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The House of the Lost on the Cape /

From the author and translator of the Batchelder Award-winning novel Temple Alley Summer comes the moving story of three generations of women adapting to their new home, and its mythical inhabitants, in the tragic aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake disaster. In the wake of a devastating earthquake and tsunami, Yui, fleeing her violent husband, and Hiyori, a young orphan, are taken in by a strange but kind old lady named Kiwa in the small town of Kitsunezaki​​. The newly formed family finds refuge in a mayoiga, a lost house, perched atop a beautiful cape overlooking the sea. While helping to rebuild Kitsunezaki, the three adapt to their new lives and supernatural new home, slowly healing from their troubled pasts. Kiwa regales Yui and Hiyori with local legends―from the shapeshifting fox-woman who used to roam the mountains, to the demon Agamé and a sea snake who once terrorized the townspeople, preying upon their grief and fears until they trapped the snake and the demon's claws in an underwater cave. But when mysterious and sinister events start happening around town, the three fear the worst. Did the earthquake release Agamé and the sea snake into the world again? Kiwa, Yui, and Hiyori join forces with a merry band of kappa river spirits, a bold zashiki warashi house spirit, and flying Jizō guardian statues to save their new family and home and banish Agamé and the snake once and for all. Now a hit anime film, The House of the Lost on the Cape is a heartwarming tale about the strength of family and friendship in the face of natural and mythical forces.

Notes

Reviews:

★ "This heartfelt novel by a popular Japanese children's author ... centers found family, weaving folklore, and magic into a tale of healing in the wake of natural disaster." ― Kirkus Reviews' 10 Essential Middle-Grade Books for Fall 2023
★ "Kashiwaba's moody work teems with ambient wonder and grim portent, offering glimpses of darkness without overwhelming the narrative’s uplifting tone." ― Publishers Weekly
★ "In this lightly magical novel, three women from different generations are brought together in the aftermath of the Tōhuku earthquake and tsunami: an orphaned girl, a woman fleeing an abusive marriage, and an elderly grandmother with no immediate family. The story unfolds in flowing language, and the black-and-white drawings sweetly accompany the mystical tale. Hiyori's desire to find her voice and save her new family unfolds beautifully and will be treasured by many. Kashiwaba's novel was originally published in serialised form in 2014, with an anime film adaptation in 2021 commemorating the 10th anniversary of the tragedy; this English translation will reach even more young fans of Japanese fantasy and found-family stories." ― School Library Journal
★ "Kashiwaba has a knack for world-building that seamlessly fuses the real with the fantastical. She gently guides readers through difficult subjects like trauma, death, and grief while offering a healthy dose of humour and hope. Avery Fischer Udagawa's lucid English translation and Yukiko Saito's charming black and white illustrations all help to make this beautiful, moving tale accessible to a global readership." ― Words Without Borders
★ "Think Diana Wynne Jones but with a firm grip on storytelling and Japanese folklore, interspersed with contemporary mystery fiction ... it is a powerful combination." ― GeekDad
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E11066
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High School
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