Books › The Last Mapmaker
The Last Mapmaker 2022
Children's fantasyChildren's literature
The Last Mapmaker is a 2021 children's fantasy novel written by American author and educator Christina Soontornvat.
Set in the Kingdom of Mangkon, the story follows 12-year-old Sai as she works alongside Paiyoon Wongyai, the Master Mapmaker. When Paiyoon is assigned to map an uncharted land to the south of the kingdom, Sai joins him on this journey that transforms her life.
The novel explores themes including "anti-imperialism and environmental preservation", along with "classism, animal cruelty, exploitation of natural resources, and colonialism".
Critics praised the book, giving it starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal. The Chicago Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, and The New York Times named it one of the best children's books of 2022. In 2023, it received the Newbery Honor—Soontornvat's third—and was an honor book for the Walter Dean Myers Award for Young Readers. Additionally, the Young Adult Library Services Association featured it on their 2023 list of Best Fiction for Young Adults, while the Association for Library Service to Children listed it among the year's Notable Children's Books.
Details
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press
- ISBN
- 9781536204957
- Pages
- 368
