The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy

The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-boy #1

by Claire Youmans

With their parents killed by an evil feudal overlord, who wants Azuki for the valuable feathers she produces when she is a Toki bird, Azuki feels she must flee. It’s all her fault, isn’t it? She is the one with the cursed ability to turn into a bird!

Shota, her brother, can become a sparrow, but nobody wants his plain brown feathers. Armed with information from their dying mother, he must reach his sister to tell her they will lose their inheritance and will no longer be able to live in human society unless they can return to claim it!

While Azuki searches for her Toki-kin, encountering Egrets, storms, a fierce mountain ogre and even a dragon, Shota, smaller, slower, follows a dream of his late father to track his sister to the Toki nesting grounds, discovering in himself a love of the sea, and a way to get them home in time.

Genres: Fantasy

140 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2014

About the author

Claire Youmans is an accomplished non-fiction and ficton writer who has also written and edited innumerable articles, engaging audiences for over 20 years. With a deep love for Japan and its culture, Youmans has traveled there extensively studying the country’s culture and folklore.

While working on a play produced in Tokyo, Youmans was so inspired by two minor characters -- Azuki, a Toki-Girl, and her brother, Shota, a Sparrow-Boy -- that she expanded their story into The Toki Girl and the Sparrow Boy series, starting with Coming Home, book 1. With generous doses of adventure, suspense, folklore and fantasy, Youmans has brought their visually compelling story into book form in The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy, a series of exciting and compelling books that age as the charcters grow up. The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy Book 9, The Oni's Shamisen, releases in June 2022.

With further books in development, Youmans now lives in Japan, seeking even more inspiration and motivation to bring that nation’s beauty and culture to life for all adventurous readers through its traditional folklore, history and culture, levened with a healthy dose of magicla realism. And dragons.

Reviews

[Aeicha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Azuki and her brother Shota are not like regular children. Shota can transform into a sparrow and Azuki is a rare Toki bird. When Azuki is in Toki form she sheds beautiful and sought after white feathers. A greedy feudal overlord kills their parents and captures Azuki because he wants her feathers. This tragic event sets Azuki and Shota off onto two separate, but connected, wild journeys.

The Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy is an imaginative and unique tale full of captivating settings, mesmerizing fantastical elements, and unforgettable characters. Author Claire Youmans spins a truly lovely story. Set in a world that is both inspired by history and creatively crafted, The Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy is rich in vivid details and brimming with intriguing elements of Japanese culture and folklore. Youmans has clearly done her research and wonderfully presents this half-true, half-made-up Japanese history to readers. From Toki-birds to a mountain ogre, sea dragon, and so much more, the fantastical elements in this book are wondrous and whimsical and fun! Young readers will be simply fascinated and inspired by both the historical and fantasy elements within The Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy.

Azuki and Shota both go on a wild adventure full of perils, obstacles to be defeated, lessons to be learned, unexpected friends to make, and profound things to be discovered. These two bird-children make for wonderfully endearing and likable characters. Young readers will easily identify with Azuki and Shota and root for them to succeed. We also meet several other characters through-out The Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy, whose stories intertwine with Azuki and Shota’s. I enjoyed getting to know Anko and Benjamin, but wish more time was spent on their story.

Azuki and Shota’s breathtaking journeys finally collide and find them on a desperate race back home together. I was a bit jolted by the rather abrupt ending, but Youmans does nicely set things up for a sequel with a surprising cliff-hanger.

I must mention the unique illustrations throughout The Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy because all the awesome illustrations were actually created by young readers! How cool is that?!

My Final Thoughts: The Toki-Girl and The Sparrow-Boy is a captivating and entertaining mix of folklore, fairy-tale, fantasy, and thrilling history. A mix that Claire Youmans works with well and young readers will enjoy!

[Garrett Alley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It starts out like a kind of fable or fairy tale set in Japan, but it soon becomes something larger, something more. The clean plot and writing combine to produce an outstanding style. The author also included drawings from young people depicting scenes in the book and that added to the wonderful feel of the story.

The main characters are a brother and sister who can become birds (a sparrow and a "toki" respectively) and the book centers around them finding their way away from and back to their human lives. The sparrow boy is adventurous while the toki girl is determined. There are other characters and plotlines introduced and fleshed out more in the second half of the book, adding depth to what would have been a fine (albeit short) fable story.

In fact, this the first in a series and the ending sets up the next book quite well.

Now, Amazon says this book is for kids in 4th grade and up but I'm not sure I agree. There are a few scenes that some more sensitive 4th graders might have trouble with (two murders), but the rest of the story is fantastic.

