how the First Emperor communicates with Zack through his AR gaming headset. He’s hilarious to read!

Another thing that’s interesting about this book is that it’s not the usual good vs. evil. It’s quite a bit more complicated than that. Zack is literally siding with person who was a tyrant to try and save the world. And let’s just say the person he meets later isn’t exactly good either. I felt like this was really interesting and something that’s not found a lot in middle-grade fantasy! I also like that nearly the whole book was set in China! Most of the Asian middle-grade books I read are all just set in America or Chinatown in America. But yeah! I highly recommend this book to fans of Percy Jackson and anyone who’s looking for a fun, adventurous read!

10. Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend by Katie Zhao

Oh my starry skies – I cannot tell you how long this book has been on my TBR!!! Hint: VERY long. Ever since I began browsing on Goodreads in 2024 with my dad’s account to go and find books!! So… yeah. And I FINALLY managed to get the ebook version at my digital library – hurrahhh!!!! Very glad I did!!!!

So, Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend is about eleven-year-old Winnie Zeng who is just starting middle school. And of course, that means schoolwork, getting teased about the Chinese food she brings to lunch, and of course, parental expectations. But then a looot of stuff happens, and when Winnie finds a family cookbook and makes mooncakes, she accidentally unlocks her secret shaman powers and summons the spirit of her Lao Lao. And to top it all off, she’ll have to work with her archnemesis, David Zuo, in order to save the world from a bunch of demons.

WOW. That is what I think about this book. WOW. It’s got a lot of stuff happening, and all the characters were super fun and relatable – and I definitely understand the ‘Asian tough love’ Winnie gets in the book, and it was very fun to see another character dealing with that. The plot is fast-paced, fun, and intriguing, and the world-building and magic in this book was great!!! I think a lot of kids will love this book! Lao Lao is definitely an incredibly fun character to read. ;D And I also love all the mooncakes! They are awesomeee!! You’ll see what I mean when you read the book.

The pacing could use some work in some parts, along with some of the character actions/motivations, but I don’t think it’ll throw a lot of readers off. This is definitely a fun, magical, must-read for any lover of middle-grade fantasy, especially for fans of Percy Jackson, Aru Shah and the End of Time, and Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor!!!

11. The Dare by Cynthia Liu

How thrilling, as Queen Scarlet of the SkyWings would say!!! Because this book is thrilling!!! VERY thrilling! I came across this book in the summer of 2023, and when I was going through my head and searching for any books that had Chinese protagonists, I suddenly remembered this one! So I went back for a re-read, and eek, it’s just as thrilling as ever!!

So, The Dare, is about a girl named Paris Pan who has moved to a small town, where she might actually have a chance at making friends. If she can prove that she’s brave enough to take The Dare, something that caused a girl to disappear, long ago, on the very property Paris now lives… And to make matters worse, she has to play basketball against her will and cope with a family crisis. All while hearing strange noises in her room at night… scratches… whispers… bangs in the shed…

Sounds eerie/thrilling/un-put-down-able? :))) It’s all those things!! Now, this book is a sort of middle-grade horror/thriller, though it’s not really like full on horror. There’s a lot of spooky stuff and mysteries in it, but it’s really an incredibly thrilling read!!! The characters were so much fun and so relatable, especially Paris – I’m sure every middle-grader can relate to doing anything to keep their friends. Even doing some eerie dare….

The book really explores things like friendship, family dynamics, and all that, and I really loved how that was also mixed in with all the mysteries! And I really think it also explores things like who your real friends are, which I think is incredibly important. I’ll admit, this book gave me chills, but I survived!!! 🙂 And I also recognized several Chinese phrases throughout the book, which was, as usual, very fun! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of mysteries, ghost stories, and a touch of eeriness to it!

This is Not the End!

So, those are all the recommendations I have right now. I really, really, REALLY wish I had more (so sorry I don’t!!), but sadly, those are the only ones I’ve read at the moment. But I really loved all those books, and I hope this book recommendation helped! If you’re rather upset that I haven’t included more books, don’t worry!!! I’ll be updating this post every now and then each time I come across another book that represents Chinese culture.

In fact, I have a whole reading list of those books!!! But of course, I DEFINITELY can’t just read them all in one go. I’m gonna have to take my time and then come back to this post each time I finish one. So definitely stick around!

But yeah! I hope this book recommendation helped you find a good book for you, and I will see you again in the next post! Or whenever I update this thing! XD Thank you guys so much for coming, and please spring me some recommendations down below in the comments!

Isabelle

P.S. I’m also going to be doing full on book reviews on these books later!!!