Shuna's Journey

Bibliography: Miyazaki, H. (2022). Trans. by Alex Dudok De Wit. Shuna’s Journey. First Second.       ISBN: 978-1-250-84652-5

Plot Summary: The prince and future king meets a dying wanderer who offers him a way to save his suffering land, but it involves a long and arduous journey.  To get to the golden seeds that will feed his people he must go through ghouls and slave traders to get to the land of the god-folk.  Along the way he rescues two slave sisters, who later will save him.  Though he makes it to the land of the god-folk and steals the golden seed, he loses himself along the way.  It is only through the love of the two sisters that he finds himself and begins his journey home. 

Critical Analysis: Based on a Tibetan folktale, this graphic novel was written by one of the founders of Studio Ghibli, an animation company out of Japan.  This is evident in the illustration style throughout the text. The illustrations are colorful, but muted, similar to other Studio Ghibli productions, which creates a sort of calm despite the difficulties faced throughout the story. The translation is well done, and the language flows naturally, never awkward. The story is quite fantastical at times, and a little dark so may be a little much for younger readers.  It did take several pages to get used to the fact that the book is read back to front, right page to left, but once I figured that out, it was easy to follow.  It's a great read, especially for those interested in Asian culture. 

Reviews:

The New york Times: "...an eerie and enchanting book, a voyage into a delicately mythic realm of beauty and heartbreak."

Kirkus Reviews: "A reimagined folktale as grand as its painted visuals are sublime."

Awards:

USBBY Outstanding International Books List, 2023

Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia award, 2023

Connections: 

Use in an English class in a unit on folktales.  Compare and contrast to folktales from other countries, such as Johnny Appleseed from the U. S. or Akara-Ogun Meets Agbako in Forest of a Thousand Daemons from Africa. 

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