Mulan's Secret Plan

Call it nostalgia or just call it is what it is...my Disney Nerd coming out. I love Disney! I collect Disney items, wear Disney-inspired clothes, watch movies, and belt out all the Disney classic songs anytime I can. With that being said when I found out that Disney has been stepping up their book game I couldn't help myself. I have so many books in my library from Disney Publishing that I am excited to read, this Mulan book was only one of many. I picked up this book for two reasons: 1) I love finding young reader chapter books that I can suggest to my students. 2) It's Mulan! Who doesn't love this strong female heroine?

Plot: Mulan is a young girl in this story who is living at home with her mother and grandmother. Her father who she loves is off at war and she misses him dearly. As she goes about her daily chores she is excited because she is going to start school with some other girls her age in town. Mulan is thrilled because she has been jealous of the boys and how they get to go to school and learn so many amazing things including fighting. This school though is very different from the boys as it is classes with the village matchmaker. As she starts her first class with the matchmaker she realizes this isn't exactly what she expected. The matchmaker is testing them constantly on things that the girl don't all know how to do and isn't teaching them the proper way to do them. Things such as making rice make up, how to make the proper tea, calligraphy, and sewing. Mulan has to use her logic to find a way to help her friends and her be successful in the matchmakers class. Will she figure it out in time before the final exam?

My Thoughts: I wasn't sure how the author was going to make this story and I was worried that in the process of making a story for younger children they would lose the fighting spirit that Mulan has, I was so nervous but pleasantly surprised once I started reading. The author did an amazing job! I loved how they showed Mulan even at a young age just wants to honor her family. I also love how she shows interest in fighting and being a part of something more. I felt like this story showed how Mulan, even at a young age, has a vibrant spirit to stand up for what is right and fight against what is expected of her. There is a part of me that sees her actions in this book as the fight against the standards set on women in China at this time. She works with her friends to be more, to help one another, to take learning and growing into their own hands. I think this is a truly sweet story that makes me excited to share it with my own children one day.

4/5 Stars It has a lot of positives that I have listed above in my thoughts and if you have a young reader I would totally suggest this book. It is a great starting chapter book to read together or have your young reader read independently. It was a quick read that even as an adult I loved the messages and themes. Disney knocked this one out of the park for me! #childrensbook #Disney #chapterbook #lessonslearned #childrenslit #kids