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Student Ambassador #1
The Missing Dragon
“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!
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!
150 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2020
1 person is currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 24, 2020
Lighthearted but heart stirring and very funny adventure, in which a student ambassador and a tiny king gang up together to solve the mystery of a palace break-in (to begin with).
Joseph Bazan is a young student ambassador, representing the US and Mexico (where his parents are from). Joseph wins an essay contest and gets to meet the President (no, not that one, but an actually competent one), who asks Joseph to meet the king of the nation of West-Rhutar for him. King Nang Nukatau III is about the same age as Joseph, and he refuses to speak to adult diplomats.
Joseph agrees, and quickly finds out that Nang is a pampered little brat, who has recently lost his parents, and believes the king of East-Rhutar is behind this. That night, two imposters break into the palace, supposedly to steal back a silver dragon, which leads to a rollicking adventure visiting several countries, including South-Korea and Japan.
Along the way mysteries and puzzles are solved, and some rudimentary Korean is learned. Not bad.
The art is wonderful, a tiny bit Steven Universe-like (to be reductive for a second), with a lovely sense of humour.
I'd say this book is a treat for young and old, and I hope it'll only be the first in a series.
(Received an ARC through Edelweiss)
Joseph Bazan is a young student ambassador, representing the US and Mexico (where his parents are from). Joseph wins an essay contest and gets to meet the President (no, not that one, but an actually competent one), who asks Joseph to meet the king of the nation of West-Rhutar for him. King Nang Nukatau III is about the same age as Joseph, and he refuses to speak to adult diplomats.
Joseph agrees, and quickly finds out that Nang is a pampered little brat, who has recently lost his parents, and believes the king of East-Rhutar is behind this. That night, two imposters break into the palace, supposedly to steal back a silver dragon, which leads to a rollicking adventure visiting several countries, including South-Korea and Japan.
Along the way mysteries and puzzles are solved, and some rudimentary Korean is learned. Not bad.
The art is wonderful, a tiny bit Steven Universe-like (to be reductive for a second), with a lovely sense of humour.
I'd say this book is a treat for young and old, and I hope it'll only be the first in a series.
(Received an ARC through Edelweiss)
December 1, 2020
When Joseph Bazan, student ambassador, gets to meet the president, he ends up being chosen for a mission to befriend a boy-king in a divided Asian country and talk him out of going to war. While sleeping over at the king's palace, kidnappers break in and the two must flee the palace as it burns to the ground. Who are these kidnappers and what is their aim? Joseph and Nang use their knowledge and skills to solve the mystery while on the run.
The notion is a bit far-fetched, but if you can suspend that much reality, then you are in for an international adventure of kidnapping, code-breaking (translating), and quick thinking.
Love the characters and the concept. Awesome that the end pages teach you how to read Korean. So much fun!
The notion is a bit far-fetched, but if you can suspend that much reality, then you are in for an international adventure of kidnapping, code-breaking (translating), and quick thinking.
Love the characters and the concept. Awesome that the end pages teach you how to read Korean. So much fun!
May 31, 2020
How I read this: Free ebook copy received through Edelweiss
Student Ambassador – The Missing Dragon was a lovely graphic novel. The story has such a wonderful message –that if we all tried to be ambassadors to everyone we meet – tried to represent our country, our workplace, even our family to them, and tried our hardest at it, the world would be a better place.
There is a lot of stuff about South Korea here and there’s even some stuff on how you learn to read Korean, which may get the reader interested in learning it! In fact, the story is very, very loosely based on the two separated Koreas – and how it would be nice if they joined again.
The student ambassador meets a very selfish boy-king of an imaginary country, which incidentally also happens to be broken into two countries of the same ethnic origins, just like North and South Korea, and is quite close to them. But the comic isn’t political – it’s more about being selfish and learning to be better about it. It doesn’t poke you in the fact with moral righteousness, though – it’s just naturally presented through how the two kids interact, one of them being nice and getting his way through kindness or just cunning, and the other always taking what isn’t his and being incredibly entitled, because he is a king, after all.
