Kierin Meehan

I really enjoyed this a lot, mainly for the evocation of ordinary life in modern day Japan, and the wonderful descriptions of the weather and the place and the people going about their business. The grandmother who makes sure Hannah remembers to switch between street shoes and house slippers and bathroom slippers, and the aunt with the donut shop and the dark snowy streets and the festivals. The ghost story is fun and not too scary, which as a younger person I would have appreciated.

This read (pleasantly) just like a random Scholastic book club paperback from my youth (not any particular one, but rather the concept) - kids solve a riddle hidden in a box of antique toys, and there's a ghost. The main character is a 12 year old Australian girl who is spending the winter with family friends on the west coast of Japan, so there are also plenty of opportunities for a character to suddenly share a trivia point about Japanese culture, language or history. What was that show on show more PBS where the guy would sketch a scene from a children's book while a voice-over read the corresponding passage from the book? This book would lend itself well to that treatment.

I enjoyed it for the pure value of "hey, let's solve a mystery, and oh, there's a ghost" and it didn't even attempt to shoehorn in any symbolism or message or lesson or literary value. Somewhat distracting was the narrative voice, which was a bit inconsistent and every so often was so discordant that I had to go back and reread to make sure I hadn't missed something. It was weird and unsettling. show less

Josh has broken his leg & isn’t allowed to go to school in QLD. He contents himself by looking after the affairs of his neighbours; an elderly Japanese woman and the boarders of the guest house next door. Particularly of interest is the young Isobelle a circus performer who convinces him & a rag tag bunch of local kids to put on a special performance at the end of year school play. This performance unlocks many local mysteries and the key to the sadness of the Japanese lady next door. A show more poignant book on war & its long term effects on people. show less

annah would much rather be back in Australia, starting high school with her friends. But Japan turns out to be nothing like she d imagined, and when Hannah and her new friend Miki find an ancient message in the stationery shop, they are drawn into solving a mysterious riddle. Why do the beans go berserk during the bean-throwing festival? Who is the evil-eyed woman at Sarumaru Shrine? Why is Hannah attacked by flying donuts? Is the ocean boy really trying to tell her something? A compelling show more combination of fact, fantasy, and humor, this middle-grade novel is filled with intriguing characters, exotic locations and baffling events. show less