Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior

by Robert D. San Souci, Jean Tseng (Illustrator), Mou-Sien Tseng (Illustrator)

A retelling of the original Chinese poem in which a brave young girl masquerades as a boy and fights the Tartars in the Khan's army

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, China, History, Historical, Adventure, Folklore

32 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 1998

About the author

Robert Daniel San Souci (October 10, 1946 – December 19, 2014) was a multiple award-winning children's book author, who resided in San Francisco, California. He often worked with his brother, Daniel San Souci, a children's book illustrator. He was a consultant to Disney Studios and was instrumental in the production of the film Mulan, for which he wrote the story. He studied folklore in graduate school. He died after suffering a head injury while falling from a high height in San Francisco in December 2014. He was only 68 years old.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of four adaptations of the Chinese folk legend of Fa (or Hua) Mulan that I have read recently - the other three being Jeanne M. Lee's The Song of Mu Lan , Song Nan Zhang's The Ballad of Mulan , and Charlie Chin's China's Bravest Girl: The Legend of Hua Mu Lan (all bilingual) - Robert D. San Souci's Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior is the first exclusively English retelling I have picked up, and is more of a prose retelling inspired by the original poem, than a translation (whether in poetry or prose) of it. This approach allows San Souci to expand on the story a bit, adding passages in which Mulan sits by her campfire, missing her family and dreaming of being home again, or pretending, as a young girl, to be the famous swordswoman, the Maiden of Yueh.

San Souci, as witnessed by his two-page afterword about the historical background of the tale, has clearly done a lot of research here, and his telling, in contrast to some of the others I have read, really emphasizes that this tale comes from the period in which the Mongolian Xianbei culture was dominant in China. Illustrators Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng, a husband and wife team, follow his lead with their colorful illustrations, done in acrylic, and in the style of a Chinese scroll painting. All in all, I enjoyed Fa Mulan: The Story of a Woman Warrior, finding the story engaging, and the artwork appealing, and I would recommend it to young readers who have only encountered this story through the animated film from Disney. That said, I do prefer the Jeanne M. Lee and Song Nan Zhang versions, which, though more limited in narrative, are also more faithful to the form of the original.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems like more of a good story to tell than to read. It just came out a bit flat to me. I wasn't really convinced that Fa Mulan wanted to be a soldier, nor was I convinced at how easy it was for her to join the army. The text is a bit longer than I'd like for a picture book, but at the same time it felt very lacking in details too. It is an interesting piece of folklore from China and the writer's process and research (explained in the author's note at the end) was interesting.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations are beautifully done, and it's clear a lot of study went into both text and pictures. I thought the text was too wordy and the vocabulary was too advanced. The interpersonal scenes were well-told - like the first scene with Mulan and Elder Sister - while the battle scenes were hard to understand and not clearly written. I felt I had to explain a lot of words and shorten a lot of sentences for my preschooler (who is normally able to understand longer words in context). She liked the book, though, and I thought it was a beautiful story. I appreciated the detailed note at the back describing sources for the story and pictures - gave a lot of interesting context for me as the reader, and communicated that the author was really being deliberate and thoughtful in how he interacted with source material from a different culture than his own.

[Dan Gorman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This eloquent retelling of the Fa Mulan myth sets the story in the Yuan Dynasty and incorporates traditional Chinese proverbs and analogies. Mulan's loneliness and war fatigue are palpable. The illustrations are extraordinary.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about a girl named Mulan who goes and fights for her family and ends up becoming a general in the army. After she goes to khan and reveals she is a woman, the men still respect her. The illustrations were very well done.

