Shadow warrior

Tanya Lloyd Kyi, 1973-

Book - 2017

When her dreams of being a ninja are ended after an arranged marriage, Chiyome must wait until the opportunity arises for her to create her own network of women spies in sixteenth-century Japan.

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Location Call Number   Status
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Subjects
Genres
Spy fiction
Historical fiction
Biographical fiction
Published
Toronto ; Berkeley : Annick Press [2017]
Language
English
Main Author
Tanya Lloyd Kyi, 1973- (author)
Other Authors
Celia Krampien, 1988- (illustrator)
Item Description
"Based on the true story of a fearless ninja and her network of female spies."
Physical Description
61 pages : color illustrations, color map ; 26 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (page 61).
ISBN
9781554519651
9781554519668
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

In sixteenth-century Japan, the country is torn apart by warring factions. In one region, ninjas are trained to learn secrets and assassinate warlords. Mochizuki Chiyome dreams of becoming a ninja, but she's quickly married off instead. When she is widowed early on, Chiyome fulfills her dream and trains other women in deception, outdoor survival, self-defense, and other skills needed to be ninjas. Chiyome and her squad of ninjas work to bring down warlords and protect the people. In this heavily illustrated middle-grade story, Kyi focuses on the secrecy of ninjas and relates an exciting tale based on historical figures and real events. Krampien's illustrations of Japanese landscapes are striking, especially partnered with bold drawings of a young girl sitting under a roaring waterfall or racing off into the night. The back matter elaborates on the historical period and explains which parts of the story are fictionalized, and it offers a helpful glossary and resources. This interesting peek into a lesser-known historical moment tells a compelling story of women intentionally and expertly hiding in a male-dominated field.--Linsenmeyer, Erin Copyright 2017 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 5-8-An illustrated novel, based on historical fact, about a female ninja named Chiyome. The book begins with a colorful, political map of feudal Japan. Kyi subtly educates readers about 16th-century Japan, the empowerment of women, and the effects of war while developing Chiyome's character and introducing Aki, an orphan Chiyome trains as a ninja. Krampien combines traditional Japanese pen-and-ink art with contemporary illustrations done in green, blue, red, tan, and black that reflect and extend the text. Kyi clarifies fact from fiction in her author's note, saying that, "Mochizuki Chiyome was probably real," based on scholars' conclusions. Chiyome's husband and his uncle were real, but she fictionalized Aki's character. VERDICT Kyi and Krampien fully involve readers in this well-told, thrilling story.-Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A lengthy picture book about a female ninja in 16th-century Japan. Mochizuki Chiyome lives in the Koga region of feudal Japan, where constant warfare between warlords called daimyos creates the need for both samurais and ninjas. Chiyome's great-grandfather was a famous ninja, and she is training to be one too. Her arduous preparation includes dangling from a cliff as well as more subtle skills, such as hensojutsu, the art of disguise. After years of training, she becomes a ninja only to be married off to Mochizuki Moritoki, the nephew of a powerful daimyo. When her husband is killed in battle, Chiyomewhose choices as a widow are either taking care of other women's children or retreating to a spiritual lifeconvinces her uncle-in-law to take advantage of her ninja skills. She recruits and trains a network of female ninjas to spy for him. Kyi's bracing text (based on some real historical figures, as revealed in an epilogue) gives a vivid sense of detail and danger, although it's too bad the illustrated map of 16th-century feudal Japan does not clearly mark the locations referenced in the story. The book's design is otherwise stellar. Japanese landscape paintings bordered with stylized patterns combine smoothly with Krampien's bold, emotive illustrations, heightening the overall ambience and tone of the story. A terrifically told story with striking design and illustrations that will empower its readers. (glossary, further reading, sources) (Picture book. 8-14) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Kōga, 1558Chiyome dangled upside down from the cliff's edge. The blood rushed to her head, and the pounding in her ears drowned out the calls of forest birds. The breeze, which had seemed so mild a moment ago, now threatened to tear her from the rock. Her training partner adjusted his grip on her ankles, giving them a tiny tug. Chiyome held back a scream. The rocks at the base of the cliff were jagged and seemed heart-stoppingly far below. If she fell ... Be patient. Conquer fear. Sensei's words from that morning echoed in her head. She glimpsed her instructor on the cliff's edge above, watching her silently. A dozen other students, all boys, clustered nearby. Most had already completed this particular challenge. She forced herself to take long, slow breaths as their voices drifted down to her."She'll give up soon.""Maybe. But you know who her great-grandfather was, right?""Who?""Mochizuki Izumo-no-kami."A murmur ran through the group at the sound of his name. He'd been one of Kōga's best fighters.Chiyome felt her legs trembling. Be patient. Conquer fear, she repeated to herself. She remembered Sensei's lessons about practicing zanshin: calm awareness. She tried to clear her mind, ignoring the boys and focusing only on the rhythm of her breath and the cold wind on her face. For just a whisper of time the fear seemed to float away from her body before she heard Sensei speak: "Bring her up." Once again Chiyome began to shiver. Her partner gripped her legs tighter as another boy reached down for her hand, and together they hauled her up over the edge, the rough granite scraping her elbows and knees. She sprawled on the ground, gasping for air, and glanced at her partner. He looked as shaken as she felt. Then she forced herself upright and bowed to Sensei, who nodded his approval."Next," Sensei called, and a boy to her right stepped unsteadily forward.Chiyome leaned against a tree trunk. Another ninja test, and she had survived. Not only survived, but gained a rare nod from her teacher. Though she kept her face carefully smooth, she was beaming inside.Once, her great-grandfather had helped establish Kōga's ninja traditions. Now, Chiyome would carry on his legacy. She'd serve as one of the guards and lookouts who ranged through the nearby mountains, protecting the local villages. Or she'd seek her fortune working for a faraway daimyo. First, she needed to learn everything Sensei could teach: how to scale castle walls, how to make waterproof torches, and how to count the sleeping bodies in a darkened room. She'd practice disguising herself in the light and listening from the shadows. Today's tests had just begun. As the last boy pulled his partner up over the edge, Sensei pointed to the cliff's face. Their next challenge, he explained, was to climb all the way across it, to the path on the far side, barely visible through the mist.Chiyome looked at the sheer granite, her eyes seeking out tiny ledges and possible handholds. She glanced at the ground far below and swallowed hard.Zanshin. Be patient. Conquer fear. Excerpted from Shadow Warrior by Tanya Lloyd Kyi All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.