This is a book I wouldn’t have picked up if it hadn’t been a gift. But now I’m very glad that I did. Fifth-grader Kazu sees a strange ghost-girl in the middle of the night and the next morning at school he sees her again. Except this time she’s his classmate, and everyone acts as if they’ve known her for years. Could this be linked to the mysterious Kimyō Temple that once stood where his house is now? After getting to know the ghost-girl Akari a bit, he learns she desperately wanted to finish reading her favorite story before she died. Then Kazu is on a mission to help Akari by finding the author and persuading them to finish the story. We readers of Temple Alley Summer get to read this cherished tale along with the characters. I love how the friendship between Kazu and Akari is so honest and wholesome, the sad, fantastical story-within-a-story and most importantly, the cute cat illustrations sprinkled in. This book was really such a treat to read. (Ages 8 to 12)
—Arden, Madison Books, Seattle, WA
Pick out a few more books to celebrate Women in Translation month! Your bookseller friends at Madison Books and other independent bookstores will be delighted to help.