The Emperor's Riddle

by Kat Zhang

The Emperor's Riddle is about a girl who embarks on a hunt for a long-lost treasure while on a summer trip to China.

Mia Chen is on what her mother calls a Grand Adventure. She’s not sure what to make of this family trip to China, and didn’t want to leave her friends for the summer, but she’s excited about the prospect of exploring with her Aunt Lin, the only adult who truly understands her.

Then Aunt Lin disappears, right after her old nemesis, a man named Ying, comes to visit. Mia knows that years ago, when Aunt Lin and Ying were sent to the Fuzhou countryside to work as laborers, the two searched for an ancient treasure together—one that still hasn’t been found. She’s suspicious that their shared history might be linked to Aunt Lin’s disappearance.

When Mia discovers an old map filled with riddles in Aunt Lin’s room, she quickly pieces together her find the treasure, find her aunt. Now, Mia, along with her big brother, Jake, must solve the clues to rescue the person she knows best in the world—and maybe unearth a treasure greater than her wildest dreams.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Adventure, Fiction, Childrens, China, Realistic Fiction

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2017

About the author

*Please do not message me through Goodreads! Instead, email me at katzhang3 AT gmail DOT com. I don't get on Goodreads often to check messages! Thank you :) *


Kat Zhang spent most of her childhood tramping through a world weaved from her favorite stories and games. When she and her best friend weren't riding magic horses or talking to trees, they were writing adaptations of plays for their stuffed animals (what would The Wizard of Oz have been like if the Cowardly Lion were replaced by a Loquacious Lamb?). This may or may not explain many of Kat's quirks today.

By the age of twelve, Kat had started her first novel and begun plans for her life as a Real Live Author (she was rather more confident at twelve than she is even now). Said plans didn't come into fruition until seven years later, when her agent sold her Young Adult trilogy, The Hybrid Chronicles, to HarperCollins. The series, about a parallel universe where everyone is born with two souls, concluded in 2014.

Her two upcoming Middle Grade novels will be released in 2017 and 2018 with Simon & Schuster. The first, The Emperor's Riddle, is about hidden treasure, lost aunts, and China. The second, The Memory of Forgotten Things, is about parallel universes (again), solar eclipses, and misfit children.

Kat is represented by Emmanuelle Morgen of Stonesong. She also contributes to Pub(lishing) Crawl, a site for aspiring writers to talk about books, storytelling craft, and the publishing process.

Reviews

[Raquel · Rating 3 out of 5]

«Mia felt very small and very young. But that […] was how history was supposed to make you feel. Small and young and part of something much bigger than yourself.»

Review in English | Reseña en español (abajo)
Fills into the Reading Women Challenge (5) A children’s book

Do you want an entertaining, fast-paced story involving a mysterious history-archaeological adventure set in China? This is the book for you! The Emperor's Riddle is a light and funny middle-grade novel that I bet it kicks you out of a reading slump, and I think it is perfect for younger readers as well.

The story starts off with eleven-year-old Mia Chen, our main character, spending a month of her summer vacation in China visiting her mother's hometown, Fuzhou. She's not thrilled about it and especially since she's far away from her best friends and everything she likes to do. But Mia will be soon intrigued by the legend of Emperor Zhu Yunwen and his hidden treasure, with mysterious riddles and a forgotten map involved. And everything will be messed up when her Aunt Lin suddenly leaves, saying she's going to spend some time with friends. No one else in Mia's family is concerned about Aunt Lin, but Mia's got a bad feeling. Therefore, she sets off to solve the riddles of the emperor and find the clues that will lead her to this treasure and, she hopes, to her aunt.

As I said, this is a delightful novel you can read in just one sitting forgetting about everything around you and diving into a trip to modern-day China thanks to the strong sense of place and cultural details the author described!
—
¿Quieres una historia entretenida y de ritmo rápido con una misteriosa aventura sobre historia y arqueología ambientada en China? ¡Este es el libro perfecto! The Emperor's Riddle es una novela middle-grade ligera y divertida que apuesto a que te saca de cualquier bloqueo lector, y considero que también es perfecta para los lectores más jóvenes.

