Review by Booklist Review
All great kaiju--a Japanese word referring to giant monsters (think Godzilla)--are born with a superpower that strikes fear into the heart of their assigned city. Anzu, however, was born with the power of flowers. His mom, dad, and grandma teach him that great kaiju conjure up storms, hurl mountains, and breathe fire, but Anzu's attempts unleash more happiness than havoc. His city radiates not fear but joyous laughter. Is there a way to make his family proud and prove he's a real kaiju while staying true to his flower power? Shum's experience as an animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios on films like Big Hero 6 and Raya and the Last Dragon are evident in the way he storyboards the narrative, pulls readers along with cinematic energy, and celebrates Japanese aesthetics---with everything from bonsai trees to golden picture frames to tiny creatures that look like adorable walking dumplings. He also makes Japanese culture integral to the well-told, wholly original tale, which proves humorous, heartfelt, and as sweet as the flowers Anzu conjures.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Anzu, like all kaiju, is born with a superpower and in general, these strike fear into the hearts of anyone nearby. But Anzu's gifts live in the realm of flower power. When he comes of age and is given his city (Godzilla had Tokyo), his parents instruct him in the ways of the kaiju: Summon storms, shake the earth, create havoc. But Anzu's storm becomes a shower of leis, and his earth-moving results in a dazzling playground. What is wrong with this monster? His city folk love him, but his parents are so disapproving that the ancestral matriarch is summoned. Thing get scary. But Anzu is so unhappy with who and what he has become that he relapses into his happy-making, danger-shaming celebration of being himself. The residents of Anzu's city love him with far more power than they could have imagined, and that results in a seriously happy ending. It's a pleasure to see the monster myth once again turned on its head. The vocabulary paves the way for beginning readers, and cheerful cartoons and comic panels offer an easy path to what's next. VERDICT Spoiler alert: Goofy, loving monster makes good on his proclivities for joy, and wins his parents' approval along the way. It's a triumph, all right.--Kimberly Olson Fakih
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Anzu is a Godzilla-like kaiju from a fearsome family of lightning-summoning, mountain-tossing monsters. Being a kaiju, Anzu wants to make his family proud, but there is a problem: his superpower is...flowers. When the day arrives to attack his first city, Anzu endearingly fails. Instead of destruction, he inspires dancing; rather than havoc, he sparks happiness. Left questioning his own kaiju-ness, Anzu is helped by his grandmother to deliver a city-shaking attack ("BOOOOOM!"), but Anzu's satisfaction soon shifts to regret, leading the young kaiju to use his flower power ("BLOOOOOM!") to repair the damage. This compassionate gesture earns the admiration of the city's inhabitants and Anzu's family, and, perhaps most importantly, allows the creature to name his own self-worth. "I may not strike fear like a great kaiju...But I am a good kaiju." Shum's animated watercolor, ink, and digital illustrations seamlessly navigate various page layouts, while the lush palette reflects Anzu's ever-changing emotions. Nearly every visual element of the book (figures, sound effects, caption/panel borders, etc.) is rendered in a textured black line, resulting in a pleasingly cohesive aesthetic. More sweet than scary, this heartfelt story naturally incorporates specific elements of Japanese culture into impressive picture-book storytelling. Patrick Gall March/April 2022 p.(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Kaijus--giant Godzilla-like creatures--are supposed to have fearsome powers like atomic breath, the ability to summon storms, and magnetism--but not young Anzu. Instead, he was born with the power of finding "beauty in small things." Finally old enough to be assigned his own personal city to terrorize, Anzu hopes to impress his fond parents. But instead of inflicting fiery destruction on the tiny kodamalike residents at his feet, the best he can do is rain garlands of flowers down on them. He tries to wreak havoc by uprooting a tree but instead ends up creating a peaceful playground of blossoming animal topiaries. "I'll never strike fear," Anzu frets. "Am I even a kaiju?" Young readers may well share his doubts since, despite towering over the city of lumpy buildings made from low mounds of dirt, he and his family look more like cute, plump stuffies than scary reptilian beasts. When Anzu does at last manage a little devastation, his feeling of triumph is short-lived--and so, to restore joy and laughter, he exerts his special flower powers with surprising, and satisfying, results. The text is engaging and heartwarming without being cloying. The bright, colorful illustrations are rendered in watercolor and ink. Full-bleed artwork is interspersed with panels, which, along with the use of narrative boxes, lend a graphic feel to the presentation. A tongue-in-cheek bildungsroman spun around celebrating differences and the underrated superpowers of gentleness and sweetness. (Graphic picture book. 5-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
