Lady of Ch'iao Kuo: Warrior of the South, Southern China, A.D. 531 (The Royal Diaries)
Princess Red Bird, 16-year-old daughter of the Hsien king in 6th century  Southern China, has been born into a world of dispute and violence. When she is  sent to a Chinese colony to be educated, she must contend with the disdainful  attitudes of her hosts, who consider the Hsien to be savages, even as both the  Chinese and the Hsien are at constant risk of attack from the truly savage  neighboring people, the Dog Heads. In reality, the princess is a fair and wise  leader, even at a young age, with a brilliant mind for military stratagems. Her  leadership skills are put to the test when war breaks out and the Dog Heads  begin to move in.Prolific Newbery Honor author Laurence Yep (Dragon's Gate) contributes a  remarkable tale to the Royal Diaries series. This fictionalized account of the  real-life princess will introduce young readers to a long-ago land with a  fascinating culture and edge-of-seat adventures, and will certainly inspire some  to delve deeper into Chinese history. As in all the titles in the series, a  section in the back provides context and historical background. (Ages 8 to 14)--Emilie Coulter