La historia comienza con Mia Chen, nuestra protagonista principal de 11 años, pasando un mes de sus vacaciones de verano en China visitando la ciudad natal de su madre, Fuzhou. No está especialmente emocionada porque está lejos de sus mejores amigas y de todo lo que le gusta hacer. Pero Mia pronto quedará intrigada por la leyenda del emperador Zhu Yunwen y su tesoro escondido, con misteriosos acertijos y un mapa antiguo olvidado tras un cuadro. La verdadera acción de la trama comienza cuando su tía Lin se vaya de repente, diciendo que va a pasar algún tiempo con unos amigos. Nadie más en la familia de Mia está preocupado por el repentino viaje de la tía Lin, pero Mia tiene un mal presentimiento. Empezará a resolver los enigmas del emperador y encontrar las pistas que la llevarán al tesoro y, espera, a su tía.

Como ya dije, esta es una novela rápida y divertida que se puede leer del tirón, y perfecta para olvidarse de todo a nuestro alrededor y sumergirnos en un maravilloso viaje a la China moderna gracias al gran sentido del lugar y los detalles culturales que la autora describe.

[belle ☆ﾐ (thisbellereadstoo) · Rating 4 out of 5]

picked up the emperor's riddle without knowing or expecting anything but i truly fell into the adventure that mia went on. a month-long visit to china was mia and jake's opportunity to explore their family's origin. little did they know, they'll be embarking on a mysterious historical journey to find the missing treasure of zhu yunwen. when aunt lin went missing, mia immediately knew something was wrong even though everyone else thinks otherwise since aunt lin left a note. always curious, mia picked up hints and clues along the way that eventually led her to different archaeological sites in china and soaking up the history behind each place.

this middle grade novel is delightfully fun. as mia solves the mystery behind aunt lin's disappearance, she also bonded with her older brother jake who she used to be very close with. overall, i enjoyed the sibling relationship as well as mia opening up to others who she weren't familiar with.

[laura (bbliophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a lot of fun, just not as epic and fantastical as I was expecting. Adored the brother-sister relationship though!

[Katie ratherbereadinggg · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

[Rajiv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5

“The Emperor’s Riddle” is an adventure tale of eleven year old Mia, as she tries to solve a series of riddles in Fuzhou, China, to seek an old Emperor’s treasure and help her search for her missing Aunt.

Personally, what I loved most was the way Zhang takes the reader on a tour of Fuzhou while the characters try to solve the riddles to the Emperor’s treasure. As I have never been to any of the places mentioned in the book, it was fascinating to get knowledge and visualize the historical places like Sanfang Qixiang, the White and Black Pagoda, the Ming Dynasty and the Cultural Revolution. Knowing that this was targeted towards younger readers, I liked the fact that she just touched the surface of the history and significant places (without getting into too much detail), thus creating a good blend of the story with the historical backdrop.

It was interesting to read how the main character Mia, who is a shy, sensitive and timid girl, goes about living the Grand adventure she always yearns. I also liked her relationship with her brother Jake and the way they fight and patch things together the book. The story itself is wonderfully written where Mia uses the help of the family in order to solve the riddles while getting close to them. The maps were an amusing touch added after Mia solved each of the clues.

Having said that, there are a few things that I felt could have been done better. Even though I could relate to Mia’s character, I personally didn’t like the way she treated her uncle throughout the book, especially since he was so nice to her. I wish Zhang had written a bit more to patch their relationship together. Secondly, while the riddles and the story was fun to read, it did seem unrealistic that Mia just happens to solve most of the clues in the first 3-4 days in a place she doesn’t even know well. The story felt rushed at times and I feel the author could have done a better job with the character development.

Overall, this was a delightful quick read that I would recommend to young readers.

