Kids eager to experience the story of Disney’s live-action adaptation of Mulan can get a taste with a new book called Mulan: Loyal. Brave. True. from Disney Press. This full-color book features an image from the film on every page and is light on text, ideal for kids who are ready to read to themselves and recommended for ages 5 to 8. Best of all, it comes with two themed bookmarks and a double-sided poster that features Mulan in disguise as a boy on one side and herself in a warrior pose on the other.
Mulan has always known she’s different, but the worst day of her life comes when she fails her meeting with the matchmaker and her elderly father is drafted in a war. Stealing her father’s armor and sword, complete with the army’s motto (“Loyal, Brave, True”), Mulan disguises as a boy and takes her father's place in the army. Despite breaking the law, Mulan soon finds herself in the unique position of being the only one who can save China from powerful invaders.
The live-action reimagining of Mulan features the basic story from the animated film, but changes things quite a bit. For example, the character of Li Shang has been split into a soldier named Honghui who becomes her love interest and Commander Tung, their officer. The villain is different as well, with Shan Yu replaced by Böri Khan, who is aided by a witch named Xianniang whose life started on a similar path to Mulan’s, adding an engaging contrast between the two characters.
Mulan: Loyal. Brave. True. is a nice way for kids to experience this new version of Mulan while they wait for movie theaters to reopen. Because it’s so short, it reads more like a Wikipedia recap of the plot, so more experienced readers would have a better experience with the novelization by Elizabeth Rudnick instead.