The Night Parade
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
For fans of Coraline and Spirited Away comes a diverse fantasy debut steeped in Japanese mythology about a girl and a deadly curse.
The last thing thirteen-year-old Saki Yamamoto wants to do for her summer vacation is trade in exciting Tokyo for the antiquated rituals and bad cell reception of her grandmother's village. Preparing for the Obon ceremony is boring. Then the local kids take interest in Saki and she sees an opportunity for some fun, even if it means disrespecting her family's ancestral shrine on a malicious dare.
But as Saki rings the sacred bell, the darkness shifts. A death curse has been invoked…and Saki has three nights to undo it. With the help of three spirit guides and some unexpected friends, Saki must prove her worth—or say goodbye to the world of the living forever…
The Night Parade is perfect for:
Fantasy fans and kids 11 to 14 who love Spirited Away
Kids and teens looking for creepy, suspenseful stories
Adults looking for diverse books for kids
Mythology fans and kids 12 to 14
A 2017 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
A Kids' Indie Next Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A 2017 Freeman Book Award Winner
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Wonder and imagination abound in Tanquary's debut, a fantasy set in a contemporary Japanese mountain village; filled with respect and admiration for cultural tradition, it evokes both Grimm's fairy tales and Miyazaki's films. Saki, a city girl from Tokyo, isn't looking forward to traveling with her family to her grandmother's remote village for the festival of Obon, which celebrates the spirits of the dead. She quickly finds herself in trouble and fighting a "death curse" after playing a dangerous game with a group of local kids in her ancestors' graveyard. The next three nights find Saki as part of the Night Parade, the spirit tradition running parallel to the Obon festival and her only chance for redemption, if she can survive her encounters with three spirit guides. Saki's decided love for technology (she's glued to her phone) is a perfect foil for an examination of how the present can be influenced by the past, and vice versa, with both coexisting peacefully. Vivid details and realistic situations ensure accessibility, and subtle teaching moments are wrapped in wide-eyed enchantment. Ages 10 14.
