This story inspired by Chinese mythology follows a lion cub named Jin, who is a Gongshi, or spirit who resides in a stone statue and watches out for humans' wellbeing. Jin is not particularly interested in his responsibilities, unlike his father, who guards the Sacred Sphere that, when it is lost, causes the gate between the human world and gongshi world to close. Jin thinks it's his fault, but the Sphere has been summoned by a sculptor who has lost his wife and child. Stuck in the human world when the gate closes, Jin teams up with a girl, Lulu, and a dragon currently in the form of a worm, to try to find the Sphere and reopen the gate before it is too late.
This novel for young middle grade readers is very satisfying in the way the threads of the story come together in the end, and it has a nice emotional arc for Jin, Lulu, and the sculptor. The story has a slow start, but once it gets moving, it's quite engaging. The author occasionally inserts legends within the story to provide additional context, and these sometimes slow the story down.
I really feel the title is a misnomer, seeing as lion Jin is really the main character, and the dragon is, for most of the story, a worm.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. Grace Lin has a way of taking strands of a story and weaving them together in the most enchanting way. In her afterward, she refers to these ideas as seeds in a garden and the need to give them the time to grow -- often in unexpected directions -- before they bloom and form a harmonious whole. This story of two worlds (those of humans and "stone spirits/Gongshi") separated by a gate that becomes closed, isolating those caught on the wrong side is full of unique characters, most based in mythology and folklore. It is full of emotions which can overwhelm or restrict or cause one to do anything to change their effect, even if it means causing harm to others. Grace Lin takes us on a journey of love, despair, hope, and forgiveness as Jin, a lion cub stone spirit tries to open the gate to bring the worlds together again. As talented a writer as she is, she is an equally talented artist and this book is filled with beautiful illustrations, some in radiant color.

This novel is set to become a classic alongside Grace Lin’s beloved Where the Mountain Meets the Moon series, with another spirited child (or cub!) on an exciting high-stakes adventure guided by storytellers and his passions and convictions! This new character is a welcome addition to children’s literature. Grace Lin has crafted many spunky, strong female characters, but the feature character here is a wonderfully relatable impulsive boy cub. These stories are also incredibly important! He struggles with huge emotions and the shame of making a catastrophic mistake. Still, he picks himself up off the street and faces the problem with resilience, eventually rekindling the relationship with his father. This makes him a fantastic role model! In particular, this novel will ignite conversations about change, loss, grief, emotions, responsibility, accountability, love, kindness, citizenship, and deception. Besides that, just imagine a lion cub pouncing on a ball and romping through a city! Isn’t that simply adorable? What about a lion cub, a mysterious girl, and a puny dragon? Are you intrigued yet? Okay, so what about stone cats?

Another thing that is new and thrilling is that much of this story takes place in a modern city, rather than in an ancient Chinese village. Signature Chinese elements still come through powerfully and artistically with the magic of towering red doors, Chinese New Year lanterns, sky lanterns, intricate embroidery, plum blossoms, lotus pools, the luminous moon, and a noble dragon! Teachers will relish the rich diction and the opportunities to teach about the history of Confucius, the Terracotta Warriors, tomb figurines, bell towers, walled cities with gates, and soccer! In particular, what does that Female Dancer look like in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? As for art, what about diving into sculpting, embroidery, or sewing? What is a seam ripper, anyway? Do some bells really sound like “My shoe .. . my shoe”? Also, which other cultures have weeping willow legends? Which other mythologies have living statues? There are many other educational avenues to explore, like star designs, erosion, environmentalism, city designs, rocks, the moon, comets, and meteors. The list is endless!

Beyond being educational, Grace Lin’s prose is elegant and ever-meaningful, and enthusiasts will rejoice at the opportunity to seek out the numerous clues and threads tying each character and chapter together with Chinese mythology, history, culture, and even her other books! Having said that, do you remember the red threads mentioned in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Starry River of the Sky, and When the Sea Turned to Silver? Are you rusty on the mythology surrounding Nüwa, as introduced in Starry River of the Sky and When the Sea Turned to Silver? What about the four river dragons in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon? I, too, will have to reread Starry River of the Sky to refresh on the Celestial Rooster! It may be time to dive back into those gorgeous modern classics, but AFTER reading this one (especially if you can get ahold of a copy with the gorgeous sprayed edges!!!)

Grace Lin has sprinkled countless hidden treasures for us close readers and book “detectives”! It is a fabulous family or classroom read, and an excellent way to boost close reading skills as you look for foreshadowing and practice inference. Can you solve some of these mysteries: Can the voice be trusted? Just who is that dragon who keeps getting mentioned anyway?!! Who is Great-Aunt Mei Hua? Lulu’s father?

This is a stand-alone novel and not part of the Where the Mountain Meets the Moon series. Despite this, I couldn’t help but find connections between this story and the others. One of my first thoughts while reading was–Wait! Does this Jin have any connections to Aunt Jin or Xiao Mao in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon?! Then, I paused thinking about the magical statues and those on Green Island in Mulan: Before the Sword, and I connected it to this quotation from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon: “‘Everything’s alive–the ground you’re walking on, the bark of those trees. We were always alive, even before we were lions and were just raw stone. However, carving us did give us a bit more personality.’” Later, I was sure I saw a reference to Fruitless Mountain. Does anyone else know the spot? Finding these connections is absolutely thrilling! For example, the sightless lion-head door knockers bring the eyeless Dragon painting in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon to mind and the Sculptor is a bit similar to the stonecutter in When the Sea Turned to Silver. Then, there are Daji’s sweet words and the stinging, needle bees in Mulan: Before the Sword . . . What about the black sky in Starry River of the Sky? There are even multiple characters with intermittent memories, and I’m certainly eager for my learners to compare Mountain Maitreya with Mr. Shan!

Like all of Grace Lin’s novels, this one is infused with emotion and warmth, and it’s adventurous and fun, especially when you read it alongside her other novels! It’s an absolutely enchanting read with the author’s colourful artwork throughout, so what are you waiting for?

Grace Lin is a storyteller whose works should not be missed!

The Gate, The Girl and the Dragon is no exception!
Something incredibly special is achieved as Grace Lin intricately weaves together the story of Jin the Lion Cub, Lulu the girl, the worm, the Stone Spirits and the sculptor, along with the stories surrounding the Chinese folklore/mythology. I found myself torn between flipping the pages faster (because the stakes raised for the characters made me want to know how everything would turn out), and slowly savoring the beautiful language and the connections made on each and every page, not wanting it to end. Grace Lin's words, characters and worlds, capture the heart of readers young and old.

I liked it so much recommended it for Battle of the Books for 2026 in my school district!