The comic is also fun to read because it’s got a good, dynamic pace and the illustrations are really cool too. So I enjoyed reading this.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
Student Ambassador – The Missing Dragon was a lovely graphic novel. The story has such a wonderful message –that if we all tried to be ambassadors to everyone we meet – tried to represent our country, our workplace, even our family to them, and tried our hardest at it, the world would be a better place.
There is a lot of stuff about South Korea here and there’s even some stuff on how you learn to read Korean, which may get the reader interested in learning it! In fact, the story is very, very loosely based on the two separated Koreas – and how it would be nice if they joined again.
The student ambassador meets a very selfish boy-king of an imaginary country, which incidentally also happens to be broken into two countries of the same ethnic origins, just like North and South Korea, and is quite close to them. But the comic isn’t political – it’s more about being selfish and learning to be better about it. It doesn’t poke you in the fact with moral righteousness, though – it’s just naturally presented through how the two kids interact, one of them being nice and getting his way through kindness or just cunning, and the other always taking what isn’t his and being incredibly entitled, because he is a king, after all.
The comic is also fun to read because it’s got a good, dynamic pace and the illustrations are really cool too. So I enjoyed reading this.
I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.
Book Blog | Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
October 31, 2020
A funny, weird story of a student ambassador who ends up working like a real ambassador, when the US government finds that they can't negotiate with the nine year old king of a small country.
Nang and Joe start off just having a sleeping party, but when assassins come, they have to flee the palace, and wide up in South Korea, where assassins are still following them.
It is a crazy adventure story, made crazier because Nang doesn't know how to be a kid, and expects to be treated like the royalty that he is.
Fun, fast pace, and a good story.
Thanks to Netgalley form making this book available for an honest review.
Nang and Joe start off just having a sleeping party, but when assassins come, they have to flee the palace, and wide up in South Korea, where assassins are still following them.
It is a crazy adventure story, made crazier because Nang doesn't know how to be a kid, and expects to be treated like the royalty that he is.
Fun, fast pace, and a good story.
Thanks to Netgalley form making this book available for an honest review.
September 21, 2020
Trigger Warnings: Death of parents, kidnapping, mention of war
Representation: half Mexican MC, Asian side characters, Korean language
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.
This was such a fun story and honestly hilarious. I'm planning to pick it up for my younger cousins because they love action-adventure stories. There's also a bunch of great learning opportunities and it's a great way to introduce kids to other cultures. All-around great story.
Representation: half Mexican MC, Asian side characters, Korean language
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.
This was such a fun story and honestly hilarious. I'm planning to pick it up for my younger cousins because they love action-adventure stories. There's also a bunch of great learning opportunities and it's a great way to introduce kids to other cultures. All-around great story.
January 2, 2021
You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Iron Circus Comics for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Student Ambassador: The Missing Dragon is a humor graphic novel filled with adventure and a mini mystery. Best of all, in-between all the action and laughs, the reader will even learn some Korean!
There were a lot of random conveniences, and the book really stretches believability, but if you just set that aside, this book is just simply fun.
My Thoughts:
- This book is absolutely filled with adorable kid logic. It’s just so freaking cuuuuute. This occasionally led to scenes where I felt a bit like it was too easy how he solved the problems, and it was hard to believe that no one had thought to do something similar before. Still, true to kid logic, there are definitely moments where I was like, yeah, I can see no one trying the very simple, obvious thing in front of them. For kids, I think this will strike a chord with them about looking at life a little differently and finding the simple solutions. They’re still entrenched in their own kid logic, obviously. For older readers, this is a reminder to always think outside the box and have a curiosity about the world.
- There’s a lot of subtle or tongue-in-cheek humor in this book, and I absolutely loved it! There were definitely times where I had to laugh out loud, but I just couldn’t help it. Some of the comedic timing in the panels was just so perfect and so honest. The book is a nice blend of adventure, humor, and learning, where none of them felt too overdone, but they nicely complemented each other.
