School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2022)

PreS-Gr 3 As is true of the best of Anthony Browne's many mysterious books, Tanaka's leaves out the very thing that most writers start with, and the result is this expressive, wide-eyed look at grief, presented with the help of an imaginary friend. A small Japanese girl narrates that she starts seeing a black blob of a creature, with a walleyed gaze, sitting here and there in the city scenes that are part of her walk to school. One afternoon, she begins to follow the "little one," who takes her to a secret opening in her own home that leads to a night of play. After so much fun, the small girl sleeps, then wakes up, noting she has dreamed of her mother. Her next encounter? Her father shows up to hold her hand as they walk home together. Readers will wonder about the mother, and the dreams of the child, but it hardly matters. Something about her adventure with the little one has brought her peace. All of it unfolds in black and white ink drawings, giving the tale a timeless quality. VERDICT Add this to collections about grief and loss; a parent has gone missing and a child's imagination saves her, in this poetic book of love and healing.Kimberly Olson Fakih

ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A young girl begins seeing a little creature that no one else can see tting on a wall, on a bench, in a shop. When she approaches it, although it does not speak, the little one beckons her on a journey. What starts as an almost-normal exploration of a garden and quiet tea party soon becomes an adventure as they enter a closet and climb into an attic that is a wonderland of tree roots, whispering wind, blossoming jungle vines, and giant creatures with snuggly fur to sleep on. All too soon, though, the girl and the little one must return home. Translated from the original Japanese text, this gorgeous book features a bold, fantastical dream-realm, as well as the elegant beauty of traditional Japanese homes. And while the language is toddler-friendly, the outstanding black-and-white artwork can carry the story without words. Tanaka's exquisite cross-hatched detail and use of darkness and light is reminiscent of work by illustrators like Shaun Tan and The Fan Brothers as she conjures a magical world, ready to be explored.

Kirkus Reviews

A mysterious creature befriends a young girl and leads her to a magical realm in this curious but comforting first-person tale.On her way home through a pleasant Japanese neighborhood, a bob-haired Japanese girl's curiosity is piqued by a silent, black, kodamalike creature which only she can see. First, she spots the creature patiently awaiting the bus, then she spies it sitting among the bonsai of a sidewalk plant stall. So, she follows it down an alley, under a fence, through a Japanese-style garden and into a traditional Japanese minka house, where the two drink tea. Beckoned further, the child enters a dark closet and is led through an attic door to an enchanted forest. Together, girl and creature romp across wordless spreads, their fun wrapped in quietude, until they fall asleep cozily on an enormous fluffy forest creature. After waking and parting ways with her newfound companion, the girl sees her daddy, and they walk home hand in hand. It is unclear if the adventure is a dream or a supernatural event, but the escapade appears to satisfy the child's longing for her mother, who is hinted as absent. Clarity on this point may have been lost in translation from the original Japanese text, or perhaps Tanaka purposefully left the story open to interpretation. Black-and-white copperplate etchings skillfully juxtapose the ordinary world with the shadowy wonderland, where luminescent fireflies and flowers glow. Unfortunately, the specter of a stranger leading a child into a dark closet gives serious pause in an otherwise poignant and engrossing narrative.Full of layers to peel back, consider, and discuss. (Picture book. 3-6)