Events › Read the World: A Middle Grade Book Club

Read the World is a book discussion group for youth in 6th to 9th grade. Each month we'll read a book set in a different country and enjoy conversations about the book as well as other cultures and experiences. We'll read from multiple categories, including fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, novels in verse, and more.

This month we'll be reading and discussing The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat and set in a fantastical Thailand. Please register then stop by the library for a copy of the book no earlier than one month before the discussion.

A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world. This is the story of a young woman's struggle to unburden herself of the past and chart her own destiny in a world of secrets. As assistant to Mangkon's most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman - and in a kingdom where the status of one's ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn't the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands - a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining - she must weigh the cost of her dreams. Vivid, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, this tale of identity and integrity is as intricate as the maps of old.

The Last Mapmaker

An ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter can be provided for this program if requested at least seven (7) business days in advance. For assistance, please contact your library or accessibility@aclibrary.org.