Can't wait for the next book!

[Bree Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

By Bree Wolf, author of Fireflies

‘The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy’ is one of those stories that ring of ancient truths. Stories that are handed down through the generations. Stories that make you wonder what small, seemingly insignificant but nonetheless real action once upon a time inspired them.
If you listen closely, you can actually hear the voice of an old story-teller whispering the words on the page before you, making them come to life and bringing you a story full of courage and love, of devotion and trust.
From page one I felt drawn into the lives of Azuki and Shota, following them on their journey to find their place in the world and accept themselves for who they are. A wonderful read, full of magic and inspiration!

[Chelsea Gillett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little out of my normal picks but it was really well written and a very interesting story. I love the way all the characters are interwoven and the different intricacies of each story. The history and culture was awesome, to be immersed in a different space and time. Definitely would recommend!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book for free by the author via voracious readers only in exchange for my honest review.

This is a wonderful story that is very well written and researched. Set in the Turn of 19th to 20th century Japan with fantastic character building and development. This is a heartwarming story about love, loss, grief and personal reflection, and growth. Two siblings who would otherwise be outcasts taken in by loving parents. They end up on an adventure of self-discovery following the murder of their parents and the capture and subsequent release of the girl. The journey has many trials and tribulations that show them who they truly are and want to be. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

Although set in Japan, this story is fantasy and takes aspects of reality and makes it better. The folklore and culture are beautifully portrayed throughout. I just want to go to Japan now!

Amazing book. 4.5 stars and something I would recommend to anyone who likes cosy reads, YA fantasy, or Japanese novels.

Tropes
Lost then found
Adventure
Magic
Outsiders
Self-discovery
Family
Folklore
Greed

[BooksCoffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part history, part folklore, and part fiction, Youmans’s vivid, deeply intriguing, and seemingly small story of a sibling pair, children who can turn into birds, tells a much larger tale of the Meiji era Japan.


The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy, the series kickoff expertly sets the stage for upcoming adventures of the sibling pair, Azuki and Shota. Wealth and luck bestow Chizuyo and Hachibei after arrival of their daughter Azuki, a Toki bird who can turns into a human child. The family becomes complete after Shota, a Sparrow bird that can turn into a human child, joins as Azuki’s younger brother. But Azuki’s precious feathers get the family into trouble after Hasegawa Genmai, Hachibei’s friend and a malicious overlord, decides to get Azuki for himself to procure her valuable feathers. With their parents killed, the siblings are separated, but they must return home or risk losing their ability to live in human society forever.

Azuki and Shota are back home, dreaming about living peacefully in the human world in the second installment. But among the chaos and uncertainty of the war, the siblings are forced to live with a traveling monk Yuta as a boy acolyte and a pet sparrow. Discovery of a precious asset forces the trio to visit the capitol and relay the information to the properly appointed Lord Eitaro. But the malicious DaiTengu wants Azuki’s feathers for its wind-making fans.

The life has become normal once again for the sibling pair in the third installment. Azuki and Shota are finally content living with Uncle Yuta. But when Azuki suddenly becomes ill, Shota sets out to find Tsuruko, the legendary Crane-girl, hoping she could help Azuki. Renko, the Dragon Princess, is torn between fulfilling her parents’ opposing wishes. Meanwhile, there is trouble brewing in the sea in the form of the Umi-Bozu patrol.

Uncle Yuta’s life has become extremely complicated with everyone dual-natured around him in the fourth installment. If being dual-natured is not difficult enough, Azuki, Shota, and Renko are growing fast and with that becoming a challenge to deal with. And Japan is evolving as well: with changing time, the country is ready to introduce a new system of education. Yuta must prepare himself to guide his family through the storm of change.

In the fifth installment, Youmans takes readers on Uncle Yuta’s newly married bride, Noriko’s journey as she settles in her new home, surrounded by plenty of dual-natured children while trying to unravel the hidden secrets of her past.

The Dragon-sisters Renko and Otohime’s destiny may lie among their ability to come to terms with their dual-nature after twist of fate leaves them drained of their powers in the sixth installment.

In the seventh installment, Youmans introduces new characters as Azuki, Shota, and Renko struggle to adjust as dual-natured people in an ever-changing Japanese society as Japan sets on to embrace Western ideas and technology, including education in order to compete in the civilized world.


