Lessons from The Last Mapmaker written by the Hobbit on September 14th, 2022. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog.
Know Before You Read
Title: The Last Mapmaker
Author: Christina Soontornvat
Genre: Fantasy, adventure, young adult, coming of age
Reading Age: 10 and up
Date Published: April 12th, 2022
Themes: Trust, Loyalty, Mentoring
Pages: 368
Warnings: None
A Brief Summary of The Last Mapmaker
Sai is twelve and works for a famous mapmaker. She lives in a society where your lineage is everything. Unfortunately she has none. She lives in the Fens, but hides this. Soon, however, this deception will be revealed, as all children get links to wear displaying their lineage on their thirteen birthday. Before this happens the mapmaker is invited to a voyage to chart unknown areas, and he asks Sai to join him. This voyage will lead Sai to discover if she is chained to the past, or if she can chart a new course for herself.
Why Read The Last Mapmaker
The Last Mapmaker is a story about growing up. It offers some very valuable lessons for kids who are on the same journey as Sai. It is also thought provoking. It weaves in systemic injustice due to class, taking individual responsibility for your actions, and the effects of empire building and colonization. These are all topics with contemporary significance, but are also ones that especially resonate in Asian cultures. And it is good for us to learn about them.
Lessons from The Last Mapmaker Through Discussion
- In Mangkon, your status is determined by your lineage. In your world, what things determines status? What can we learn about status from this book?
- Part of Sai’s journey is finding out that she has misunderstood the intentions of others. This works both ways, as she mistakes good for bad and bad for good. How does she develop wisdom here?
- A popular saying in Mangkon is “The Tail Is the Teeth.” Sai tells us this means “that where you ended up depended on where you started.” People have no choice; they are destined at birth. Do you know people who have been affected by this? It would be useful here to learn a little about the caste system.
- Have you had, or do you have, a mentor? How can a mentor help you?
- Why is Sai deceived by Miss Rian? What lessons can we learn from that?
- For older readers, what lessons do we learn from Master Paiyoon about how empires operate? Can you find examples in history like he describes?
Extra Activities for The Last Mapmaker
There are several ways to draw a map. Look up some old maps and how they were drawn and recreate one for your neighborhood.
Sai takes measurements to determine where the ship is. Many of us can do that through our phones or computers. Look up the latitude and longitude of where you live.
Quotes from The Last Mapmaker
“I can’t see why any of you put up with all the lineal stuff. No one’s going to tell me I’m worth less than some other kid just because they wear a stupid metal bracelet.”
“I’ll put money on it that every place our ships land was already discovered long ago—just not by us. That won’t stop us from planting our flags there, of course. A growing kingdom needs lumber, materials, food. Why pay for it when you can claim it and call it your own?”
“I had been trying so hard to run from my past. But the past was like mottlefish ink. Even if it fades, it’s still there, and not even the ocean can wash it out. I couldn’t change what had come before. But I could change what I did next.”
~The Last Mapmaker Quotes
Thanks for reading our Lessons from The Last Mapmaker. Here’s what you can check out next
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–Jennifer Chan is Not Alone: An Important Story of Bullying
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