[Shenwei · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick but super fun read. I love books with riddles and puzzles. The quest to solve the emperor's riddle takes you on a mini tour of Fuzhou and delves into a bit of early Ming Dynasty history. It left me yearning to visit China when I was done. Full review to come on my blog. :)

[Abby Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia is not thrilled to be spending a month of her summer vacation in China visiting her mother's hometown, far away from her best friends and everything she likes to do. When Ying, a childhood friend of her Aunt Lin's, shows up and they start to talk about the treasure hunting they used to do when they were young, Mia is intrigued. And when her aunt suddenly leaves, saying she's going to spend some time with friends, Mia is suspicious. Her aunt has told her about the legend of Emperor Zhu Yunwen and his hidden treasure and Ying seemed angry that Aunt Lin had shared details about their search with Mia.

No one else in Mia's family is concerned about Aunt Lin; she has a reputation for being flighty and taking off on her own for various adventures. But Mia's got a bad feeling. She doesn't trust Ying. She doesn't think her aunt would leave without telling her first. So Mia sets off to solve the riddles of the emperor and find the clues that will lead her to his treasure and, she hopes, to her aunt.

I am not normally a mystery reader, but I loved this book. The strong sense of place and the cultural details had me feeling like I was on a trip to China myself. The pacing is just right - not too breakneck or too slow or too long.

I would hand this to kids who love the history mysteries in the 39 Clues series or to kids who love armchair traveling and enjoyed Where the Mountain Meets the Moon or Dumpling Days by Grace Lin.

[JumbleofJargon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been feeling super meh lately, thus I'm immensely proud to say that this is the first book I started and finished in 2018 !

RTC

[Suzanne Maley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this 3 1/2 stars. The ending was very exciting. Mia's character seemed to change towards the end and made her stronger. The end also leaves the door open for more books about Mia and Aunt Lin.

[Airin Efferin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect if you love middle-grade mysteries set in modern-day China. Some things I really liked about this book were the sibling chemistry and family themes, and getting to know some cool temples. To be honest, I find the premise a bit unrealistic, but I can live with it!

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

China's past is important to Mia's present as she follows an ex emperor's clues across China to find a treasure . . . and her missing aunt.

[Sarah Bowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not poorly written, just fairly predictable. Clean.

[Anoushka · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few days after Mia appears, her Aunt Lin disappears. They are on a search for a missing treasure that was one of their ancestors friends. Mia and her brother Jake find clues to where aunt lin may have disappeared, but they don't know for sure. MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super cute adventure story about a girl and her brother who visit China for the summer and get caught up in the search for an emperor’s treasure. sweet and fun with some tender sibling/family moments

[Roxanne Hsu Feldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciate Kat Zhang's obvious understanding of contemporary China and what every day family life is like in a small city in southern China. There is no nostalgia or exoticism -- just a fun mystery with a riddle and a less known legend of a hidden treasure by a Ming Dynasty emperor. I would have welcomed a more savorable prose style or characters that I care more about but that is just to satisfy my own taste. I will definitely share this with my mystery loving students.

[Akoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be quite a satisfying read. The writing is seamless, the story is fun/intriguing and fast paced. I love how the riddles take you to historically iconic places in China's history as well.
Mia's relationship with her family members is complex but also heartwarming. I will follow her for another adventure if that ever happens.

PS: I won this ARC in a twitter giveaway hosted by the author.

[(Katie) Paperbacks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun adventure middle grade story of trying to solve a hundreds year old mystery. It was a little fast paced for my liking, kind of like National Treasure (where every piece seems to fit and the answers come to quickly 😄.) But it was still a good book.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mia isn't super excited about going to China with her mom, aunt, and brother. They'll be visiting the home where Aunt Lin and Mom grew up and where their uncle who is more like a stranger now lives. Mia would much rather spend summer break with her friends back in Tennessee. But when Aunt Lin suddenly disappears and everyone else brushes it off as just Aunt Lin being Aunt Lin, Mia knows something is up. The last thing Aunt Lin was looking at was a treasure map hidden behind an old family painting that looks like it leads to the fabled treasure of deposed emperor, Zhu Yunwen. Mia is convinced they need to fill in the missing spots in the map by following the riddles on the map. Her brother Jack is game to at least try, that is, as long as the treasure hunting doesn't interfere with basketball. Can they solve the riddles and fill in the map? And can Mia convince her family that Aunt Lin hasn't just disappeared on her own?