Full of grace and distinctive imagery, Youmans’s storytelling is articulate and suave. She’s deft at portraying relationships and inner thoughts and skillfully digs into her characters' turbulent psyches. With their lives caught between two worlds, the siblings struggle to adjust as dual-natured people. She makes their emotional turmoil, inner conflicts, pain, heartaches, and desires both deeply affecting and intimate, giving ample voice to their hardships as well as their accomplishments.

Azuki and Shota both have their own struggles, and although Shota makes for a memorable character, it’s Azuki who steals the show. With her quick wit and big personality, Azuki commands the spotlight. Despite her inner conflict that arises from her being a dual-natured person, she never has problem finding her own voice. The story's chief appeal lies in Azuki, Shota, Renko, and various secondary characters’ ability to shapeshift. Youmans skillfully explores the vast changes in Japanese society that lead to the country’s embracing of Western education, leaving readers with lots to ponder.

The children’s dangerous quests as they face malevolent enemies and perilous circumstances give the fantastical spreads breathtaking drama and splendor, while their resilience in the face of difficulties conveys the message of the importance of summoning one’s own power and never losing hope. Generous doses of cultural insights and the people’s ways of living throughout bolster this fascinating, engrossing tale of dreamy derring-do.

Youmans’s descriptions of landscapes are poetic, and the worldbuilding nuanced. Egrets, mountain ogre, dragons, Tengu, the bird-humanoids, various types of bird-children, the outcasts, and bandits in the middle of all the uncertainty and chaos of the Meiji era Japan come out alive, leaving readers feel exhilarated. As the children grow old, so does the nation.

Youmans’s smoothly paced narrative and crisp prose keep the pace quick, while the mix of folklore, Japanese culture, and traditional way of living help the story feel both fresh and timeless. And just like the traditional folklores, Azuki and Shota’s tale is as much about journey as it’s about destination. Though, there are pains and heartaches, the overall story is lighthearted. Dominated by rich warm tones, the accompanied interior art, the Japanese Woodblock Prints which are contemporary to the time in which the stories take place, is exquisite.

With its soothing and magical quality of a fairytale, the artwork seems at par with the timeless subject matter. Youmans is a natural storyteller who's created a vibrant and cinematic series that young readers are going to love.

This is a must-read for middle graders.

[Sahani Perera, The Book Sherpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premier sage of a children' folklore that takes us to the heart of the Meiji era.

The harsh reality dawned upon Azuki as her eyes lay upon her father's silent body. Strangled away, locked up, by the man filled with greed Azuki hopes for a moment of escape. Shota, guided by his mother, planned his sister's escape, but as unfortunate events turned up in there life Shots embarks on a mission to bring his sister back. Claire Youmans bring out the power of turbulent struggles faced by young children through the eyes of Azuki and Shota. The raw independence displaced by these children reflect the helpless nature of forced self-development that any reader can experience. The useful lessons imparted in this medieval Japanese culture driven read, Claire Youmans decides to provide an enlightening reading experience composed in this historical fantasy, Children' folklore, and political revolutionary read.

With the uprise of two start characters, leaving a page-turner, Claire Youmans ends on a note that promises future intrigue, heroic actions, and life-challenging situations.

[Haylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.

This story is essentially one long fairy tale set in the Meiji era of Japan. Personally, I love fairy tales, but the straightforward writing style that comes with them can get a little boring after too long, and I think I was reaching my limit towards the end of this book. That said, it is still a fun story, with great lessons about kindness and historical Japan that I think would be ideal for the younger readers this book is aimed towards. The story managed to still take turns I wasn't expecting even within the usually predictable style of a fairy tale, and for that I commend the author.

This book does finish in kind of an awkward place though. I'm curious to see how the rest of the series pans out, but I might need to take a break in between to read something a bit more descriptive.

[Suzanne Cruz Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to take Claire Youmans for sending me the book I read it like right away😄

Finally finished reading this book. I got to say this is one of my favorite books 😍.
Not only has illustrations in it which I love but the characters has this intensity in them (I don't know how to explain it besides the word intensity). I loved every minute of it and for some reason I was smiling from ear-to-ear. Loved it. The characters were amazing in here I was dedicated and following Azuki and her becoming a Toki. the general was interesting character to me as well because he was truly in pursuit of the Toki. It was like he made this his mission to do so...

I can go on and on with this book. I truly loved it.

