arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Real rating is closer to 3.5, but I've rounded up both because I'm not the intended audience, but also because this is a book that fully deserves four stars. 

While I don't normally seek out middle-grade titles, I requested Zachary Ying because of how much I loved Iron Widow. While Zachary Ying didn't blow me away to the same levels, I was amazed at how Zhao crafted such a fun and adventurous yet sensitive and complicated world, rich with history and references and just an all-around wonderful time. 

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor follows a boy, Zachary Ying, who is a little out of place in his school. He faces bullying for being the only Asian kid in school, but has a few "friends" because of his love for Mythrealm, a virtual reality game. Enter Simon, an Asian exchange student who also likes Mythrealm and seems normal enough, except for the fact that he's a vessel for Emperor Tang Taizong and wants Zachary to accept the spirit of his own ancestral emperor: Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China and as it turns out, a yappy tyrant. 

When Qin Shi Huang binds to Zach's AR headset instead, a battle ensues that leaves the live of Zachary's mom hanging in the balance, Zachary must traipse across China to battle historical figures, heist magic artifacts, and rediscover the culture he never got a chance to learn about. I really enjoyed the way Zhao incorporated Chinese figures and stories into the book in an informative way that was still funny and engaging. I can tell this is a book that will be adored by its target audience, and while I personally didn't always enjoy the plot or character choices (ugh, kids), people of all ages will love Zachary Ying.