This is an adventurous mystery/treasure hunt in more rural China. It should definitely appeal to kids who like mysteries and treasure hunts. As an adult, I found Mia's failure to trust her Uncle frustrating, but I do remember being very intimidated by strangers as a shy child so it's also believable. You aren't sure whether or not Mia has things right or not until quite late in the book, so readers will be kept guessing. The only other part of the book that bothered me was Mia's memory issues and the ways those were dealt with. Mia seems to have a mild learning disability of some sort. She often complains of not being able to focus or remember things well, and mentions that people are constantly bugging her to focus. It sounded like ADD to me but it is never labeled, and comes off as Mia just being insecure and imaginative. But it seems more serious than just day dreaming, and it therefore also seems odd for a modern contemporary read featuring a girl who goes to public school in America. She'd probably have been diagnosed by her age if it were that big of an issue and given some tools to help her deal with it. That part of the book was never satisfactorily addressed in my opinion. I think it was supposed to be addressed by the ending, but I would have liked more. Kids who identify with Mia's issues need more help than the promise of proving themselves by solving a puzzle. Overall, a fun mystery adventure in a lesser-explored part of China for middle grades.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There is a part of the book where danger is threatened but no one is ever seriously hurt.

[Dorine White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia, her mom, brother Jake and her Aunt Lin have gone to China to visit their relatives. At first, Mia is not excited and upset to be away from her friends, but then she gets involved in a mystery. Her Aunt Lin tells her about a hidden treasure from 600 years ago and the map that leads to its hiding place. One night, Aunt Lin goes missing, and Mia thinks that Ying, an old friend of her aunt's is to blame. No one else believes her.

Mia decides that if she solves the riddles that lead to the hidden treasure she will be able to stop Ying and save her aunt. With help from her brother, Jake, the two of them search for the missing clues and journey around the countryside to piece together the puzzle.

Ying is on their trail and he is dangerous. Will they beat him to the treasure and save their aunt?


My Thoughts-
I love books that have riddles to solve and involve some sort of quest. This one fits the bill. I enjoyed following Mia and Jake as they solved the riddles, toured the Chinese countryside and then put together a map that lead to what might be the treasure. Throughout the book there are images of the map that the author fills in as Mia solves the clues.

I enjoyed learning about the Chinese culture and parts of their emperorial history. Mia is a great character who feels jealous that her brother no longer wants to hang out with her and is angry with her uncle for no good reason. She is a typical teenager, however, she is also someone whose head is filled with adventure and mystery, just like her globe trotting Aunt Lin. They are two peas in a pod. Which makes Mia's quest to find her aunt even more important.

Could it really happen? Who knows? But this is a great adventure book for middle graders that adds a cultural twist. 4 stars!

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zhang, Kat The Emperor’s Riddle, 235 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2017. $ 17. Mature Content: G; Language: G; Violence: PG (scary).

At first Mia is not excited about going to visit her uncle in China for a month of summer vacation, even if her brother, mother, and favorite aunt are coming along. But returning to her home reminds Aunt Lin of a mystery from her own childhood that she never solved. When Aunt Lin disappears in the middle of the night, Mia knows it has to do with the angry man from Lin’s past and the family mystery of the Emperor’s treasure, but no one will listen to her. Mia will have to solve the riddle, perhaps by herself, in order to bring Aunt Lin home.

