The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat
Soontornvat, C. (2023). The last mapmaker. Candlewick Press. ISBN 9781536230178
Twelve year old Sai has a gift; she can copy any written word down in an almost perfect copy of original handwriting. This has led Sai to become an assistant to the world's best mapmaker, but her time is running short. At thirteen, Sai is expected to join society and become a proper young lady, but with a conman as a father it is a bit of a challenge. After an unexpected opportunity arises, Sai and a crew are about to set sail to on the uncharted sea. If Sai is successful, she will bring glory back to her name, but can she survive the journey?
The Last Mapmaker is a middle grade, fantasy set in a Thai inspired world. From the get go, The Last Mapmaker is a a fast paced, action packed book that will keep even the most hesitant of readers engaged as they follow Sai's adventures. Fantasy novels can be difficult to write because of the amount of world building involved, and that is something that can be overdone very quickly, but Soontornvat did a great job at creating a realistic and detailed world, while also keeping the level of detail digestible enough to capture the attention of middle grade readers. Sai is also a realistic main character. She makes mistakes while also growing from them, she is determined to live a better life and takes the initiative to create the better life, feels guilt about some of her choices, and works towards creating an authentic friendship with Bo, the hideaway on the ship. Chances are, readers will find at least one way they connect to Sai, which helps the emotional connection they will make with her as they read through her journey. It is important to note that while a middle grade novel, the title does mention heavy topics such as a death of an animal, classism, feelings of abandonment, attempted murder, and mentions of war.
According to Christina Soontornvat's website describes The Last Mapmaker as a "Thai-inspired fantasy world" and while not all examples are explicitly stated, there are many examples in the book such as the food (khao neow mamuang), the social hierarchy (classism), and the art of mapmaking. Additionally, throughout the title, the mentions of a water dragon that is drawn from the Thai folklore/myths. While some mentions of culture are more subtle, the Thai influence through the title is very strong.
What do readers think of The Last Mapmaker? Readers from Kirkus Reviews agree, The Last Mapmaker is "an engrossing adventure with the feeling of a while new world to be explored'" Additionally, Kirkus named The Last Mapmaker one of their Best Books of 2022. After reading the Last Mapmaker, research more about how maps were made in real-life. Once you have researched, then create a map of your own, either of a real place or create a fiction place with its own culture, rules, and norms. If you enjoyed this title, you may also like A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat.
Awards and Honors for The Last Mapmaker:
- 2023 Newbery Honor Book
- New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year
- New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
- Kirkus Best Book of the Year
- Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection
- YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults
- ALSC Notable Children's Book 2023
- And more...
The last mapmaker. Christina Soontornvat. (2024, September 5). https://soontornvat.com/books/the-last-mapmaker/
The last mapmaker. Kirkus Reviews. (2022, April 12). https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/christina-soontornvat/the-last-mapmaker/
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