- Nang is a super fun character, because he’s the epitome of spoiled privilege, but also sort of a victim in his own right. After all, he’s just a kid, and he’s expected to rule a country after his parents’ untimely demise. It’s a lot of pressure to put on someone. Due to his status, he’s been doted on his entire life and always taught that he was the most important thing. He’s used to taking what he wants, as kids do, because there’s never any real consequences for him. This really comes back to the great life lessons the book sneakily packs in, because Nang has to learn to think of someone other than himself and how to not be … well … spoiled? It’s a work in progress, that’s for sure, but there’s lessons to be learned along the way, which led to some surprisingly touching scenes!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Iron Circus Comics for a review copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Student Ambassador: The Missing Dragon is a humor graphic novel filled with adventure and a mini mystery. Best of all, in-between all the action and laughs, the reader will even learn some Korean!
There were a lot of random conveniences, and the book really stretches believability, but if you just set that aside, this book is just simply fun.
My Thoughts:
- This book is absolutely filled with adorable kid logic. It’s just so freaking cuuuuute. This occasionally led to scenes where I felt a bit like it was too easy how he solved the problems, and it was hard to believe that no one had thought to do something similar before. Still, true to kid logic, there are definitely moments where I was like, yeah, I can see no one trying the very simple, obvious thing in front of them. For kids, I think this will strike a chord with them about looking at life a little differently and finding the simple solutions. They’re still entrenched in their own kid logic, obviously. For older readers, this is a reminder to always think outside the box and have a curiosity about the world.
- There’s a lot of subtle or tongue-in-cheek humor in this book, and I absolutely loved it! There were definitely times where I had to laugh out loud, but I just couldn’t help it. Some of the comedic timing in the panels was just so perfect and so honest. The book is a nice blend of adventure, humor, and learning, where none of them felt too overdone, but they nicely complemented each other.
- Nang is a super fun character, because he’s the epitome of spoiled privilege, but also sort of a victim in his own right. After all, he’s just a kid, and he’s expected to rule a country after his parents’ untimely demise. It’s a lot of pressure to put on someone. Due to his status, he’s been doted on his entire life and always taught that he was the most important thing. He’s used to taking what he wants, as kids do, because there’s never any real consequences for him. This really comes back to the great life lessons the book sneakily packs in, because Nang has to learn to think of someone other than himself and how to not be … well … spoiled? It’s a work in progress, that’s for sure, but there’s lessons to be learned along the way, which led to some surprisingly touching scenes!
September 9, 2020
Joseph is a student ambassador who won an essay contest and gets to meet the President of the US. While in the Oval Office he manages to help the President negotiate a treaty with Canada that has been causing headaches. The President has another headache in the form of the child king of East Rhutar who won’t listen to reason, and gets the brilliant idea to send Joseph to see if he can help work things out. But Joseph may have bitten off more than he bargained for when bad guys come during his sleepover with the king and the two boys find themselves stranded in another foreign country with bad guys after them.
This was a very fun concept (and one wonders if world politics couldn’t sometimes use the help of some children to cut through the ridiculous red tape and big egos to negotiate agreements). The adventure is fun. Both of the boys learn things. Readers will get to learn how to read the Korean alphabet through the process if they don’t know it already (the boys are stranded in Korea) and get a tour of a Korean historic site. And there’s plenty of excitement sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor. I hope there are more in this series. Students at my school will eat this up.
Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues or sexual content. The boys get in sticky situations but no one is every really hurt.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very fun concept (and one wonders if world politics couldn’t sometimes use the help of some children to cut through the ridiculous red tape and big egos to negotiate agreements). The adventure is fun. Both of the boys learn things. Readers will get to learn how to read the Korean alphabet through the process if they don’t know it already (the boys are stranded in Korea) and get a tour of a Korean historic site. And there’s plenty of excitement sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor. I hope there are more in this series. Students at my school will eat this up.
Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues or sexual content. The boys get in sticky situations but no one is every really hurt.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 27, 2020
Middle grade graphic novel, adventure/mystery. A young boy named Nang is king of the imaginary country of west Rhutar, near Korea and Japan. He inherited the throne after his parents passed away. Across the world, Joseph won an essay contest about his student ambassador experience to Australia. As a reward he gets to go to DC and meet the President. When Joseph successfully uses his peacemaking skills to figure out a situation with the Canadian Prime Minister, the President selects him to go to West Rhutar. The adult diplomats are having trouble working with King Nang, and are afraid he will take his country to war with neighboring East Rhutar. Joseph immediately finds King Nang to be a spoiled brat. But when a sleepover turns into an attack on the palace, it's up to Joseph and Nang to get to the bottom of it. After escaping the palace, they have to figure out who was behind the attack and why. And then they have to navigate Korea in order to get back home safely.
