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Festival of Shadows

A Japanese Ghost Story
By Atelier Sento and Cecile Brun and Oliver Pichard
0.0 (0 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Festival of Shadows by Atelier Sento, Cecile Brun, and Oliver Pichard is a captivating children's book that transports readers to a magical Japanese village during a mystical festival. The story follows a young girl who discovers an ancient secret that intertwines with the vibrant festival atmosphere, exploring themes of friendship, bravery, and the enchanting traditions of Japanese folklore. The richly illustrated journey offers an immersive experience into a world where spirits and festivities come alive, captivating the imagination of readers young and old.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3999
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might like this book if you enjoy fantastical adventures with immersive, visually stunning illustrations. It's perfect for children who are captivated by stories blending Japanese folklore with magical realism, offering an enchanting journey filled with mystery and imagination.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Age range 14 to 18

What happens when the living meet the dead?

Every summer, in an isolated Japanese village, a celebration known as the Festival of Shadows takes place. During this festival, villagers welcome into their homes the shadows of individuals who have died in tragic circumstances, aiming to help these tortured souls come to terms with their deaths and provide the solace they need to move on peacefully.

Naoko, born in the village, is a young girl striving to meet the expectations of the village elders by being assigned a shadow to care for. She develops strong feelings for her shadow—a handsome young man and an artist—yet he appears haunted by a terrible secret. Naoko has a year to discover what happened to him and help him reconcile with his past, or his soul will be lost forever.

Naoko puts her own life on the line to save the soul of the man she loves in an exciting, moving, and beautifully drawn story. This journey takes the reader from the beautiful Japanese countryside to the glamorous Tokyo art world.

This graphic novel is a beautiful piece of fiction and art, each aspect impeccably complementing the other to create a rich, vibrant story told as much through the illustrations as the text itself. - Jemimah Halbert Brewster

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Festival of Shadows by Atelier Sento, Cecile Brun, and Olivier Pichard, is praised for its hyper-detailed watercolour and ink art that beautifully captures traditional Japanese elements, adding a dreamlike quality to the story. The narrative, conveyed through Naoko's voice, weaves themes of grief, heartache, and loss into a supernatural tale suited for ages 14 and up. The book also addresses issues such as intergenerational trauma and the impacts of rural depopulation, all set against the backdrop of Japan's cultural landscape.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9784805317242

Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 April 2023

Country: United States

Imprint: Tuttle Publishing

Illustration: full-color illustrations throughout

Audience: Teenage

DIMENSIONS

Width: 191.0mm

Height: 254.0mm

Weight: 539g

Pages: 160

Collections

Atelier Sento Cecile Brun Children's Books Graphic Novels Oliver Pichard Young Adult

About the Author

Atelier Sento, the award-winning creative team of Cecile Brun and Olivier Pichard was born out of travels to Japan - of the people they met and the drawings and photographs they brought back. Using mostly traditional techniques such as watercolour, coloured pencils and printmaking, they like to share a Japan that's uncommon, removed from stereotypes, a Japan of villages lost in the mountains, of popular festivals and forgotten spirits. For their previous works Atelier Sento have won the Japan International Manga Award, were shortlisted for the 2019 Dwayne McDuffie Award for Kids' Comics, and received an Honorable Mention in the 2018 Freeman Book Awards for Children's and Young Adult's Literature on East and Southeast Asia.

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