Anzu and the Realm of darkness

Anzu never fit in at her old school. Her classmates insisted on calling her Anne, since, they say, her birth name is a "little weird." When her family moves, and she is given the opportunity to restart, she runs away after an awkward social encounter and mistakenly ends up in Yomi, the Shinto underworld, where a goddess is trying to convince her to stay forever. But Anzu slowly learns the truth about the goddess, as well as a recent string of missing children in her town, and she becomes determined to put things right. Comparisons to Spirited Away are inevitable but apt, and this wonderful introduction to some mythological figures and religious practices of Shinto offers a lovely story of magic and courage. The simplified, gentle manga-inspired artwork from Nguyen (Pilu of the Woods, 2019) has a modern folk aesthetic that elevates the overall piece. A glossary in the back discusses the yokai, oni, and deities that appear, sometimes going into how the book's characterizations and depictions differ from traditional legend. A sweet and engaging coming-of-age tale.

A lonely girl must find her way out of the underworld and back home. It's Obon, a holiday for celebrating ancestors, but Anzu is feeling miserable. Her family just moved, and when a neighbor child tries to befriend her, she becomes angry and self-conscious and runs away, reminded of the girls who used to tease her about her Japanese name. A stray dog appears, jumping up and snatching the special necklace that belonged to her late grandmother from around Anzu's neck. While pursuing the dog, Anzu falls and loses consciousness, waking up in Yomi. The dog, who's the Gatekeeper of this Shinto underworld, tells her to leave, but Anzu doesn't know how. Izanami no Mikoto, Queen of Yomi, offers to guide her--after Anzu joins her Obon banquet. But Anzu winds up cursed and bound to remain. Together with the Gatekeeper, whose role is to "guide souls to their destined realm," Anzu must save the lost souls of children kidnapped by Izanami and find her way home before sunrise marks the end of Obon. Colored in muted green, orange, and purple, this beautifully illustrated work is full of magic as it follows Anzu's journey of self-discovery after experiencing bullying, grief, and isolation. The fascinating and original spirit world is inspired by Nguyen's family's mix of Vietnamese and Japanese cultures and elements of Shintoism and Buddhism. An enchanting fantasy about finding the confidence to take up space in the world. (author's note, guide to Japanese folklore) (Graphic fantasy. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.