(1) YA Illustrated by Faith Schaffer. A pair of mismatched fighters embarks on a quest to vanquish a yamauba (a monster that devours children) in a graphic novel that seamlessly blends fantasy in a reimagined feudal Japan with trappings of contemporary technology. When fifteen-year-old Chihiro's father is asked to come out of retirement to fight the yamauba, he declines due to an injured leg, prompting his daughter to leap at the chance to take his place and perhaps gain entrance to the prestigious Keisi Academy. She sets out to find a ronin traveling companion -- her idol Tatsuo Nakano, the first girl accepted into the academy -- only to find that she's now a washed-up drunkard with an attitude. Donning ronin garb, with swords in hand along with their cellphones, they launch into their perilous journey, with malevolent monsters and threatening dangers lurking about. The backstory to Tatsuo's unraveling is revealed through intermittent episodes, switching between dramatic dark and light grays set in the past and boldly colored panels in the present. Combat scenes unfold through action-driven panels that slash across the page in cinematic jump-shot fashion. Themes of self-determination, betrayal, revenge, feminism, and social justice are at the core of this fast-paced, twisty adventure.

Reviewer: Jerry Dear | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(4) YA In this conclusion to a duology that began with Flame in the Mist, readers return to the lush forests and palace intrigues of an alternate feudal Japan. Protagonist Mariko and her many supporting characters are more fully developed here, and the complex plot trajectory is ultimately satisfying. Despite overwrought prose, readers will get swept up in the high drama of this exciting romantic fantasy. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) YA When the convoy of seventeen-year-old Hattori Mariko, daughter of a prominent samurai, is attacked en route to meet her betrothed, she escapes into the haunted forest nearby. Disguised as a peasant boy, Mariko joins the Black Clan, a ninja-like group, whom she suspects of the attack. Despite melodramatic prose and uneven world-building, this should appeal to fans of romantic YA fantasy. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers series. Illustrated by Ryan Pentney. These first-person how-to guides purport to instruct the reader on being a "fiendish" ruler. In a conversational and tongue-in-cheek tone, these books present historical facts about how kings, pharaohs, shoguns, and emperors managed their realms. Illustrations emphasize the comical, using exaggerated facial expressions, postures, and speech balloons to good effect. Humor aside, the books still provide solid information about past royal life. Ind. Review covers these How-to Guides for Fiendish Rulers titles: An Emperor's Guide, A King's Guide, A Pharaoh's Guide, and A Shogun's Guide.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots series. Each book takes a broad look at its titular warriors, exploring their historical beginnings, how they lived and fought, and even their place in modern pop culture. While treatments of individual topics are brief, the volumes are decently informative overall. The layouts are bland, but photos, illustrations, and sidebars add extra information to the basic texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots titles: Ninjas!, Samurai!, and Vikings!.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots series. Each book takes a broad look at its titular warriors, exploring their historical beginnings, how they lived and fought, and even their place in modern pop culture. While treatments of individual topics are brief, the volumes are decently informative overall. The layouts are bland, but photos, illustrations, and sidebars add extra information to the basic texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Library: History's Hotshots titles: Ninjas!, Samurai!, and Vikings!.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 4-6 To keep a powerful wish-granting pearl out of the hands of enemy Saiko, Kata (Deadly Flowers) relies on help from her assassin friends, thief Jinnai, and a band of ronin. Along the way, she faces even more dangers with roots in Japanese folklore (including a despair-inducing forest). Intriguing supernatural elements and fast-paced action build toward a satisfying conclusion.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(4) 4-6 How to Live Like... series. Illustrated by Amerigo Pinelli. These volumes are divided into short chapters, each of which discusses one particular aspect of life in the historical occupation, none in great detail. The presentation is colorful, with each page fully illustrated in a cartoony style; the easy-to-read texts are each narrated by a wise-guy youth from the era, which adds levity but grows rather tiresome. Related facts are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers the following How to Live Like... titles: How to Live like a Samurai Warrior, How to Live like an Aztec Priest, and How to Live like an Egyptian Mummy Maker.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Warrior Science series. These books describe the weapons, training, and tactics used by the respective warriors from history. Emphasis is placed on how elements of physical science, such as weight, balance, and force, affected what and how weapons and armor were used. Diagrams, (hokey) photographs of reenactors, and illustrations will help readers visualize the information. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Edge Books: Warrior Science titles: Gladiator Science and Ninja Science.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA Mio (The Name of the Blade; Darkness Hidden), her friends, and family must join together to fight a last epic battle against the ancient Japanese gods taking over London. Considerations of rebirth and revelation are added to the trilogy's previous themes of love, trust, and loss. More nuanced character development, as compared to prior installments, helps flesh out the protagonists in this pat conclusion to a familiar urban-fantasy trilogy.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) 4-6 Kata, a female ninja in feudal Japan, finds herself on the run with new acquaintance Saiko and her younger brother Ichiro. Someone is hunting the siblings to steal Ichiro's wish-granting pearl, which also happens to attract paranormal creatures. This action-packed adventure blends historical fiction with intriguing supernatural elements drawn from Japanese folklore. An author's note adds historical and mythological context.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2016

