Daughter of Xanadu

Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the tension between family loyalty and their own burgeoning sense of justice. It is an ideal choice for the young reader who feels restricted by gender norms or traditional expectations and is looking for a role model who dares to define her own path. In this historical epic, Princess Emmajin strives to become the first female soldier in the Mongol army, only to have her worldview challenged when she meets the Italian traveler Marco Polo. The story explores deep emotional themes of empathy, cultural identity, and the courage required to question the status quo. While there are descriptions of 13th-century warfare, the narrative focuses on Emmajin's internal growth and her realization that 'the enemy' is often more human than she was taught. It is a sophisticated, vocabulary-rich choice for middle and high schoolers who enjoy sweeping adventures that do not shy away from complex moral dilemmas.