Publishers Weekly
01/30/2023
A Chinese American tween traverses an alternate realm to stop a grim prophecy in this mythology-driven adventure from Chapman (All the Ways Home). In Vancouver, asthmatic 12-year-old Astrid Xu plays the clarinet to help her control her breathing, and she hopes her upcoming solo will encourage her depressed mother, who’s taken to bed, to “get better enough to come watch.” When she finds an old volume of Chinese mythology, she thinks she might be able to bond with her mother over the tales. But upon encountering a scroll inside and breaking its wax seal, Astrid and younger sister Marilla are transported into Zhen, or mythological China, home to fabled figures they’ve only read about. There, they learn that Astrid has unwittingly released the demon Chaos, who plans to bring about a realm-ending flood. Agreeing to help defeat Chaos in exchange for obtaining an immortal peach to help their mom, Astrid, along with Marilla and two legendary allies, set off to save Zhen from a dark fate. Interstitials from A Handbook of Ancient Chinese Myth aid in the plot progression of this imaginative middle grade novel about changing familial bonds and finding one’s strength. An author’s note includes mental health resources. Ages 8–12. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Scroll of Chaos:
"Chapman mixes an empowering adventure story . . . with unflinching, age-appropriate depictions of the ways depression can affect a family . . . A mythological romp that also tackles issues of mental health." — Kirkus Reviews
"[An] imaginative middle grade novel about changing familial bonds and finding one's strength." Publishers Weekly
"Elsie Chapman does it again with The Scroll of Chaos — a thrilling, lushly imagined, emotionally resonant fantasy that will make young readers feel like they're riding their own magical couds across the sky." — Mike Jung, author of Unidentified Suburban Object
"Like magic, author Elsie Chapman paints a vivid picture, bringing to life the stories and characters of Chinese mythology. In this thrilling heroine's quest, Astrid Xu must overcome her own fears and battle Chaos to save the realm of Zhen and return home to her family. Readers will be immersed in this magical realm as they root for Astrid!" — Debbi Michiko Florence, author of Keep It Together, Keiko Carter
"An awesome journey in a gorgeous, epic world that readers won't want to leave! Equal parts sister drama, high-stakes adventure, and intriguing Chinese mythology, this amazing tale reminds us that there are things we can't change, but anything is possible when we believe in ourselves." — Gail D. Villanueva, author of My Fate According to the Butterfly
Praise for Caster:
A 2019 Junior Library Guild Selection
* "Chapman's constructed magic is a complex, balanced system that limits the characters to keep the narrative unpredictable; the battle scenes are creative and fast paced, and the high stakes that Aza faces in her personal life and during the tournament are anxiety-inducing in their believability. Information Aza uncovers about the secrets in her life are parsed out so that the plot never drags; readers will have a hard time putting this one down." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
* "Chapman has created compelling young adult novels before, but this is a cut above; the fully realized and atmospheric dystopia is crafted at a level not seen often. This stunning fantasy will fly off the shelves." — Booklist, starred review
"A dark and, at times, vicious and violent story of will and questionable honor." — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Spell Starter:
A 2020 Junior Library Guild Selection
"A thoughtful look at people’s breaking points." — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Caster
A 2019 Junior Library Guild Selection
* "Chapman's constructed magic is a complex, balanced system that limits the characters to keep the narrative unpredictable; the battle scenes are creative and fast paced, and the high stakes that Aza faces in her personal life and during the tournament are anxiety-inducing in their believability. Information Aza uncovers about the secrets in her life are parsed out so that the plot never drags; readers will have a hard time putting this one down." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review
* "Chapman has created compelling young adult novels before, but this is a cut above; the fully realized and atmospheric dystopia is crafted at a level not seen often. This stunning fantasy will fly off the shelves." — Booklist, starred review
"A dark and, at times, vicious and violent story of will and questionable honor." — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Spell Starter:
A 2020 Junior Library Guild Selection
"A thoughtful look at people’s breaking points." — Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
04/01/2023
Gr 5 Up—Chapman's latest book takes readers on a fast-paced adventure starring gods and demigods from Chinese mythology. Astrid Xu is a 12-year-old with long black hair and a lingering confidence problem. She has an upcoming clarinet solo, but she's afraid that her asthma will ruin her performance. Worse yet, she fears that playing poorly will cause her mother to slip further into a depressive fog. Astrid must learn to trust herself and her family after she accidentally opens a cursed scroll and plunges into Zhen, a world where all the Chinese myths from her childhood are real. This title is broad in a scope comparable to epic fantasies like The Chronicles of Narnia, exploring Chinese traditions and mythologies. The world of Zhen has many vibrant corners for Astrid and her sister Marilla to explore. There they find warm and likable mentors who gently guide their understanding of complex issues like codependency and mental illness. Chapman's book strikes a balance between humor, action, and insight as Astrid is shown finding her way from Zhen back to her everyday life. VERDICT Recommended for fans of jam-packed crossover fantasy with elements of adventure and surrealism.—Talea Anderson
Kirkus Reviews
2023-01-12
It’s up to one Vancouver, British Columbia, girl to save a realm of Chinese gods and immortals from Chaos.
Twelve-year-old Chinese Canadian Astrid Xu has two things on her mind: her upcoming concert (managing her asthma while she plays clarinet adds to her nerves) and her mother’s depression (which isn’t getting better). When she finds an old book about Chinese mythology, Astrid hopes to use it to connect with her mother and younger sister, Marilla. Unbeknownst to Astrid, the book also contains an ancient scroll that unleashes a demon bent on destroying everything. Astrid and Marilla learn the truth behind the stories their mother shared as they come face to face with the demigod Erlang Shen and Sae, one of the Eight Immortals. Astrid agrees to help them defeat the demon—but in return, she wants a magical peach that she hopes will cure her mother. As Astrid, Marilla, and the immortals race through a world quickly succumbing to Chaos, they must face their fears and their conflicts with one another before they can make a final stand. Chapman mixes an empowering adventure story, in which Astrid uses skills she has already learned in fantastic new ways, with unflinching, age-appropriate depictions of the ways depression can affect a family. Summaries of myths interspersed throughout the narrative add extra context for readers new to Chinese mythology.
A mythological romp that also tackles issues of mental health. (Fantasy. 9-12)