[Jane Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers, in return for an honest review. I feel that this book is written for teens or preteens, but saying that I enjoyed it. It seems to be based in Japanese folklore and has a nice flowing style for most of the book. The ending is a bit abrupt but some people may prefer it. A really nice touch is the illustrations at the start of each chapter depicting part of the story, by various artists. The story is based on a hard working couple who are kind and caring and how they got their unusual children and how the greed of others can impact on and upset others lives. The younger boy ends up searching for his sister who runs off. Sorry trying not to spoil the story. Well worth a read a folk tale/fairy tale feel

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.

This is a delightful book! I confess that I'd missed the note that it was more for older children, but I loved it anyway. I really enjoyed the influences of Japanese folklore and the woodblock print illustrations, and the story was heartwarming too. I won't be reading the rest of the series just now, but will look forward to returning to it in the future if/when my family grows a little :) I can see this being a lovely bedtime story to enjoy with a future child, especially seeing as we lived in Japan and would love to share our connection to it.

I loved the writing style, too. It was simple (as you want for a children's book), but still managed to be descriptive and engaging.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received a copy through voracious readers. This book is simply wonderful. It is set during a very interesting time in Japanese history where the West is attempting to influence the country. I won't spoil the book so this will be a less detailed review than I'd like. The story is enchanting and the characters are beautifully crafted. The use of the setting and Japanese mythology is masterful. There are different points of view to explore and each is so different that it keeps you thoroughly engaged. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Japanese culture and mythology or anyone who simply wants to be swept away on an adventure that will stay with them for a lifetime.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an easy, fun story to read. With just the right combination of folk-lore and 'magic', it weaves the perfect beginning of the tale of siblings who are also birds. After the death of their parents, Azuki sets out to become a full time bird but finds it's not what she really wants. And Shota sets out to find her so they can return home before they are declared dead themselves. The author does an excellent job weaving their adventures together in this first part of their series.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book from the author via voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review*
It was an interesting read with it’s different perspectives and settings. I enjoyed all the Japanese lore magical creatures such as the dragon. However it was an unusual style of writing and felt a bit stiff at times making it difficult to connect with the characters, saying that I did enjoy it and I would read the next one.

[Cair-Paravel De Loulay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet story set in Japan about two very different children. The parents die, leaving the children on their own. Toki-Girl searches for her place in the world and her brother, Sparrow-Boy, follows her to save their place in the world.

It is is a short, sweet novel. It is well done and very enjoyable. I will read it again.

I received a free copy from Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story has a very nice flow to it. The characters feel like real people you could have a conversation with. I really enjoyed the story, and how the author wove in some of the history and lore of Japan throughout.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only*

[Bay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a digital complementary review copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only. While I did not love the book, there was a unique charm about it. In a lot of ways, it felt like a bedtime story that someone might read to their child. I didn't really care for the writing style, but I think that, because of the bedtime story-like feel to it, I would have enjoyed an audio book more.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. The story line is brilliant and captivating. The writer really puts their all into this story. A beautiful master piece. I highly recommend you read if you like fantasy/historical Japan themes.

[Claudia Foglein-Goins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Voracious Readers I was able to get book 1 and 2 . I have to say I loved it and its fairy tale feel . The writing was good and seemed very traditional . I recommend it and am seriously thinking of the rest of the series although these 2 could be stand alones .

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a complimentary copy from the author via voracious readers only.

This is a lovely story, written like a folk tale. The main characters are believable and grow as the story progresses. I look forward to seeing them develop further in other books of the series.

[Rochelle D'Anvers · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only. I enjoyed this book. It gave a fascinating glimpse into some aspects of Japanese culture and mythology whilst being fun and entertaining.

[PK Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just delightful. It is the sort of book my mother would have read to all of us, back in the day. It is written in the style of a fable from another time, and I just love it. So much so that I have already secured the next book in the series. Bravo!

[Eve Schofield]

i absolutely loved the japanese setting and culture. the historical setting was also fairly incredible. great world building on the part of the author, as well as an absolutely lovely romance aspect that i found almost irresistible.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this book, which is somewhat different to the normal ones I read. This fairy tale adventure is full of beautiful descriptions and imagery, and I would recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[HUIMIN H LAI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story. Never got boring to top wordy

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful story. It wasn't long but it was heartwarming. Set in Japan. It told of trials, searching for self, overcoming odds, learning and growing.
I'd love everyone to read this.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly charming. I very much look forward to reading more of this story.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. It hooked me from beginning to end. The plot is amazing and it was such a great read. I can’t wait to read more by the author Claire Youmans!

[Jenna D'Amico · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, quick read. Loved Japanese imagery.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting and very well written. It had a bit of history which I enjoyed and would definitely recommend.