(2) YA Illustrated by Gareth Hinds. This excellent biography of Japan's legendary samurai has great appeal as military history. Turner's action-packed accounts of Yoshitsune's daring and courageous feats in battle and his ensuing meteoric rise through the ranks of the samurai make for compelling reading. Hinds's digitally assisted brush-and-ink illustrations heighten the mood and atmosphere throughout. More than seventy pages of back matter provide further support for readers. Timelines. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2016

(4) 4-6 Do You Want to Be a... series. Illustrated by John James. Each volume focuses on how a specific class of people lived in their civilization. Two-page sections regarding one aspect of life contain a brief main text surrounded by illustrations and explanatory captions. While layouts are busy, short blurbs make the volumes browsable. "Interview" questions determine if readers "have what it takes" for each role. There are four other spring 2015 books in this series. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Do You Want to Be a... titles: Do You Want to Be a Medieval Knight?, Do You Want to Be a Samurai Warrior?, Do You Want to Be an Ancient Egyptian Princess?, and Do You Want to Be an Ancient Greek Athlete?.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(4) YA In this sequel to The Name of the Blade, Mio must fight demons, both inner and outer, if she wants to protect herself, her friends, and the city of London from supernatural havoc. Japanese mythological monsters, other dimensions, demonic possession, and magical swords all find a place in the modern-set fantasy. Exciting action sequences may distract readers from lazy character development.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) YA Illustrated by Mikiko Fujita. Umezawa retells eight Japanese folktales, expanding on them and offering character details that explain why the protagonists act as they do. The stories each portray a specific trait (honor, envy, betrayal) and are engaging but not for the faint-hearted (in one a dog is beaten to death, for instance). An eerie illustration opens each of these mysterious retellings. An afterword provides sources.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) YA Shaman Himiko (Spirit's Princess) returns to find her clan devastated by an Ookami invasion and her mother rendered dangerously unstable by her son Noboru's kidnapping. A voyage to rescue her brother leads to Himiko's own enslavement, and seeing Ookami injustices moves her to try to change them. Himiko's pensive, engaging first-person narration connects readers to the mystical ancient-Japan setting.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) K-3 Blazers: Legendary Warriors series. Three distinct medieval-era warrior cultures are examined in this set. Individual volumes offer a brief overview of each culture and collectively they offer the opportunity to compare and contrast between the three. The text consists of short, easy-to-read paragraphs supplemented by fact boxes, word definitions, occasional photographs, and illustrations (in a discombobulating mix of cartoony and culturally appropriate styles). Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Blazers: Legendary Warriors titles Aztec Warriors, Samurai, and Vikings.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) YA A fictionalized depiction of the youth of Japanese queen and shaman Himiko. Friesner's Himiko is a chieftain's only daughter struggling to be like her brothers despite an injured leg. She secretly becomes apprentice to her clan's shaman and helps save a neighboring clan from illness. Friesner smoothly combines ancient-Japan historical fiction and magical realism, contextualizing her story with an author's note.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) YA This Cinderella story is set in a fairy-tale version of ancient Japan. Suzume vows to get revenge for her stepfather’s murders of her father and cousin--even if it means losing her chance at love. The fantasy element--Suzume is a shadow weaver--could have been better developed, but the setting is well realized and readers will be caught up in the story.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(4) K-3 This original legend explains the creation of the Japanese daruma doll. When clever orphan Yuko-chan notices that her tea gourd, if dropped, tips upright again, her village becomes famous for making inspirational dolls out of gourds. The bilingual narrative is a little long and the message about perseverance isn't subtle, but the tale is engaging enough, with cheerful cartoon illustrations.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander