Thank you #rickriordanpresents and @disneybooks for the eARC of Dragon Pearl!
I have been absolutely loving the books in Rick Riordan‘s imprint, and this one was no exception. When Min finds out her brother, Jan, has gone missing from the spaceship where he’s stationed, she leaves her planet behind to find him. With the help of her fox powers—shape shifting & suggestibility— she is able to overcome incredible odds to discover what happened to Jan.
Min is a strong, independent heroine, who is just trying to do her best for her family — I really enjoyed her story! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee is a space opera about thirteen-year-old Min, who comes from a long line of fox spirits. To keep the family safe, Min's mother insists that none of them use any fox-magic, such as Charm or shape-shifting. They must appear human at all times. Min feels hemmed in by the household rules and resents the endless chores, the cousins who crowd her, and the aunties who judge her. She would like nothing more than to escape Jinju, her neglected, dust-ridden, and impoverished planet. She's counting the days until she can follow her older brother, Jun, into the Space Forces and see more of the Thousand Worlds. When word arrives that Jun is suspected of leaving his post to go in search of the Dragon Pearl, Min knows that something is wrong. Jun would never desert his battle cruiser, even for a mystical object rumored to have tremendous power. She decides to run away to find him and clear his name. Min's quest will have her meeting gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts. It will involve deception, lies, and sabotage. She will be forced to use more fox-magic than ever before, and to rely on all of her cleverness and bravery. The outcome may not be what she had hoped, but it has the potential to exceed her wildest dreams.

Dragon Pearl is so much more than I expected. It is a coming of age adventure full of science fiction, mythology, and more. I loved Min's character- she has her faults but is willing to admit them (at least to herself). While in most cases she is reactive to the world around her, she also takes steps in a proactive way when she can. I liked the collection of characters and that no one is fully what they seem- there is good, bad, and mistaken inside every character. I really loved the amount of fantasy and mythology that is woven through an adventure travelling between planets. Ghosts, goblins, dragons, other supernatural characters on spaceships and being people with flaws and the urge to help themselves and/or others made even the most unexpected character real. There were plenty of twists and turns along the way, and lots of personal character growth for Min. I simply loved the read and am sad only in the fact that I finished the book, and that it took me so long to start reading it!

Dragon Pearl hits all the right notes of science fiction and fantasy for me. The characters and adventure blew me away and I cannot wait to see what Min and Jun get up to next.

A fun and whimsical adventure. Loved the blend of the supernatural and technological. Some uneven pacing, and I would have liked some more rounded characterization, but the world building is well-developed and fascinating and the main character, Min, is a great protagonist.

I thoroughly enjoyed this space fantasy! Min is a young fox spirit who goes in search of her brother who is missing from the Space Forces. Min does not believe that he has deserted as the officials say, but her search for him leads her to places she never imagined and situations that require all of her shape-shifting skills. Her loyalty to her brother and her fearlessness are characteristics to admire. Lee has created a universe full of interesting characters based on Korean mythology. It was fun and engaging to read. When I shared the first chapter with my class, they didn't want me to stop reading. I received an advance readers copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Dragon Pearl is a great science fiction novel for middle grade readers. It's a fast-paced adventure that will hook you from the start. With a wonderful interweaving of Chinese mythological creatures and futuristic elements, this story is bound to hook even the most reluctant readers. Just when you think you have figured out the mystery, there's another twist that will keep readers on the edge of their seat. An entertaining read for sure!

This was a fun read, although it lacked the nuance and worldbuilding that Lee's Machineries of Empire series, which I had just finished reading previously, so I found myself wanting more. I had not yet successfully adjusted my expectations to fit what the book was intending to do, and that's on me.

If you are someone who love mythology and science fiction, this is a book for you! It has shape shifting foxes, and goblins, and dragons all set in space! It also has a cast of amazingly smart and fierce and brave characters that will stay with you forever.
For all readers who want to try something new and exciting, this is a book for you.
This is a book for all scifi junkies out there. This is a book for all readers who just want to read an amazing book. This is a book you don't want to miss!

Loved reading this! I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book is so much more than I first thought! So good!

I really enjoyed this book. The setting was inventive, and the story was unique. I liked the characters quite a lot too. I think the middle grade audience this book was written for will love it.

Fun, quick read with unexpected twists along the way. Great characters and a plot that keeps you guessing until the end.

A super fun and adventure filled book that any middle grade (and older) person will enjoy. Also, the plotting, the character development, the writing and everything was honestly phenomenal. I would definitely recommend this book to fans of Rick Riordan.

This was not my favorite “Rick Riordan Presents” book. I think, not knowing anything about Asian mythology the space setting kind of threw me for a loop. I do think there are plenty of pre-teen/teens that will really enjoy this book. I did like the way it ended and wouldn’t say no to continuing the series.

Thank you Net Galley for approving me for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a few of Rick Riordan’s books, so when I saw a book “presented” by him that was also written by an own voices author, I knew I had to read it. Also, science fiction with space and Korean mythology? Sign me up!

I really enjoyed the love felt between family in this book. I also liked the adventure and mystery.

