Animus

March 12, 2018
Children are disappearing in Kyoto, and the police are confounded about what to do about it. Sayuri and her friend Hisao hang out in a park, where they encounter “Toothless,” a ghost boy who is waiting for someone to find his body. He introduces them to the mystical features of the park, such as swings that allow them to enter people’s dreams and a slide that ages them up or down, depending on which direction they go. Together, they work to find out what has happened to the missing children and to Toothless’s body. Revoy’s otherworldly adventure moves quickly, but his succinct storytelling keeps readers on track with essential details. Both the contemporary and historical elements of the story’s setting come to life in the manga-style art. Revoy makes effective use of thin outlines, cross-hatching, and dramatic, blacked-out backgrounds to create a spooky atmosphere for this mysterious, macabre tale. Ages 14–up. (May)■

May 1, 2018

Gr 7 Up-A number of young students have gone missing in Kyoto, Japan, and police investigators believe a copycat killer is imitating a man currently serving time for a string of child murders. Two kids, Hisao and Sayuri, learn that the truth is quite different. They connect with Toothless, a masked ghost who holds the key. A child himself, Toothless teaches them the secrets of the haunted playground where he resides, where each structure has a power and a purpose. When Hisao and Sayuri's friend goes missing, they want to use the frightening powers of the playground equipment to look for him. In exchange, they agree to solve the mystery of Toothless's murder so his spirit can finally be released from earth. This unnerving tale successfully turns a playground into a realm of horrors, where slides and swings are more than just playthings. The children's world is front and center; adults aren't very helpful, so it's up to the kids to put things right. The manga-style black-and-white artwork serves the narrative well, going from charming to frightening and keeping the chills coming until the very end. VERDICT A wonderfully creepy graphic novel that's just right for fans of Hiroshi Takahashi and Misao Inagaki's The Ring or other scary manga.-Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School, Oakland

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
A boy and girl must uncover the secrets of a ghost boy cursed to haunt a playground.In a neighborhood in Kyoto, Japan, Hisao and Sayuri meet a boy, Toothless, at a small playground and soon discover that he is a ghost imprisoned there. He shares with them that the playground has magic abilities: The swings allow you to see into someone's dreams, the sandbox brings life to your innermost fears, and the slide makes you young or old, depending on which direction you go on it. When their friend falls victim to the slide's power and ends up in the hospital, so old that he is suffering from dementia, they must uncover who Toothless really is in order to save him. Following clues, the two kids find disturbing evidence of another crime as they unearth the truth. Although this is a ghost story, the spookiness is well-balanced with endearing moments of friendship, and there is beauty in the way the characters help each other change and develop. The Japanese-style black-and-white illustrations have sharp lines and detail, creating an alluring, eerie world. They capture emotions and evoke sounds, making readers feel as if they are in a real ghost story. The narrative and illustrations work together seamlessly to create mysteries that are baffling yet intriguing.An eerie graphic novel mystery that is bewildering and unnerving in the best way possible. (Graphic novel. 12-adult)

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May 15, 2018
Grades 7-10 When another child goes missing, superintendent Koyasu can't help but be reminded of an old case. Could a copycat be on the loose? Or is there something stranger going on? Meanwhile, in Kyoto, two children, Hisao and Sayuri, encounter a supernatural being named Toothless in a playground, and they become curious about where Toothless has come from and how he is connected to the playground. As they creep closer to solving the mystery of Toothless, the two become entangled in something much larger and more sinister than they could have imagined. Revoy is a talented illustrator and author, and it shows in this particular work, even as the narrative itself becomes (at times) slightly convoluted. The stark pencil-and-ink artwork takes full advantage of shadow and black, nighttime backgrounds to accentuate dark versus light, mirroring the tensions between good and evil in the overarching narrative. The child protagonists are captivating, and they will entice young readers eager to unravel the mysteries of the playground's supernatural tendencies.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)