Rae's Reads and Reviews

Hey y’all! Back at it again with another book review. On a Monday though? Yup, Student Ambassador: The Missing Dragon comes out tomorrow!

When it comes to Netgalley, I tend to request children’s books and graphic novels because those are easier for me to read as eBooks. I have a major soft spot for those books because they’re the kind that will make reading fun for a whole new generation. This one wasn’t just any request though. This was a wish, and if you know Netgalley, you know wishes are rarely granted.

StoryGraph Synopsis

“I want to tell you a story about being a student ambassador, but that will be boring. So instead, I’ll tell you about the time I almost got eaten by a crocodile.”

When eight-year-old student ambassador Joseph Bazan wins a photo op with the President of the United States, he doesn’t quite know what to expect, but it certainly isn’t hanging out with the leader of the free world in a secret compartment inside the resolute desk! Joseph’s pluck and kid logic not only charm the president, but they soon help resolve a thorny trade dispute. This gives POTUS an idea. Across the ocean, eight-year-old boy king Nang Nukatau III has taken his father’s crown and clumsily stumbled into an international incident, and now Joseph’s got a pressing mission: talk the tiny dictator back from the brink of war!

The diplomatic slumber party soon goes from awkward to scary as the castle is stormed and the boys are lost across South Korea and Japan where they have to outrun bad guys, learn to read Hangul, unravel the riddle of Gyeongbok Palace, break out of an abandoned bathhouse, befriend an army of snow monkeys, and crack the Case of the Missing Dragon, all while showing Nang how to live in a world where everyone doesn’t always bow to you. Can a kid with a C+ in social studies solve the mystery and teach a king to be a kid?

Student Ambassador is a globe-trotting action-adventure set in the real world where dangers mount, the stakes are high, and smarts save the day!

Trigger Warnings: Death of parents, kidnapping, mention of war

Representation: half Mexican MC, Asian side characters, Korean language

I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Good

Student Ambassador: The Missing Dragon is my first ever granted wish on Netgalley and I’m so happy I got to read it. It’s funny, witty, and really diverse.

The story is action-packed, which is perfect for Middle Grade. It’s definitely the kind of book that will keep kids on their toes as they read it.

The characters and settings are really diverse. Joseph, the main character, is half Mexican. Joseph and Nang travel through Korea and Japan. There’s even a section where Joseph teaches Nang how to read Korean because Joseph’s babysitter is Korean and she taught him.

The humor in this story was great. I found myself laughing out loud several times. It’s such an out-there and ridiculous story in all the best ways, which makes it even more perfect for Middle Grade readers.

The Not so Good

Honestly, there wasn’t a single miss for me in this story. It’s told so well and the illustrations go with it perfectly.

All in All

I’m so happy my wish was granted. I’m going to buy a copy of this story for my cousins because they love action-adventure books and this is one I could definitely see them reading in a day.

Wanna get it for yourself? Try using my Bookshop affiliate link! If you use my link, the price won’t go up but I will get a small percentage of the sale and that’s one way you can support me and this blog.

Have you read Student Ambassador: The Missing Dragon?

Do you like Middle Grade?

What are your favorite graphic novels?

Let me know in the comments below, let’s chat!