I have to get this off my chest – it bugs me that Mia’s uncle NEVER gets a name! Come to think of it, I don’t think Mia’s mom has a name either. Mia is another overly shy tween who calls her mother’s brother “stranger uncle” the whole novel, who somehow has the courage to run off in a strange country all by herself to solve a mystery, though. Despite those irritations, though, the mystery is interesting enough to keep you reading. Many of the answers fall into Mia’s lap, but that is to be expected with a young reader’s book.

EL - OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017...

[Beth Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Emperor's Riddle was our most recent read aloud, one my kids never wanted to me stop reading. Its been so fun for me to see my younger kids (5, 8, 9) learning to love longer read alouds, asking questions and making guesses as to what will happen next.

The good: this book completely sucked my kids into the story. Twelve year old Mia is visiting her mom’s family in China and ends up having an adventure of treasure hunting, puzzles and riddles, and a mysterious map. Mia and her older brother work through their sibling squabbles and end up really caring for each other. This is a middle grade very much written for kids.

The meh: as an adult, I had to suspend a lot of disbelief, particularly regarding the “getting rid of adults” problem. The kids explore several places solo in both the city and countryside on their summer visit to China. We were so excited to see periodic maps with new added sections throughout the book, but they ended up being so abstract that even my kids were wondering how they could tell where to go. We didn’t need these things believable to enjoy the reading experience, but so many MG offer a more complete story.

What I really think: this would be a fun read for a puzzle and adventure loving young reader, but I would probably pick something that leaves me more satisfied as a family read aloud.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ fast-paced adventure

[Maeva · Rating 2 out of 5]

J'étais très contente de lire un livre jeunesse où l'intrigue se passe en Chine, en plus pendant le Nouvel An Chinois. La lecture en soi fut moins réjouissante.
Je pense que le côté "chinois" de ce livre plaira plus aux gens qui n'habitent pas/n'ont jamais habité en Chine. J'ai lu dans les autres reviews que les gens se sentaient comme lors d'un voyage... Euh, ce n'est pas parce qu'elle décrit deux-trois pagodes qu'on se sent complètement en Chine. Mais c'est peut-être moi le problème.
Je n'ai pas été hyper investie dans l'intrigue et la chasse au trésor. Les indices étaient d'une évidence absurde qui fait que je ne comprends pas comment les gens de la régions (ou sa tante qui est censée avoir réfléchie à ce trésor toute sa vie et connait bien Fuzhou) n'aient pas trouvé quoi que ce soit avant.
Les personnages étaient un peu fades et Mia autant que les autres.

J'ai vraiment pris peu de plaisir à lire. Ce n'était pas réellement mauvais, je ne sais même pas si j'en attendais autre chose et c'est cool qu'il y ait des romans variés qui ne soient pas un cliché etc mais finalement, c'était globalement sans saveurs.

[Victoria (TheMennomilistReads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

My middle child bought this book at a school book fair when he was in 8th grade. Since it was still unread on his shelf (though he had started it a little), I asked if he would like me to read it to the family. He really likes books about Chinese culture (as do I). This book just didn't hold our attention as we would have liked. It wasn't a bad book, but there was nothing that stood out or made us excited to hear what was going to happen next. We didn't laugh or react positively like other books. I don't believe the plot was developed well.

The story is about a young pre-teen girl named Mia. She and her family set off to China for summer vacation. She is very close to her Aunt Lin. Her aunt is known to tell her history about where Mia's mom, aunt, and other siblings grew up. When they arrive, Aunt Lin goes missing after creating a map (which doesn't seem much like a map if you look at it. . as if it is already there for you anyway). There are stories about Zhu Yunwen's treasure. Mia sees the map Aunt Lin has made and wants to find each place, since maybe she'll find her aunt there.

[Dan Allbery · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mia and her brother Jake have accompanied her mother and Aunt Lin on a return trip to Fuzhou, China. It is a placed that holds and unlocks so many memories, especially for Aunt Lin. She has always been an explorer, an adventurer, and through her stories, Mia has become one as well. When going through old family artifacts they find a painting of two cranes that is not just a painting, but a clue to finding an ancient emperor's treasures. With a passion for discovery, Mia becomes interested, but also worried when Aunt Lin leaves, or is it that she disappears, or...has been taken.