[Ali Cohen]

Reading Log Template

Title (italicize): Fa Mulan
Author: Robert D. San Souci
Illustrator (if separate from author): Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng
Genre: Non-European Folktale
Theme(s):
• Family
• Gender roles
• War
• China
• The draft
• Bravery
• Perseverance
• Secrets
Opening line/sentence (type directly from text): “’Fa Mulan! Stop!’ Elder Sister ordered as two walked from the family farm to the market.
Brief Book Summary (2-3 sentences in your own words): Mulan is a young woman who has grown up in China daydreaming of becoming a swordswoman. She has seen the Khan and all the young men being drafted into the war and when her father is drafted she decides to dress as a boy and take his place. She practices her skills and goes up the ranks until she becomes a heroic general keeping her kingdom safe, at the end she is thanked by the Khan and returns to her home and family, while revealing herself as a woman.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1 (cut & paste):
Annie (BookHive (www.bookhive.org))
I am a swordswoman like the Maiden of Yueh!", proclaims Fa Mulan. Even though she is scolded by Elder Sister for not behaving as a young woman should, Fa Mulan refuses to ignore her desire for adventure. Little does she know that adventure awaits her arrival in the marketplace. Fa Mulan approaches an anxious crowd as they study twelve scrolls pasted on the walls. After being told that the names are those who would be serving in the Khan's army, she recognizes one name on the list...her father!! Fa Mulan knows that her father cannot serve due to his age and health. Unfortunately, death awaits those men and their families who do not serve! How will Fa Mulan save her family? Robert San Souci's version of this classic tale will excite and inspire children of all ages. Accompanied by the beautiful illustrations of Jean and Mou-sien Tseng, this story of a brave heroine truly comes to life! A must read!! Category: Adventure; Folklore; Historical; Multicultural. Grade Level: Primary (K-3rd grade); Intermediate (4th-6th grade). 1998, Hyperion. Ages 5 to 12.
(PUBLISHER: Hyperion Books for Children (New York:), PUBLISHED: c1998.)
Recommendation/Review #2 (cut & paste):Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)
The movie by Disney has made this Chinese heroine more of a household word, but San Souci's story remains truer to the legends than the film. Mulan disguises herself as a boy and takes the place of her aged father in military service to the Khan. Her abilities help her rise within the ranks until she becomes a general commanding one of the three armies in what would be the final battle of the war against the Tartars. Her clever plan worked, the Kahn's troops are victorious. She is rewarded and asks only that she be allowed to return home to take up her old life. The illustrations by Chinese born artists Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng spread across two large pages and are filled with details of the period. The busy marketplace, the gathering of the armies, Mulan urging and leading her comrades into battle, and the final happy day when she once again puts on her female attire and welcomes her army companions into her home are all rendered in beautiful watercolors. The edges of the pictures are bordered to resemble scenes painted on silk screens and the cover with its gold background and image of Mulan astride her warhorse will entice young and old. 1998, Hyperion, $15.95. Ages 5 to 12.
(PUBLISHER: Hyperion Books for Children (New York:), PUBLISHED: c1998.)

Response to Two Professional Reviews (3-4 sentences in your own words):
The illustrations in this book really stood out to both of the reviewers, as they really do capture the culture of the country and time period this book took place in. There is great detail to every scene and the gorgeous, detailed images capture the mood, setting, and emotions that go along with the text on each page. However, although the reviews do compliment this book and recommend it to readers of all ages, they do not go on to really compliment Souci and his writing technique. I thought his words and the style in which he tells this complex and important story was encouraging, realistic, and uplifting.
Evaluation of Literary Elements (3-4 sentences in your own words):
A theme to this book is the gender roles society holds and being able to fight against them. Souci uses the character of the Elder Sister to symbolize society and try and put Mulan back in her place of being a domestic woman. I think this clear symbolism clearly allows the students to understand that Mulan is going against the norms and that she is brave for doing so, that what she was doing was not typical. Additionally, throughout the illustrations there are many different details to the artwork that portray the culture and people of China which is vital to understand the setting and story, for example, the details displayed in the clothing that represent typical clothing found in this time period in China.
Consideration of Instructional Application (3-4 sentences in your own words):
I feel as this folktale teaches a great lesson for students, especially in this current time period. We need to teach students to be accepting of all and to fight for their dreams, even if they are not the typical ones. I believe this would be a great read a-loud to the entire class and afterwards it would be important to discuss with the students and allow them to share something they love to do that may not be so typical or accepted and convey that this is what makes them special. Afterwards, have the children create drawings depicting themselves proudly doing these actions and put them on display gloriously.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another favorite, Mrs. Haldeman read this to our class when the movie came out and took hold of our imaginations (I have dated myself but so be it). So when JoJo, an obsessive fan of the movie, picked it up, I was delighted. And she loves this book too.

