This is an incredible book to help young readers engage with death and deal with grief. Mariko's mother passes, but leaves the young girl a magic mirror that leads her into the magical realm of spirit animals. There Mariko meets not only her mother's spirit, but a series of other animal guides and discovers her own strength and spirit guide.
This tale is a lovely rendition of the age-old conceptualisations revolving around life and death, life after death, and living a good life. Shimada offers a beautiful exposé that really resonates deeply. I love the way she engages with traditional Japanese beliefe in this beautiful fantasy realm and presents Japanese-Americans with a beautiful way of reinvoking their heritage.
Coupled with the extraordinary illustrations by Eko Seteawan, this story takes on a magical dimension well beyond most children's books I've read. I very much look forward to reading this to my own children and can only recommend it to anyone with children around age 10.
The fact that Shimada engages with the topic of death is also so important because it is such a heavy topic and she artfully presents it for younger readers. It is a must for any children faced with grief, but also to introduce children to the idea. This magical fairy tale for the modern era is just perfect! Absolutely loved it.
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