- Junior Library Guild Selection
- Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12: 2015 (starred for Selectors’ Choice) – National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and Children’s Book Council (CBC)
- Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People 2015 – National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and Children’s Book Council (CBC)
- Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth, 2014 and Book Links Lasting Connections: 2014 – American Library Association (ALA)
- Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books of 2014, Best Middle-Grade Nonfiction of 2014, and Best Middle-Grade Books of 2014 That Celebrate Diversity
- New York Public Library’s 2014 list of 100 Children’s Books for Reading and Sharing
- 2014 ABC Best Books for Children Catalog – American Booksellers Association
- Best Children’s Books of the Year, 2015 (starred for Outstanding Merit) – Bank Street College of Education Center for Children’s Literature
- 2015 Cream of the Crop for Children’s and Young Adult Literature – Southern Maine Library District Book Review Group
- 2014 Distinguished Books – Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California
- 2016 Building STEAM with Día! Book List 6th to 8th Grade – Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)
REVIEWS
- “Debut author Liu-Perkins’ infectious curiosity shines in this exploration of a Han dynasty burial chamber excavated in 1972.” – Kirkus Reviews, *starred* review. Best Children’s Books of 2014, Best Middle-Grade Nonfiction of 2014, and Best Middle-Grade Books of 2014 That Celebrate Diversity.
- “. . . each of the well-organized chapters delineates . . . how the finds have brought the world of ancient China to vivid, illuminating life.” – School Library Journal
- “Liu-Perkins does an excellent job of making kids care about this discovery . . . Just as important, she explains a wide variety of topics—silk making and funeral practices, to name a few—easily packing in a great deal more information.” – Booklist, *starred* review. Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth, 2014.
- “Liu-Perkins is a knowledgeable and enthusiastic docent, leading readers through the particulars of the excavation and reveling in the enormous amount of information the find revealed about the Qin and early Han periods . . . This material will be a boon for archaeology fans . . .” – Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
- “The revelations from Lady Dai’s burial site . . . help us understand ancient Chinese culture and history in the context of the life of an actual person, making it much more real and understandable.” – Cathy Duffy Reviews
- Rated as ESSENTIAL for middle school libraries and a 2015 Top 50 Secondary book – Kiss the Book
- ” . . . has something to suit young people with a wide range of interests: archeology, history, Chinese culture, or even embalming.” – NSTA Recommends, National Science Teachers Association. Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12: 2015 (*starred* for Selectors’ Choice)
- “A fascinating and well-documented account of the discovery and the contents of Lady Dai’s tomb. . . ” – Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California (ACL). 2014 Distinguished Books.
- “. . . a captivating book about archeology and Chinese burial of important people. . . . extremely useful to anyone who is interested in China or who is interested in archeology in general.” – Library Media Connection, *starred* review. Highly Recommended.
- “Finding mummies in contemporary times, while interesting, may not always be seen as quite as exciting as it might have been 100 years ago; however, this mummy and her story should change any reader’s attitude.” – Children’s Literature
- “. . . such a find not only extends our factual knowledge but also deepens our appreciation of the diversity of past civilizations.” – The Horn Book. “Superior” rating – The Horn Book Guide
- “This book takes readers into the tomb of Lady Dai, along with the archeologists – and forensic scientists – who excavated the site.” – Nonfiction Monday
- “. . . an extraordinary narrative involving ancient Chinese history and language, archaeology and forensic science.” – Asheville Citizen-Times
- “Great for STEM classrooms and also for teachers who are trying to expand students’ interest in reading informational texts.” – Sunday Cummins, literacy consultant
- “. . . part forensics, part history, part family story, and all interesting. . . . A more complete and exciting (and I use that word sparingly) glimpse into Qin and early Han Dynasties for children would be difficult to find.” – Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal‘s A Fuse #8 Production
- “A fascinating blend of science, art, history, and more, this . . . offering will find wide use across the curriculum.” – Book Links Lasting Connections: 2014 selection as a top choice for K-8 classrooms
- “This book tells how Lady Dai’s luxurious tomb . . . serves as an exotic ‘time capsule’ from the ancient Han dynasty. . . . not only an exciting story but also a tempting introduction to archaeology for middle-schoolers with inquiring minds.” American Scientist – Science Book Gift Guide 2014