[Drew Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5, rounded up I guess)

Fa Mulan was a young and spirited woman living in ancient China. When news of war meant her father was soon to be reenlisted in the Khan's army, despite his age and illness, Mulan made the decision (with her parents' blessing) to dress as a male soldier and sneak into the troops, going to war in his place. Keeping her sex a secret, she worked as a valiant and effective soldier for many years, ultimately leading greatly to China's victory over the Tartars.

While researching this story for my Disney source material read-through, this was one of a few retellings that I discovered, and I thought I would read more than one to compare and contrast. I didn't love this one as much as the first one I read for some reason. It just seemed like it had a little bit more of an edge, a little bit more of something to prove, while I think the story in its simplicity is more than enough to get the message across. I think the intrigue of Mulan as a character is that she goes completely out of her comfort zone to protect her family -- she's not a tomboy or a warrior to start with, but she does what she has to do, even if it's totally outside of what she knows or is comfortable with. The writing itself was fine, it told the story and added a few little embellishments, most of which were harmless and enhanced the story, but it didn't feel as authentic as the other one I read. The artwork has some nice color and effects, but I had some issues with the characters themselves -- their proportions and designs seemed a little inconsistent and fudged here and there.

As to the Disney adaptation, it's interesting that for the most part they stayed very faithful to the original balled. (It's also interesting that both of these books I read were released the same year as the movie, and that this one is the telling sourced as the "based on" story in the end credits.) There are embellishments and adjustments and additions, of course (Mushu, most notably), but the themes and major plot points are pretty well intact. I think it's actually a pretty great movie, as an adaptation or otherwise.

This telling of the legend of Fa Mulan doesn't feel quite as authentic as the previous one reviewed, but it still gets the story across while infusing a few enhancements to the characters and plot here and there. I didn't love that it seemed to alter Mulan's character (and therefore motivation) a little, and the artwork could have used a little fine-tuning here and there, but it was colorful and interesting, and apparently the version that Disney credits as the inspiration for their movie.

[Christian Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Reaction- I enjoyed reading the story of Mulan because it is a fantastic piece of Chinese culture. I also enjoy the story and illustrations in this version of Mulan because they seem to be portrayed in a traditional manner. Mulan is a woman who takes the place of her father in the Chinese army during a war. It is not discovered that she is a woman until after she became a general, helped win the war, and returned to her hometown. I also enjoy the message that this book has to offer in terms of showing the importance of not discriminating against gender.

Purpose/ Use in the classroom- I would use this book as a read aloud for a 1st to 2nd grade classroom for enrichment purposes. I would also say that this book has value in a history unit because it portrays China in the past. There is also history about war, and although it may not be real, the story can still give us an idea of Chinese culture. It would be beneficial for the children to discuss certain aspects of the book and compare it with what they know now about Chinese culture, and American culture. The book also has great illustrations that portray the setting of the book very well. The war scenes show outfits of past Chinese warriors and they are quite intriguing.

Other comments- I think that the author did a great job of showing the "nobility" and "filial piety" of Chinese culture through this retelling of Chinese Heroine Mulan and her journey to fight for her family and country. I think that this is a great representation of Chinese culture, and should be understood by student's in America. We live in a diverse country so students at the elementary age need to be introduced to the beliefs and morals of other cultures. This is something that the narrative and illustrations portray well and these aspects give this story value in the classroom.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When her ailing old father is called to service in the Khan's army, Fa Mulan realizes that he is unable to fight in a battle. To save her family from punishment, Mulan cuts her hair, dresses as a man, and reports for service in her father's place.

A thrilling retelling of a popular Chinese legend with an Author's Note at the back describing the history of the tale. One of the problems with a book that has been made into a children's movie is that people don't realize how complex the original story is. Your younger children will enjoy this story if you read it to them, and shorten or simplify the language. The middle-grade kids will enjoy the story, but might think of it as a child's picture book at first glance. Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng have created marvelous acrylic paintings, beautifully rendered, that give light and life to the story. Ages 6-12.

