A Thousand Beginnings and Endings

Starred review from June 25, 2018
Fifteen Asian authors—including Renee Ahdieh, Melissa de la Cruz, Aisha Saeed, and Rahul Kanakia—share genre-spanning short retellings of myths and legends traditional to their own cultures in this outstanding anthology edited by Chapman and We Need Diverse Books president Oh. Roshani Chokshi’s lush, elegant “Forbidden Fruit” sets the tone for the anthology, remixing the Filipino folktale of Maria Makiling, a mountain spirit spurned by her mortal love. In Alyssa Wong’s “Olivia’s Table,” a take on the traditional Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, the protagonist inherits an important role in helping the dead pass on to the next plane of existence. Preeti Chhibber chooses a contemporary setting to showcase the Hindu festival Navratri in “Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers,” in which a group of young girls resolves to teach an overconfident boy a much-deserved lesson. Each story is followed by a missive from its author, sharing inspiration and background on creative choices and changes. Thoughtfully compiled and written, this compendium is a must-read. Ages 13–up.

March 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 Authors Oh (CEO of We Need Diverse Books) and Chapman (Dualed, 2013) have created this much-needed anthology of Asian myths and folktales, retold by diasporic Asian writers. Each of the 15 stories is followed by an author statement that deepens the meaning of these stories of Filipino, Chinese, Hmong, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Korean, South Asian, Gujurati, and Japanese origin. It's a wonderful concept, and the styles and subjects are as diverse as the countries and cultures represented, ranging from traditional period settings to imaginative science fiction. One standout is Alyssa Wong's poignant take on the Chinese legend of the Hungry Ghost, which features a mixed-race lesbian protagonist mourning her dead mother. As the editors note in their introduction, We would have been overjoyed to have found this anthology, filled with characters with skin and hair and names more like ours, in our beloved libraries. Although there will certainly be a special thrill of recognition for readers of Asian descent, these stories are for everyone.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
Fifteen authors of East and South Asian descent present original short stories inspired by culture-specific tales from their own childhoods; immediately following each story, the authors provide synopses and/or other information about their source material. The Hmong cautionary tale The Woman and the Tiger spawns a dystopian story of an android uprising ( Steel Skin by Lori M. Lee). From the South Korean epic myth Chasa Bonpuli springs a story of a daughter's mourning, a role-playing video game, and the blurred line between reality and virtual reality ( The Land of the Morning Calm by E. C. Myers). Aswang, the Filipino creature of the night, inspires the quest of a modern-day teen girl vampire in New York City ( Code of Honor by Melissa de la Cruz). Middle-school friendship drama has its origin in the Guja�rati tale of the goddess Durga ( Girls Who Twirl and Other Dangers by Preeti Chhibber). All of the stories achieve emotional depth and connection while showcasing each storyteller's unique literary voice. The co-editors' choice to preserve the many culturally authentic words and expressions used throughout, even if unfamiliar to outsiders (and without the interruption of those pesky parenthetical English translations), allows fluidity in the storytelling. It also shows respect to young readers who are more than capable of deciphering meanings from context or looking up definitions to gain even richer understandings of the tales and their cultural bases. roxanne hsu Feldman

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2018
Also edited by Elsie Chapman. Fifteen authors of East and South Asian descent present original short stories inspired by culture-specific tales from their childhoods, followed by information about their source material. The stories achieve emotional depth and connection while showcasing each storyteller's unique literary voice. The co-editors' choice to preserve culturally authentic words and expressions allows fluidity in the storytelling and shows respect to young readers.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from April 1, 2018
A collection of Asian myths and legends in which beloved stories of spirits, magic, family, love, and heartbreak are combined with elements from modern teens' lives.In this anthology, Asian authors from a variety of backgrounds retell some of their cultures' favorite myths and legends. It begins with a more traditional Filipino myth, retold by Roshani Chokshi, of a beautiful guardian spirit associated with Mount Makiling who falls in love with a human and loses her heart. Lori M. Lee changes a well-known Hmong children's folktale into a story of deception and androids. Pulling common elements from a Korean epic, E.C. Myers creates a tale filled with traditional magical beings and online role-playing games. After each short story, the author gives background information about their inspiration as well as a description of the original tale. Words and names from the different languages that are reflective of their cultures are integrated into each retelling. The tone of the stories varies from eerie to heartwarming to tragic, and with such a variety of emotion and experiences to explore, nearly any teen can find something to relate to. The editors and authors have pulled together to create an incredible anthology that will keep readers on the edges of their seats, wanting more.A marvelous anthology of retold Asian myths and legends tying the traditional and modern together and accessible to all teens of all backgrounds. (Mythology and folklore. 14-18)

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Starred review from March 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-Fifteen well-known young adult authors retell myths and legends from a variety of Asian countries and regions. Ghosts, androids, demons, and avatars make an appearance in this anthology. Each story is followed by a short essay in which the authors discuss the origins of their retold myths. This collection fills a gap in modern retellings of fairy tales and myths by presenting non-European myths. With stories that cover the science fiction, fantasy, contemporary, and paranormal genres, there is something for everyone. Alyssa Wong takes the Chinese hungry ghost festival and places it in the American Southwest. Lori M. Lee's retelling of the Hmong folktale "The Woman and the Tiger" involves an android who experiences emotions. Preeti Chhibber's tale of the Hindu festival Navrati takes place in a gym in New Jersey and demonstrates how revenge can be bittersweet. In "Code of Honor," a Filipino aswang-similar to a vampire-attends high school. Give to fans of Marissa Meyer's "Lunar Chronicles" or Rick Riordan's Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard. VERDICT An excellent first purchase for all libraries.-Jenni Frencham, formerly at Columbus Public Library, WI

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.