Acknowledging Stephen Turnbull's much more detailed Ninja: The Unofficial Secret Manual (2019) as his source, Vincent offers quick overviews of (supposed) ninja gear, dress, training, stealth techniques, and secret skills. He also drops the names of some historical figures he claims were either real ninja or bogus tricksters, and explains the differences between ninja and samurai. Akiyama adds cartoon line drawings of three would-be ninja ite Angus and Kate and dark-skinned Eddie ing instructed by the requisite gnomish Asian "Grand Master" (who even calls them "grasshoppers") and posing throughout in various disguises sporting wide-eyed, occasionally grossed-out expressions. Despite the historical references and, at the end, map and glossary of (purported) secret ninja hand signs, this addition to the So You Want to Be A . . . series is aimed not at readers with an interest in actual ninjutsu, but at younger armchair warriors eager to be legends in their own minds.

Gr 1-5 Friends Eddie, Kate, and Angus travel back in time to 1789 Japan to study under historic ninja masters and hone their own ninja skills. This informative book is part time travel adventure and part ninja training manual. Readers learn where ninjas lived, how they worked, who their enemies were, how they fought, and more. The engaging text uses quizzes, pro and con lists, and endless humorous asides. Akiyama's cartoon-style illustrations add movement and excitement to the narrative and allow the characters and their three illustrious ninja instructors (Grand Master, Hanzo, and Chiyo) to interact with one another and the text. Concise chapters offer a wealth of information. The changing design and format of each chapter help each section feel fresh and interesting. Some are illustrated with accompanying text boxes; others take more innovative forms. The "Know Your Enemies" chapter uses WANTED posters for each enemy of the ninja. The text is inspired by the book Ninja: The (Unofficial) Secret Manual by Stephen Turnbull. A map of Japan, an index, and a glossary are included. VERDICT Hand this excellent ninja primer to fans of "Science Comics" or Nathan Hale's "Hazardous Tales." Laken Hottle, Providence Community Lib.