[Gracie Larcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is the picture book in which the movie Mulan was based on, a movie that I am already a fan of. This book had great illustrations and an even better story line. I think it would be a hit with students.

Fa Mulan gives readers a wonderful glimpse into the Chinese culture and more specifically what it is like to be a woman in China. Third graders would go crazy for this story because it is likely they have already seen the movie and would have fun getting to read it in book form. This book would be great as a read aloud or an individual read. Not only would this book be a great addition to teaching about Chinese culture and the differences between America and China but it would also be great to teach setting. This is because the setting in the story is so prominent and would be easy for the kids to understand.

[Shannon Brasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fa Mulan tells the story of a daughter who takes her father's place, posing as a man in the war, after he is drafted and rises up the ranks to general after fighting for twelve years. What I love about this book is it can lead into further research on Chinese culture/history. The story is derived from an old Chinese song, The Song of Mulan. The artwork is formatted according to Chinese scroll tradition. And the book mentions the Maiden of Yueh several times. I think that would be a great a great extension activity for the classroom to read more about these things and possibly try to write your own ballad and to paint your own scroll.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My obsessed-with-all-things-Chinese niece really enjoyed this Chinese legend. It's pretty tough to beat a story that feeds her obsession and shows a strong female in a non-traditional role.

There were lots of words and concepts in this story that were new to my niece. She's in second grade, and while I certainly don't mind explaining meanings to her, I think this book might have been aimed at slightly older kids. I don't think this book is going to appeal to huge masses of children, but we liked it.

[Kira Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book was not my favorite Mulan rendition. It could be incorporated into social studies to begin discussing the role of women in ancient China. This book is one of several storied involving the character Mulan and students would enjoy reading different perspectives. This could be used a familiar story to begin introducing the students to various cultures.

[Raven Grider · Rating 4 out of 5]

San Souci is great! I really liked this book because it is a different type of genre. It isn't your typical fiction story for students; it is a folktale. Also, the book could be related to the Disney movie and I would use this lesson to teach about folktales, women aspirations, following your dreams, being who/what you want to be, and probably incorporate it into a writing activity of some sort.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations accompany this story of a brave woman who didn't let prevailing attitudes keep her from being successful. The author's notes about the research he put into the story, along with information about Chinese scrolls was a delightful bonus.

[Charity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun tale, and not one with which I was familiar before we read this book. The illustrations were nice, but the story didn't really grab me (or my kids, to whom I was reading the book aloud), but we enjoyed it.

[Kallie Krammes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story about the truth behind the Disney take on Mulan. I did not know that this was an actual person which made the story even more interesting the pictures were great and this would be a good book to have in a classroom library.

[Audrey's Picture Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book, because I had such high hopes for it. I've always liked both the Mulan story and Robert D. San Souci quite a lot. The combination, though, is a bit lifeless. There's nothing exactly wrong with it, but it's completely unmemorable.

[Schuerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really didn't really like hos S.S book but it was a good cultural book that focused on another culture and helped you understand how other cultures interact.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

A simple retelling of the story of Mu Lan. Jean and Mou-Sien Tseng's illustrations are gorgeous, but otherwise I don't remember much about this book?

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

First picture book I have read of Fa Mulan. Really enjoyed it. Beautifully illustrated book for young readers to not so young readers.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always nice to find a strong female protagonist especially in history. I'd be really interested to know if this is a legend or if she really existed.

[JaNel · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much better than the movie. Why didn't they keep in the key facts that she was a successful and clever general for more than 10 years?

[Rocio T]

honor; tradition; women; strength; family

[A. Mickey Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mulan more than I love myself.

[Dalton Dettbarn]

It was a good book and it can teach someone you can do what ever you want know matter what your gender.

[Jyothi Gispanski · Rating 5 out of 5]

CC: Hua, Mu-lan, legends, folklore- China

[Niki Brogen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Art was great and it was nice to see another perspective of the tale of Mulan

[Dalton Prather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disney's version is better. The songs are cooler.