This was an interesting story with lots of action. There were also threads about treating people with kindness and understanding the other side. A subplot of the story involves the boys using knowledge gained from reading Korean comics to actually understand written and spoken Korean. While a bit farfetched, it was nice to see language learning acknowledged and there was further information on the strategies used in the backmatter. This looks to be the first in a series.
This was an interesting story with lots of action. There were also threads about treating people with kindness and understanding the other side. A subplot of the story involves the boys using knowledge gained from reading Korean comics to actually understand written and spoken Korean. While a bit farfetched, it was nice to see language learning acknowledged and there was further information on the strategies used in the backmatter. This looks to be the first in a series.
August 21, 2023
This is an ADORABLE story about learning how to read Korean! No, really—the story is essentially a sales pitch for learning to read Korean in 15 minutes (even though the linked comic is totally free). It's like a contemporary The Lord of the Rings, but with an actual language (Korean) and, uh, completely different subject matter... haha.
The story itself is about deposing a child king (Nang) of a fictional nation (West Rhutar), and how another child (Joseph) helped him out of the whole mess. Also, Nang stole another nation's treasured silver dragon, oops. It also includes lots of travel, since the author has had so many travel-related shenanigans that he even wrote a book on the best way to travel!
The main characters are elementary-age, but the subject matter may be a little complicated for elementary readers. Not to say they won't enjoy it! However, I do think slightly older readers might enjoy the book more fully.
The story itself is about deposing a child king (Nang) of a fictional nation (West Rhutar), and how another child (Joseph) helped him out of the whole mess. Also, Nang stole another nation's treasured silver dragon, oops. It also includes lots of travel, since the author has had so many travel-related shenanigans that he even wrote a book on the best way to travel!
The main characters are elementary-age, but the subject matter may be a little complicated for elementary readers. Not to say they won't enjoy it! However, I do think slightly older readers might enjoy the book more fully.
Read
December 22, 2020Joseph Bazan wins an essay contest, making him a "student ambassador." He is just supposed to get a picture with the President of the United States, but Joseph's keen abilities to listen and settle disputes gives the President an idea--maybe the student ambassador could become a real ambassador, and help with a sticky situation involving a newly crowned boy, who just became king of a country across the world and also happens to be Joseph's age.
Joseph isn't so sure what he has gotten into, but the castle is cool even if the boy king seems like a bit of a brat. But nothing is as it seems, and soon the two boys are running for their lives, trying to figure out why everyone seems to be trying to capture a missing dragon (and not caring if the kids get caught in the middle). The two find themselves adventuring across South Korea and Japan, translating languages and piecing together a mystery along the way.
Lots of action and adventure, mixed in with a story about friendship and being a kid. The humor will appeal to many young readers, and this could work as a great readalike for a kid who has read all of the age-appropriate superhero comics.
Joseph isn't so sure what he has gotten into, but the castle is cool even if the boy king seems like a bit of a brat. But nothing is as it seems, and soon the two boys are running for their lives, trying to figure out why everyone seems to be trying to capture a missing dragon (and not caring if the kids get caught in the middle). The two find themselves adventuring across South Korea and Japan, translating languages and piecing together a mystery along the way.
Lots of action and adventure, mixed in with a story about friendship and being a kid. The humor will appeal to many young readers, and this could work as a great readalike for a kid who has read all of the age-appropriate superhero comics.
October 23, 2021
Joseph wins an essay contest that earns him a visit with the president. The two hit it off, and the president is impressed with Joseph's levelheaded, no-nonsense way of handling tricky diplomatic situations. So, of course he decides Joseph must take on an especially tricky diplomatic situation. Joseph is sent to Rhutar, where the boy king is determined to start a war. Joseph makes an impression on him and is invited to a sleepover, during which thugs try to kidnap the king. The boys avoid the men, but choose the wrong hiding spot--a crate that is picked up and taken by the men. They manage to escape, but find themselves in the midst of mystery and adventure--with both boys learning from the other. I really like this one. I loved the way Joseph took in information and used it to his advantage. Fun.
