The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon
Sale price
$1797
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · Est. 7.5 hour read

The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon

Written by Grace Lin

A lion cub and a girl must retrieve a lost sphere to save their worlds.

4.1 Goodreads · 837 ratings
352 pages· 52,098 words· Est. 7.5 hour read· ~810L
$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Jin, a restless Stone Lion, accidentally loses the Sacred Sphere, thrusting him into the human world. With the gate closed behind him, he teams up with a girl who hears mysterious voices and a worm claiming to be a dragon. Together, they must retrieve the sphere and restore balance, or risk losing everything. Can they navigate this perilous journey and open the portal for the spirits in time?

From the publisher

Preorder now and receive the gorgeous DELUXE LIMITED EDITION while supplies last―featuring stenciled designed sprayed edges, as well as a foil case stamp and designed endpapers. This must-have special edition is only available on a limited first print run while supplies last in the US and Canada only. From award-winning and bestselling author of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Grace Lin comes a gorgeously full-color illustrated story about a lion cub and a girl who must open a portal for the spirits, based on Chinese folklore. Jin is a Stone Lion–one of the guardians of the Old City Gate who is charged to watch over humans and protect the Sacred Sphere. But to Jin, those boring duties feel like a waste of time. What isn’t a waste of time? Perfecting his zuqiu kick, scoring a Golden Goal, and becoming the most legendary player of all the spirit world. But when Jin’s perfect kick accidentally knocks the Sacred Sphere out through the gate, he has no choice but to run after it, tumbling out of the realm he calls home and into the human world as the gate closes behind him. Stuck outside the gate, Jin must find help from unlikely allies, including a girl who can hear a mysterious voice and a worm who claims he is a dragon. Together, they must find the sphere and return it to the world beyond the gate…or risk losing everything. Award-winning and bestselling author Grace Lin returns with another gorgeously illustrated adventure story about duty, love, and balance–expertly written in the vein of the Newbery Honor winner and modern classic Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Based on Chinese Folklore, this beautiful novel features ten full-page pieces of stunning full-color art, as well as intricate chapter header illustrations.

At a glance
Format
Hardcover
Pages
352
Words
52,098
Reading age
8–12
Audience
Middle Grade
Lexile
~810L
Themes & topics
Books about big cats (lions, tigers, leopard, etc.)
The author

More from Grace Lin

Explore Grace's bookshelf
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
#1 in Series
Sale price
$1299

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Ages 8–12 · 2009

Once Upon a Book

Ages 4–8 · 2023

Chinese Menu

Ages 9–12 · 2023

When You Grow Up to Vote

Ages 6–12 · 2018
Your next read

Books that feel like this one

See all similar books

When You Trap a Tiger

Ages 8–12 · 2020

Orange for the Sunsets

Ages 8–12 · 2019

A Tail of Camelot

Ages 8–12 · 2016

The Night Diary

Ages 8–12 · 2018

The Inquisitor's Tale

Ages 10–14 · 2016

The Fairy-Tale Detectives

Ages 9–12 · 2005
Lalani of the Distant Sea
Sale price
$1699

Lalani of the Distant Sea

Ages 8–12 · 2019

The Thirteenth Fairy

Ages 10–14 · 2020
The fine print

Book details

Reading levels
ATOS
5.2
F&P level
~S
AR points
8
AR interest level
MG
AR quiz
557734
Publication
Published
May 13, 2025
Edition
Language
English
Type
Chapter Book
Identifiers
ISBN
9780316594684

Surprise a reader with their next favorite book.

Spotted a mistake or something missing? Improve this page.

Are you the author or illustrator? Claim your book.

Top contributors: Literary Leslie

Bookroo

Book Clubs

Follow Bookroo