Flash Review: Black by Håkon Øvreås & illustrated by Øyvind Torseter

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By Maureen Tai, 12 October 2023

We wouldn’t normally review another book in a series but Black (ages 8+), even though it proclaims itself as Book II to Brown (which we read, loved and reviewed several years ago), stands very much on its own two feet, thank you very much. This middle grade, heavily-illustrated, realistic fiction book is about the well-meaning but slightly dim-witted Jack, who becomes smitten with an alluring, yet standoffish newcomer to his town. In a bid to win the heart of his Lady Love, Jack concocts a dubious plan involving the theft of the Mayor’s prizewinning chicken. As his scheme quickly unravels, Jack must enlist the aid of his good friends, dependable Rusty and clever Lou. Transforming into their alter ego superhero selves, the three children race to solve the mystery of the kidnapped chicken while making the front page news in the process. Jack’s story is quirky, well-paced and fun, and the deadpan humour and seemingly unfinished illustrations will have you in stitches (we were laughing so hard at one point that we were crying). A perfect chapter book for emerging and reluctant readers.

For ages 8 and up.

Flash Review: Suee and the Shadow by Ginger Ly & illustated by Molly Park

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By Maureen Tai, 5 October 2023

You’d be forgiven for spotting the resemblance of the heroine in Suee and the Shadow (ages 10+) to the titular character in the hit Netflix series, Wednesday, except that the deliciously creepy graphic novel was published 5 years earlier. Suee says she’s a normal 12 year-old with (mostly) exemplary grades and sophisticated vocabulary but it quickly becomes clear that she’s different. Taciturn, opinionated, world-weary, a self-made loner who can’t wait for the end of her first semester in her new elementary school. But a strange voice lures Suee into a lonely exhibit room and before she knows it, she’s passed out after an encounter with a mysterious being, lurking in the dark. Is it a dream after all? To say anything more would be to spoil the story, but this well-paced, page-turner of a mystery/thriller/fantasy will captivate readers rooting for the complicated protagonist as she uncovers the truth about herself, her shadow and an ancient curse while making a few good friends along the way (and the good news is that there’s book 2!). One small gripe. You’d lose sight of the fact that the story is set in South Korea. Apart from the names of the characters, there are no other overtly Korean features in the illustrations: no Korean text on signs or food wrappers, no designs on the flags. Perhaps a deliberate artistic choice, or a publisher requirement, but it feels like a lost opportunity to visually showcase aspects of Korean culture, in particular the beloved Hangul. I’d love to see this revisited in future reprints (and there will be reprints, of that, I am fairly certain).

Ages 10 and up.

Flash Review: The Only Child by Guojing

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By Maureen Tai, 28 September 2023

The Only Child (ages 4+), the debut wordless graphic novel by Chinese illustrator Guojing, was inspired by her own experience growing up in the days of China’s one child policy. The masterful, atmospheric and haunting pencil drawings tell the story of a little girl who spends many of her days alone. After looking at photographs of happier times on a cold, wintry day, she decides to embark on a solo journey to her grandmother’s house, a place of warmth and birthday cake. The giddy look of wonder on the girl’s face turns to anguished tears as she realises she’s lost her way, and that she’s alone in a dark forest. Suddenly, a shadowy, familiar form magically emerges from the gloom to take the girl on an adventure she will never forget, and ultimately to help her find her way home. A gorgeous visual masterpiece that will leave your heart slightly broken, but mended by the end.

Ages 4 and up.

The House of the Lost on the Cape by Sachiko Kashiwaba, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa & illustrated by Yukiko Saito

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By Maureen Tai, 21 September 2023

“So that’s the question, I guess, for you and for me and for all of us trying to do this sacred task of telling stories for the young: How do we tell the truth and make that truth bearable? – Kate DiCamillo

The Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami of 2011 continue to cast long shadows. The middle grade, realistic/fantasy novel The House of the Lost on the Cape (ages 10+) opens with this horrific event, drawing readers into the fates of the three main characters. Kiwa, Yurie and Moeka are brought together by circumstance, only to be bound together by a common purpose and similar needs: the need to love, to be loved and to be part of a community.

Kiwa Yamana, or Obāchan (Granny), is the central figure; a kind and spritely elderly lady bound for a nursing home in Kitsunezaki (Fox’s Point) but who, due to the tsunami, ends up sheltering in a gymnasium. Yurie Sano is a childless wife escaping an abusive marriage who sees a young speechless girl on a train and rather impulsively, decides to follow her when she alights. The girl, Moeka, is being escorted to her uncle’s house, but disaster strikes, and both Yurie and Moeka find themselves in the same gymnasium as Obāchan. In an unusual turn of events, Obāchan ends up informally adopting Yurie (now with a newly assumed name of Yui) as her daughter-in-law and Moeka (now known as Hiyori) as her granddaughter. The three move to an old, thatched house at the tip of Fox Cub Cape. According to Obāchan, their new house is very much like a mayoiga (lost house), a sentient being with a personality who brings good fortune to all those who find it. As Yui and Moeka slowly adjust to their new roles and their new lives, they discover that there is more to Obāchan than meets the eye, especially after they are introduced to Obāchan’s many colourful yōkai friends. These deities and supernatural spirits from Japanese folklore – kappa, Jizō and zashiki warashi, among others – are a charming, friendly bunch, and they come without hesitation to Obāchan, Yui and Hiyori’s aid when the three must stand together against an ancient enemy.

Despite being, at its core, an engrossing and imaginative Good-versus-Evil fantasy story, the reality of the earthquake and the tsunami’s aftermath are never downplayed. Yui’s fright as she witnesses houses being swept away. Hiyori’s overwhelming feelings of grief, despair and loneliness. The severity of the physical destruction. The devastating loss of lives. All these aspects are masterfully weaved into the narrative, described in Kashiwaba’s unadorned, thoughtful and honest writing, the truth no less poignant, but to borrow Kate DiCamillo’s words, made bearable for young readers. Therein lies the skill of both writer and translator, conveying the true heart of the novel, with its beat that stays with us long after the last page is turned.

For ages 10 and up.