February 25, 2022
Student Ambassador: The Missing Dragon is a fun graphic novel filled with lots action, adventure, and a little bit of mystery. Best of all, in-between the action and laughs, the reader will learn about Korean culture and language! This is a funny story with positive messages – don’t be greedy, appreciate the little things, think of others, kindness matters.
Joseph is a student ambassador from the United States who is just the person to send on a diplomatic mission to Rhutar and keep the newly appointed child King Nang Nukatau III from declaring war on his neighbor.
Although both boys have special roles, they interact naturally. Joseph is nice and gets his way through kindness or sometimes cunning, and Nang is always taking what isn’t his, because he is a king, after all. The pair get into some serious, but funny binds, as they try to solve the riddle of the missing dragon.
Joseph is a student ambassador from the United States who is just the person to send on a diplomatic mission to Rhutar and keep the newly appointed child King Nang Nukatau III from declaring war on his neighbor.
Although both boys have special roles, they interact naturally. Joseph is nice and gets his way through kindness or sometimes cunning, and Nang is always taking what isn’t his, because he is a king, after all. The pair get into some serious, but funny binds, as they try to solve the riddle of the missing dragon.
September 13, 2020
4.5 stars
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the target audience for this middle grade graphic novel. That being said, I enjoyed this quite a bit and it's something I would want my future children to read.
Ryan Estrada came up with a great idea and a fun main character. Joseph Bazan is smart but he's still very child like without talking down to the young audience. The plot is far fetched but hey, this is a graphic novel for kids, so its to be expected.
This is about 8-year-old Joseph Bazan who becomes a student ambassador and gets to meet the President. The President likes Joseph and sends him to help negotiate with a boy king in a country on the brink of war.
This was cute, fun, and utterly enjoyable. If Estrada does a second, I know I'll want to read it. It's a very culturally diverse story that is a very positive read for a young kid.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the target audience for this middle grade graphic novel. That being said, I enjoyed this quite a bit and it's something I would want my future children to read.
Ryan Estrada came up with a great idea and a fun main character. Joseph Bazan is smart but he's still very child like without talking down to the young audience. The plot is far fetched but hey, this is a graphic novel for kids, so its to be expected.
This is about 8-year-old Joseph Bazan who becomes a student ambassador and gets to meet the President. The President likes Joseph and sends him to help negotiate with a boy king in a country on the brink of war.
This was cute, fun, and utterly enjoyable. If Estrada does a second, I know I'll want to read it. It's a very culturally diverse story that is a very positive read for a young kid.
September 23, 2020
'Student Ambassador #1: The Missing Dragon' by Ryan Estrada with illustrations by Axur Eneas is a graphic novel for young readers about an unlikely friendship.
Joseph Bazan becomes a student ambassador and that takes him on some amazing adventures, like calming a pool of crocodiles or hiding under the president's desk. He gets sent to solve a diplomatic crisis with a child leader in another land. Joseph and the young king find themselves on the run and becoming friends along the way.
This was a pretty fun story and I think young readers would have a blast reading it. The art is fun too!
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Iron Circus Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Joseph Bazan becomes a student ambassador and that takes him on some amazing adventures, like calming a pool of crocodiles or hiding under the president's desk. He gets sent to solve a diplomatic crisis with a child leader in another land. Joseph and the young king find themselves on the run and becoming friends along the way.
This was a pretty fun story and I think young readers would have a blast reading it. The art is fun too!
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Iron Circus Comics and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
September 13, 2020
Thank you to the publisher for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review
I really liked this comic. I thought it was very funny but yet still serious. I remember applying to be a student ambassador myself at my Uni a year ago. As much as I am happy I didn't get in, this comic made me somehow want to apply again hahaha.
I really liked the main character in this. I thought I would end up finding him annoying but that wasn't the case at all! I actually really liked him and thought it was fun to follow his stories.
I also really enjoyed that there were so many cultures int his comic I think it added something nice to the whole thing.
