Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Dec 28 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Modern and mythological worlds collide in this moving novel from Japan that has been made into an anime.Kashiwaba and translator Udagawa, known for their Batchelder Award–winning Temple Alley Summer (2021), return with a tale of individual, family, and communal healing amid the tragic aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan. Three lone souls meet in a shelter in the town of Kitsunezaki, or Fox's Point: Hiyori, a silent, orphaned girl around age 10; Yui, a woman escaping her abusive husband; and Kiwa, a mysterious woman in her 80s whom the others call Obāchan, or grandma. Cut loose from their former lives, they move into a mayoiga, a type of magical, uninhabited house, overlooking the sea. As they begin to bond as a family, an ancient threat appears. The tsunami destroyed a shrine built over the cave of a menacing sea snake from an old legend. With the help of river spirits, wise animals called Futtachi, and statues of Jizō guardian deities, the trio must face their fears to battle this vindictive creature. Japanese folklore is woven into the stories Obāchan shares, from a shape-shifting fox to a red-eyed demon child. The tender emotions following collective trauma are skillfully blended with the riveting supernatural action. Can hope be found in such devastating circumstances? Saito's full-page, black-and-white illustrations appear throughout, evoking a sense of rural nostalgia and bringing the setting to life.A powerful story of healing. (map) (Fiction. 8-13)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Modern and mythological worlds collide in this moving novel from Japan that has been made into an anime.Kashiwaba and translator Udagawa, known for their Batchelder Award–winning Temple Alley Summer (2021), return with a tale of individual, family, and communal healing amid the tragic aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan. Three lone souls meet in a shelter in the town of Kitsunezaki, or Fox's Point: Hiyori, a silent, orphaned girl around age 10; Yui, a woman escaping her abusive husband; and Kiwa, a mysterious woman in her 80s whom the others call Obāchan, or grandma. Cut loose from their former lives, they move into a mayoiga, a type of magical, uninhabited house, overlooking the sea. As they begin to bond as a family, an ancient threat appears. The tsunami destroyed a shrine built over the cave of a menacing sea snake from an old legend. With the help of river spirits, wise animals called Futtachi, and statues of Jizō guardian deities, the trio must face their fears to battle this vindictive creature. Japanese folklore is woven into the stories Obāchan shares, from a shape-shifting fox to a red-eyed demon child. The tender emotions following collective trauma are skillfully blended with the riveting supernatural action. Can hope be found in such devastating circumstances? Saito's full-page, black-and-white illustrations appear throughout, evoking a sense of rural nostalgia and bringing the setting to life.A powerful story of healing. (map) (Fiction. 8-13)

Publishers Weekly (Thu Dec 28 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Kashiwaba (Temple Alley Summer) reimagines sometimes frighteningly depicted creatures from Japanese folklore as friendly allies to a magical grandmother in this fanciful tale. Three strangers arrive separately to Kitsunezaki, a small coastal village, hours before the 2011 To¯hoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. At a shelter following the events, Kiwa Yamana, an endearing 87-year-old whom everyone calls Oba¯chan, seemingly mistakes a young woman and an orphaned child as her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. The woman, having escaped from her physically abusive husband in Tokyo, and the silent youth are gratefully swept up by Oba¯chan’s care. The trio move into an old thatch-roofed house that has been fixed up by Oba¯chan’s mystical friends. When unexplained incidents result in injured animals throughout Kitsunezaki, Oba¯chan’s companions—which include kappa river spirits and Jizo¯ guardian statues­—help the little family find the source: a Shinto shrine was destroyed by the tsunami, and the evil sea snake it had sealed away now threatens the village. Kashiwaba’s moody work teems with ambient wonder and grim portent, offering glimpses of darkness without overwhelming the narrative’s uplifting tone. All characters are Japanese. Ages 8–13. (Sept.)

School Library Journal (Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 3–7 —On March 3, 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck near the coast of Tohuku, Japan, causing a subsequent tsunami; over 20,000 people died. In this lightly magical novel, three women from different generations are brought together in the aftermath: an orphaned girl, a woman fleeing an abusive marriage, and an elderly grandmother with no immediate family. The three women, with new names, decide to live together, posing as Grandmother, Mother, and Daughter, each wanting to escape something of their past. The young girl, Hiyori, is mute after experiencing trauma, and Yui lives in fear of her husband finding her. Elderly Obachan protects them in the old house on the cape, and tells them folktales of a "lost house" that can move and feed its inhabitants. When something mysterious begins attacking pets, including their cat, Kafuku, it appears Obachan's stories may be more than folktales, and a terrible sea snake may destroy their town of Kitsunezaki. The sea snake, Agame, is said to feed on dark thoughts, feasting on the inhabitants' survivor's guilt and grief. Yui, Hiyori, and Obachan receive help from river spirits, lion-dogs, and flying guardian statues in their quest to save the town, and ultimately, themselves. The story unfolds in flowing language, and the black-and-white drawings sweetly accompany the mystical tale. Hiyori's desire to find her voice and save her new family unfolds beautifully and will be treasured by many. VERDICT Kashiwaba's novel was originally published as short stories in 2014, with an anime film adaptation in 2021 commemorating the 10th anniversary of the tragedy; this English translation will reach even more young fans of Japanese fantasy and found-family stories.—Michele Shaw