I would recommend this book to middle schoolers and up-especially to fans of Riordan’s.

A space opera and fantasy mash-up with shapeshifters, Korean folklore and culture, pirates, ghosts, plenty of adventures, plus a part of the “Rick Riordan presents” line packs a punch for this slim middle grade book.

Set in the Thousand Worlds, 13-year old Min’s adventures start when she seeks to find her older brother, Jun, and the truth when he disappears, is accused of betraying the Space Forces, and deserting. She comes from a line of fox spirits who can shapeshift and use Charm to influence people. Her abilities get her into and, somewhat, out of trouble along the way, as she runs into gamblers, pirates, ghosts, and Jun’s battle cruiser. She impersonates a cadet to go undercover on the cruiser and befriends a dragon shifter and goblin. Jun supposedly was searching for the legendary Dragon Pearl, a tool that can remake or destroy worlds, so her search for him becomes a search for the Dragon Pearl.

Lee’s debut middle-grade title is a solid and quick read with plenty of substance below the adventures. The world-building includes Korean folklore and culture, blending it with science fiction and fantasy elements to make it a unique read. There is a handy pronunciation guide at the end for the Korean names and words. In addition to fox spirits, there are other shapeshifters and ghosts who play a part in the action. Lee writes cleanly and concisely, providing details and information without becoming too wordy, which makes for a quick read and accessible to younger readers. Besides the cultural diversity, there are non-binary characters, though Lee never preaches, labels, or makes a big deal of it. They just are, which makes it more relatable and just another part of the story. Min learns about how much bigger and more complex the world is outside her home. There is more to what happened to her brother, and it connects to other people, chains of events, and politics.

Look for The Dragon Pearl in the VBPL catalog. Try Yoon Ha Lee’s other works. For middle grade works with diverse characters (and also a Rick Riordan presents title), try Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time and J.C. Cervantes’ The Storm Runner.

Review by Tracy

Dragon Pearl works well as a standalone. But it’s clearly suited to be the start of a YA adventure series. I’m hoping that the first book will sell well, so that I can read more about Min.

Excellent read for middle grade readers, but older fans of Rick Riordan will get a thrill out of it too.

The cover is absolutely adorable making it an auto buy for most readers.
The book has everything you could every ask for; magic, speaking with the dead, big ships, Ghosts, , spaceship captains with questionable motives, and the overriding desire to find her poor maligned brother drives this novel, and nicely so. It's a great little adventure wrapped up between the pages of the book

I adored this book! While it is labeled as a middle grade, I think this book can be enjoyed by adults as well. I have two young boys and I believe this one might go a little above their heads. So definitely an older middle grade.
I've heard a lot of good things about Yoon Ha Lee and I'm so happy to have finally read one of his books, now I need to go out and read all of the rest because I was completely in love.
A beautiful story that wraps up nicely at the end, but leaves space for this to continue as a beautiful series.

While I haven’t read any of the other Rick Riordan Presents books up to this point, this was an enjoyable read. I’m always a sucker for mythology and this was an interesting combination of Korean mythology and a space opera (it was also interesting starting this book shortly after binging the Murderbot books).

Min comes from one of the last lines of fox spirits, but that fact is kept tightly under wraps. Fox spirits are mistrusted even by the other supernaturals, but that didn’t stop her brother from joining the Space Forces to see the other Thousand Worlds. However, when he goes missing and is named a deserter, Min knows something is wrong. In an effort to find her brother and prove his innocence, she finds herself facing challenges she never would have imagined.

The reading is a bit lighter than what I usually enjoy, but the story proved to be an exciting trek through space. :) I certainly look forward to future installments in this series.

I love this cover. It'd make a great movie. But I NEED this to continue as a series! So, I need it as a TV series instead.

I had a moment in the beginning where the adult/middle grade disconnect was clear. Why transform into a table right then!?? Oh, so so silly, but right in line with a child's thinking.

But I love how she learns along the way. The friendships she builds, the twists and turns...

Being a fox is complicated. She is always conscious of how even other supernaturals judge her. It's a good POV to show, the tension and compassion between her powers, her morals, and her friends POV.

I could do without the tiger that confirmed the bias against them, but it wouldn't have been the same without it. At least the dragons wound up WORKING so well. Maybe we'll see more of the different animals in sequels, please???

Rick Riordan Presents has been a FANTASTIC imprint so far. I've loved Dragon Pearl, Aru Shah, The Storm Runner, and Sal & Gabi Break the Universe. I can't wait to continue these series and read Race to the Sun, Paola Santigo and Tristan Strong soon too! I cannot think of ANY new imprint that has been putting out this amazing content and Riordan is the best example for white people supporting diverse reads out right now. (JK Rowling at the exact opposite end of that scale.)

I didn't personally enjoy this book, but will still recommend it for others. The pacing was fairly inconsistent, the internal logic and fantasy 'rules' of the book were inconsistent and the main character was absurdly overpowered. The sci-fi was very 'soft' and at times I had difficulty picturing what the author was describing because I felt like I was missing context or information.