The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontorvat

 Sai pretends to be a well-bred young woman from a prominent family, but she is really the impoverished daughter of a petty criminal.  By a stroke of luck, she becomes the assistant to a famous mapmaker, and when the emperor calls for ships to go on exploring expedition she jumps at the chance to accompany her master, if only to get away from her overbearing drunk of a father. Once on the high seas, her excitement about the adventure wanes when she discovers that her shipmates have hidden agendas that lead into danger.  She must choose between glory and honor, loyalty and riches and the choice might just cost her life.

This is an interesting Newbery honor book from last year.  The book is clearly set in a fantasy world based on an Asian culture, but I didn't know it was based on a Thai legend until I read the Amazon blib just now.  This book has a lot going for it. It is an exciting adventure story with a strong but complex main character. There is intrigue and mystery. The reader, like the characters, is not sure whether the legends about the Sunderlands are true or not until the very end. There is also a loud and clear message about the consequences of unrestrained ambition and imperialism.  I am always glad when a Newbery winner is actually going to be an easy book to recommend to kids and I think this one fits the bill. (2022, 368p)