In my forever quest to find amazing titles set in Asia--I'm a teacher at an international school in Asia--I picked up Kat Zhang's book. It was an okay title. Having just finished it last night, I can't recall much about the setting, characters, or conflicts because they were not that memorable. This book was like a retelling of the Goonies, a highly unlikely story of young children solving clues to a mystery that no one else could solve in centuries. It just didn't do it for me, and sadly, I do not think it will provide much for my students as well. Recommended for GR 5-7.

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia is not thrilled about going on a family trip to China with her mother, older brother Jake, and Aunt Lin. She would rather stay home and hang out with her friends. Once they get to the apartment that her mother and aunt grew up in, things don't seem so bad. She's been going to Chinese school, so she can speak to people and read street signs. Plus she loves hanging out with her aunt, who promises they will have all kinds of fun adventures. But when her aunt disappears suddenly, Mia doesn't believe it is by choice. No one else thinks there is anything amiss, so it falls on Mia to start investigating. She believes that it is related to a search for an ancient treasure that Aunt Lin had looked for as a teenager. A map and a series of clues hidden in an old painting give Mia the push she needs. This is an exciting historical mystery and modern day adventure, with some good information about the Cultural Revolution thrown in as well. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.

[Isabel · Rating 2 out of 5]

as a fellow chinese american, i had such high hopes for this book. representation of young chinese american teens is so rare and i was really looking forward to a protagonist i could love and a book i could read on repeat.

i was wrong.

the protagonist, mia, is incredibly bratty and shows little maturity. even if she's only twelve, her character itself is so unlikeable. i found the beginning quite interesting and i was prepared for the story to just get better and better.

little did i know that what i had just read was the best the book would ever get to.

the middle, a crucial player in deciding if a book is good or not, was awful. terrible. i BARELY got through this book. mysteries aren't my thing in general, but i do appreciate a well-developed mystery where the reader can interpret the clues as well. i didn't get that here at all. the clues were poorly developed and the entire concept was ridiculous.

my disappointment is more than you can imagine.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zhang has a beautiful way of writing for the juvenile audience. This book will introduce readers to Chinese history and culture while incorporating elements of a thrilling treasure hunt. I wish that the author had included more descriptions of the Chinese monuments and historical places, as it was something I had to look up. I'm not sure that every child who reads this book will do the same to gain further understanding of what the places look like and why they are important.

Overall, the clues are fun and the map that is pieced together cannot be solved until the very end. Mia's evolving relationships with her family members and her suspicions about her aunt's friend make this book a compelling and thrilling read.

[Katie Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

The descriptions of China alone made this book amazing. So atmospheric and engaging! This moved quickly and had some great action scenes. I loved all the cultural details and how important history & place were to the mystery. The characters are not developed overly well, but are relatable nonetheless. I almost wished there'd been slightly more of Mia's relationship with her mother as well as her aunt. I thought there were some interesting details in the brief snippets you see that could have been fleshed out a bit more. I loved that Mia and Jake worked together but still had challenges in their sibling relationship. A very fun, fast-moving adventure/mystery that I know I can sell to a lot of different young patrons.

[Jennybeast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part fantasy, part modern day adventure in China, the story is a mystery and a treasure hunting quest. Love the setting, love that the reason the treasure is still hidden is because no one seems to remember that it exists outside of Mia's family (which makes it slightly more believable). Good characters, and while Mia definitely has some of the ol' middle grade angst, it doesn't overshadow the larger story. I also like that the villain is acting out of despair, which is compassionately dealt with, but not forgiven. I also like how Mia is testing her independence and finding out how to rely on herself. I think it's astonishing that one can have a 500 year old mystery and the landmarks/clues are still there. I also loved the almost abstract map. Altogether pretty cool.