I really liked this comic. I thought it was very funny but yet still serious. I remember applying to be a student ambassador myself at my Uni a year ago. As much as I am happy I didn't get in, this comic made me somehow want to apply again hahaha.
I really liked the main character in this. I thought I would end up finding him annoying but that wasn't the case at all! I actually really liked him and thought it was fun to follow his stories.
I also really enjoyed that there were so many cultures int his comic I think it added something nice to the whole thing.
March 27, 2022
Joseph is a student ambassador who takes his position very seriously. After helping the president with a deal, he agrees to give Joseph more responsibility and sends him to talk to a boy King Nang Nukatau III in West Rhutar. After his parents untimely death, Nang ascends to the throne where everyone does what he tells them to do, even if it means almost starting a war with his neighboring country East Rhutar because they may have killed his parents. It's an action-packed graphic novel where kids solve problems better than the bureaucratic adults while dealing with robbery, kidnapping, and a mystery of a missing dragon. For fans of Mac B. Kid Spy, Agent 9, and other madcap adventure stories.
April 9, 2021
Love the message of this: don’t be greedy, appreciate the little things, think of others, friends matter. Also, being king may not be all its cracked ip to be.
Joseph (mom US, Dad Mex) always want to rep both countries well. Sent by US pres to deal with baby king of “West Rhutar”. Spoiled brat who learns better through Joseph’s friendship and example. After being kidnapped etc etc
Very funny TALL TALE—and you learn Korean (the value of comics!) and superstitions. (What are some of ours?) madcap!
Joseph (mom US, Dad Mex) always want to rep both countries well. Sent by US pres to deal with baby king of “West Rhutar”. Spoiled brat who learns better through Joseph’s friendship and example. After being kidnapped etc etc
Very funny TALL TALE—and you learn Korean (the value of comics!) and superstitions. (What are some of ours?) madcap!
Read
November 18, 2020In this adventure-packed graphic novel, Joseph Bazan, student ambassador, turns out to be just the person to get through to a boy king whose country is headed towards war with its neighbor. From solving mysteries to surviving a kidnapping to uncovering a secret plot, the action is nonstop in this madcap graphic novel. It oozes kid appeal and humor and will provide much-needed armchair travel to young readers.
December 31, 2020
Adorable and so much fun! I love stories that don’t treat kids as if they’re stupid. A big chunk of the book takes place in Asia, from Nang’s country to Korea and Japan. There’s even a quick section on how to pronounce Korean consonants and vowels. I thought the story was cute, and the humor was funny. Major Saturday-morning cartoon vibes. The ending feels too easy, but it’s fitting.
September 6, 2020
Student Ambassador: The Missing Dragon is a colorful and boldly illustrated adventure story with some political layers. I can see this book being an ideal match for an upper elementary/middle grades reader. Plenty of content to dig into, plenty of story to enjoy. All in all, a fun read.
October 16, 2020
“If we ALL tried to be better ambassadors to all the people we met in our everyday lives, the whole world would be a happier place.”
Middle grade graphic novel awesomeness. And I got to learn some Korean, too!
Middle grade graphic novel awesomeness. And I got to learn some Korean, too!
December 15, 2020
This was lots of silly fun as Joseph Bazan (who has an American mom and Mexican dad, so he knows about bringing 2 cultures together) becomes a student ambassador just as the spoiled kid king is kidnapped and taken to Korea. Can Joseph stop the war and figure out what the bad guys are after?
August 19, 2021
What does it mean to be an ambassador? At time thought provoking, overall fun and a bit silly, the books was a joy to read for my 7 year-old and I. Also a bonus for me, a section about the Korean alphabet and mnemonics on how to remember them. Going to use it with my kid!
Want to read
June 6, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
June 12, 2020
Reviewing for School Library Connection
March 8, 2021
This is such a fun adventure and there are lessons to learn Korean. I’m looking forward to more of these.
March 9, 2021
A lot of fun, with a bonus lesson on reading/ writing Korean.
April 28, 2021
I enjoyed this story and really loved the explanation of the Korean written language!
did-not-finish
February 24, 2022Gave up at page 58. This tone is too weird for me.
February 16, 2023
Cute story that is humorous and serious hyperbolic themes.
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