The Bamboo Sword

June 29, 2015
Preus revisits historical Japanese-American relations in a tale that catapults Yoshi, a young servant who longs to wield the sword of a samurai, into a clash of alien powers. When Commodore Perry’s steamships (“Black dragons belching smoke”) arrive in 1853 in an effort to force isolationist Japan into diplomatic relations, the feudal world of Edo Japan is shaken to its core. Yoshi’s master, Hideki, can’t stomach his duties as a samurai, and his bodyguard, Kitsune, blames Yoshi, who fights back and flees for his life. A homeless fugitive, Yoshi finds work with a generous artist, a sandal maker, and finally Manjiro, the hero of Preus’s Newbery Honor–winning Heart of a Samurai. Yoshi’s narrative alternates with that of Jack Sullivan, a cabin boy on Perry’s ship. When Jack is stranded on shore, Yoshi risks everything to hide him from Japanese authorities and rogue samurai whose identities are threatened by a changing social structure. Though her characters lack some of the depth of her previous work, Preus remains adept at meshing fiction with carefully researched history. Ages 10–14. Agent: Stephen Fraser, Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency.

Starred review from June 1, 2015
Thirteen-year-old Yoshi is a natural with the sword and relishes the thought of slicing up the hairy, bulbous-nosed barbarian invaders to protect the Sacred Land of the Rising Sun. Japan in 1853 is a fiercely isolationist country, and no one is expecting visitors when American explorer Commodore Perry arrives at Edo Bay with four steamships belching black smoke. The villagers fear an attack, but Perry is instead delivering a letter from U.S. President Millard Fillmore asking for open ports. Yoshi becomes embroiled in the national panic when he's hired as a bodyguard for Manjiro (the hero of Preus' 2011 Newbery Honor Heart of a Samurai), now a Western cultural adviser to the shogun. Yoshi's worldview is further shaken when he finds himself nose to nose with an actual American barbarian-"lowly cabin boy" Jack Sullivan from Perry's ship. Despite Yoshi's rather murderous misgivings, he becomes his enemy's protector and friend-and Jack becomes his-making a good case that xenophobia is often simply a matter of ignorance. Thanks to the lively, warm, and witty storyteller's voice and the vivid, sensuous depictions of the katana swish and kimono swirl of 19th-century Japan, readers will feel immersed in this tumultuous time in Japanese history. As with her earlier book, the pages are liberally decorated with archival images, supplemented by original art by cover artist Yuko Shimizu. Preus spins another suspenseful swashbuckler starring a Japanese boy who finds himself caught between cultures. (author's note, glossary, selected bibliography) (Historical fiction. 9-13)

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August 1, 2015

Gr 5-8-In 1853, Commodore William Perry led a fleet of imposing black ships into Edo Bay and began negotiations that would end Japan's 200-year policy of isolationism. This companion novel to Preus's Newbery Honor-winning Heart of a Samurai (Abrams, 2010) explores the political upheaval during this time through the eyes of two boys, one Japanese and one American. Inquisitive boys with big dreams, Yoshi is a lowly servant to a samurai and Jack is a cabin boy on one of Perry's black ships. Through dual narration and clear, unhindered prose, the boys' perspectives mirror both sides of the tense relations between the two cultures. In a series of coincidences, Yoshi becomes the assistant to Manjiro Nakahama, the protagonist of the previous volume. Readers will be pleased to reacquaint themselves with Manjiro as he takes Yoshi under his wing and plays an instrumental role in negotiations between Japan and America. Though some may find the plot a bit heavy on politics and diplomacy, the story shines when Jack is separated from his party and Yoshi is obliged to shelter him, and the two boys forge an unlikely friendship that transcends cultural and language barriers. A comprehensive author's note fills in the historical context that shapes the narrative and Japanese woodblock print illustrations from the era add atmosphere to the text. VERDICT Bringing life to historical events not often addressed in children's literature, this rich, multilayered novel will be a treat for fans of Heart of a Samurai.-Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
Grades 6-9 In 1853, Commodore Perry arrived in Edo Harbor, breaking Japan's 250 years of isolation. Against the backdrop of a country poised uneasily on the brink of change, Preus tells the story of the unlikely friendship between Japanese Yoshi and American Jack. While Yoshi is being pursued by vengeful Kitsune, a samurai he unwisely crossed, he runs into Jack, who has dangerously wandered away from the U.S. delegation. Yoshi knows protecting the barbarian will get him in trouble, but he's indebted to the boy after Jack helps him escape Kitsune. With the help of adult Manjiro, whom Preus wrote about in Heart of a Samurai (2010), Yoshi helps Jack return to his ship. In an urgent present-tense narrative, Yoshi tries to balance his own beliefs about the unpopular Manjiro and Jack against his own practical need to protect himself. Drawings and traditional Japanese prints interspersed among the chapters add visual interest, and an informative note sifting fact from fiction closes out the volume. Middle-grade readers eager for adventure with a solid grounding in history will be enchanted.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)