Lia Park and the Missing Jewel (Lia Park #1)
by Jenna Yoon (Author)
Perfect for fans of the Storm Runner and Aru Shah series, this "intriguing, fast-paced" (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade fantasy follows a young girl who must venture to the undersea kingdom of the Dragon King in Korea to save her parents from an evil diviner spirit.
Twelve-year old Lia Park just wants to fit in. Her parents work with a mysterious organization that makes them ridiculously overprotective. Lia's every move has been scrutinized since she was born, and she'd love to have the option of doing something exciting for once. So when she gets invited to the biggest birthday party of the year--and her parents say she can't go--Lia sneaks out.
But her first act of rebellion not only breaks her parents' rules, but also an ancient protection spell, allowing an evil diviner spirit to kidnap and ransom her parents for a powerful jewel that her family has guarded for years. With just the clothes on her back and some very rusty magical skills, Lia finds herself chasing mysterious clues that take her to her grandmother's home in Korea.
From there, she has to make their way to the undersea kingdom of the Dragon King, the only person who knows where the powerful jewel might be. Along with her friend, Joon, Lia must dig deep and find courage to stand up for those who are weak--and become the hero her parents need.
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Kirkus
School Library Journal
Gr 3-6-This action-packed fantasy with a Korean-American heroine will entertain if not hit emotionally deep. Lia Park, 12 and still without magic, knows she'll never pass the International Magic School entrance exams next week. But it turns out she'll be tested in ways she never imagined. In a desperate attempt at popularity at regular school, Lia inadvertently calls forth an evil sorceress who kidnaps her parents. The only way to get them back is to find a particular jewel and deliver it to the sorceress. It's up to Lia and her best friend Joon to follow the clues that lead them from California to Korea, through ancient cultural sites, and even into a dragon's lair. Every step of the way shows Lia just how far she will go to save her family. To non-Korean speaking readers, the many transliterated words look like believable magic spells, but Yoon lets everyone in on the joke by translating the actually mundane phrases: "Get bigger, please." or "Move, please." In fact, Yoon lets readers in on nearly everything. While younger readers may enjoy being hit over the head with plot points, older readers may miss the thrill of having to put two and two together themselves. Occasional stiff wording prevents the book from living up to its potential during emotional scenes. Quibbles aside, the plot keeps the pages turning, and what seems predictable proves to have some satisfying twists. VERDICT A solid purchase for fans of the "Dragon Realm" series. Lia Park is an exciting new protagonist in the fantasy adventure scene.
Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV012060 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, Fables | Asian
Magic
Adventure stories
Families
Family life
Mothers
Korean Americans
Korea (South)
Novels
Mythology, Korean
