Then in 2020, Disney released the much-anticipated live action version of Mulan following similar remakes of the animated classics like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. Disney hired sensitivity readers, consulted Chinese culture experts, and made sure their interpretation of the Ballad of Mulan, written over 1,500 years ago in China, would not offend but would entice millions of viewers overseas and in the states. The release was fraught with difficulties. Overseas viewers decided they didn’t like it (it was too American), the American release was an agonizing and anti-climactic event dragged out over months due to the pandemic, the glory of the story was overshadowed by international politics (the lead actress revealed support for Chinese suppression of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong), and some of us still wonder why the producers could get great Asian actors but couldn’t secure even one Asian screenwriter to be on their all-white screenwriting team? Aside from all the political drama, what about the story itself? What about the cultural history and the message of Mulan, our beloved woman warrior? We still loved it, dang it! And we want more. If that’s you, your family, or your classroom, and you just want more Mulan, our empowering role model, here are some to add to your bookshelves.
Picture Books
Middle Grade
