Copyright Date:
2022
Edition Date:
2022
Release Date:
09/06/22
Illustrator:
Henderson, Scott B.,
Pages:
45 pages
ISBN:
1-7749-2040-9
ISBN 13:
978-1-7749-2040-4
Dewey:
Fic
Dimensions:
26 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
When a Japanese man comes to Canada to claim his family's samurai armor, he finds healing and peace with a TÅı̨chÇ« Dene family.In a museum in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Shinobu, a man from Nagasaki, has arrived to take a suit of samurai armor back to his family. Unfortunately, the museum's old manager gambled the sword away to a man known as Benny the Bank. With the guidance of Sonny, a TÅı̨chÇ« boy, he finds Benny's place but is attacked and knocked unconscious. Sonny brings him back to his grandmother's house, and together, with the help of a spirit, he and Ehtsi heal Shinobu's wounds. After getting to know each other and sharing stories of their respective cultures and connected histories, Ehtsi suggests going together to retrieve the sword peacefully. Van Camp (Dogrib TÅı̨chÇ«) was inspired by an actual suit of samurai armor of mysterious provenance at the Northern Life Museum. This is a striking colorized version of his 2015 original. The story and messages of honor, respect, peace, and human connection are powerful and moving. Touching on the impacts of the Second World War on First Nations communities and their link to the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, an author's note and two notes from experts in the fields of history and museum education add valuable cultural and historical insights to support the story.A powerful, visually impactful story of cross-culture relations. (Graphic fiction. 14-adult)
No one knows how a suit of samurai armour ended up in the Fort Smith museum. When a mysterious stranger turns up to claim it, Sonny, a young Tch Dene boy, is eager to help.
Shinobu has travelled to Fort Smith, NWT, to reclaim his grandfathers samurai sword and armour. But when he discovers that the sword was lost in a poker game, he must confront the man known as Benny the Bank. Along the way, Shinobu must rely on unlikely heroesSonny, his grandmother, and a visitor from the spirit world. Together, they face Benny and his men, including the giant they call Flinch.
Will Shinobu be able to regain the lost sword and, with it, his familys honour? Can Sonny and his grandmother help Shinobu while keeping the peace in their community?
Now in full colour, this new edition includes additional background information and cultural context. Learn about the real-life inspiration behind the story and the intersections between Indigenous and Japanese Canadian experiences during the Second World War.