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Azuki, the Toki-girl, and Shota, the Sparrow-boy, are home with their new-found uncle as their guardian. Azuki loves her incredible new loom. She’s saving feathers hoping for a better way to use them in fabric. Sewing them on just doesn’t work. It’s too bad she isn’t feeling well. She wonders what’s missing in her life.
Shota’s busy with the traditional boys’ school, his sailing lessons, and Uncle’s new school for girls and boys. His only worry is that the Dragon Princess, Renko, isn’t paying him much attention.
When Uncle discovers Azuki isn’t well, Shota decides the Crane-girl can help her. Disobedient, he sets off to find her, but returns defeated. Nobody he’s talked to could help. Even the news that Red Wind is in foal to Blackie doesn’t cheer him up.
Azuki finishes the fabrics and garments she promised and it’s time for Shota to set sail and deliver them.
Then Tsuruko, the Crane-woman arrives. She got Shota’s message and can tell Azuki what’s making her ill, but she is shy and sad. She decides to stay for now.
The Dragon King decides Renko must attend Uncle Yuta’s school to learn to be human. Renko worries: her father wants her to live as a girl, but her mother wants her to be a full-time dragon.
She’s happy to practice calligraphy but sad because she and Shota can’t fly together: they’re the wrong sizes. Renko can’t even tell him how proud she is of him. Yuta-Sensei forbids it.
Shota sets sail with his master, Minoru. In the Shimonoseki Straits, he sees many ocean-going western steam ships. Minoru predicts trouble: the foreigners think they should control the straits; the Japanese naturally disagree.
As they emerge from the Straits, Shota sees a monstrous waterborne army on the move. Minoru changes course but they are attacked by tentacled Umi-bozu. Shota is pulled overboard, but does the sensible thing and becomes a sparrow. He calls the Princess for help through his Wishing Rock.
Renko, Azuki and Tsuruko rush to help. Renko helps Minoru defeat the Umi-Bozu patrol while the birds assess the havoc they’ve wrought. Renko rejoins her friends, telling them her mother would be proud. A vast Dragon appears. Renko’s mother barely has time to look over Renko’s bird friends before she spots what she calls Kraken. Quickly, she deploys Renko and the others before attacking the Umi-bozu fleet herself. Tsuruko and Azuki round up the shipwrecked sailors while Renko, with Shota on board, blows approaching boats out of the way. Renko finally tells Shota how she feels, and their friendship is restored.
The Dragon King appears to see who makes a storm on his turf. He helps Renko organize the boats while Azuki and Tsuruko herd the swimmers towards them. The Dragon King leaves the mop-up to them and goes to assist the Dragon Queen. Together, they attack the Umi-Bozu.
The mother of the Umi-Bozu appears, begging them to stop, as Umi-Bozu have no quarrel with Dragons.
The Dragons have to admit their daughter is dual-natured The Dragon King proposes a meeting with Yuta via sound wave speech.
Yuta convinces the Dragons and the Umi-bozu to stop fighting with each other and let humans tackle their own problems, with the proviso that everyone will talk before fighting. The battle is over.
Renko hesitantly approaches her parents. They’re off to some big mountain, probably to talk about her, but as they leave, her mother tells her both her parents are proud of her, and her confidence is renewed.
Back at home, daily life resumes but Tsuruko has always had a mission and feels it’s time for her to leave. Renko has Wishing Rocks for all of them. Azuki realizes that they can’t split up. They must stay together, for they can help others and fulfill themselves. This is what she’s been missing.
They agree they will always stick together, as friends and to help others with their special powers.
Uncle Yuta knows his life won’t be easier, but he’s grateful for what his wards and their friends have accomplished.
Shota’s busy with the traditional boys’ school, his sailing lessons, and Uncle’s new school for girls and boys. His only worry is that the Dragon Princess, Renko, isn’t paying him much attention.
When Uncle discovers Azuki isn’t well, Shota decides the Crane-girl can help her. Disobedient, he sets off to find her, but returns defeated. Nobody he’s talked to could help. Even the news that Red Wind is in foal to Blackie doesn’t cheer him up.
Azuki finishes the fabrics and garments she promised and it’s time for Shota to set sail and deliver them.
Then Tsuruko, the Crane-woman arrives. She got Shota’s message and can tell Azuki what’s making her ill, but she is shy and sad. She decides to stay for now.
The Dragon King decides Renko must attend Uncle Yuta’s school to learn to be human. Renko worries: her father wants her to live as a girl, but her mother wants her to be a full-time dragon.
She’s happy to practice calligraphy but sad because she and Shota can’t fly together: they’re the wrong sizes. Renko can’t even tell him how proud she is of him. Yuta-Sensei forbids it.
Shota sets sail with his master, Minoru. In the Shimonoseki Straits, he sees many ocean-going western steam ships. Minoru predicts trouble: the foreigners think they should control the straits; the Japanese naturally disagree.
As they emerge from the Straits, Shota sees a monstrous waterborne army on the move. Minoru changes course but they are attacked by tentacled Umi-bozu. Shota is pulled overboard, but does the sensible thing and becomes a sparrow. He calls the Princess for help through his Wishing Rock.
Renko, Azuki and Tsuruko rush to help. Renko helps Minoru defeat the Umi-Bozu patrol while the birds assess the havoc they’ve wrought. Renko rejoins her friends, telling them her mother would be proud. A vast Dragon appears. Renko’s mother barely has time to look over Renko’s bird friends before she spots what she calls Kraken. Quickly, she deploys Renko and the others before attacking the Umi-bozu fleet herself. Tsuruko and Azuki round up the shipwrecked sailors while Renko, with Shota on board, blows approaching boats out of the way. Renko finally tells Shota how she feels, and their friendship is restored.
The Dragon King appears to see who makes a storm on his turf. He helps Renko organize the boats while Azuki and Tsuruko herd the swimmers towards them. The Dragon King leaves the mop-up to them and goes to assist the Dragon Queen. Together, they attack the Umi-Bozu.
The mother of the Umi-Bozu appears, begging them to stop, as Umi-Bozu have no quarrel with Dragons.
The Dragons have to admit their daughter is dual-natured The Dragon King proposes a meeting with Yuta via sound wave speech.
Yuta convinces the Dragons and the Umi-bozu to stop fighting with each other and let humans tackle their own problems, with the proviso that everyone will talk before fighting. The battle is over.
Renko hesitantly approaches her parents. They’re off to some big mountain, probably to talk about her, but as they leave, her mother tells her both her parents are proud of her, and her confidence is renewed.
Back at home, daily life resumes but Tsuruko has always had a mission and feels it’s time for her to leave. Renko has Wishing Rocks for all of them. Azuki realizes that they can’t split up. They must stay together, for they can help others and fulfill themselves. This is what she’s been missing.
They agree they will always stick together, as friends and to help others with their special powers.
Uncle Yuta knows his life won’t be easier, but he’s grateful for what his wards and their friends have accomplished.
Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2016
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Claire Youmans
22 books11 followers 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 19, 2020
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.
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.
August 10, 2016
Azuki, the Toki-Girl, and her brother Shota, the Sparrow-boy, are finally living peacefully at home with their Uncle Yuta. Azuki loves using her new loom to create gorgeous fabrics and Shota loves learning how to sail. But when Azuki becomes mysteriously ill, Shota sets out to find the legendary Crane-girl, in hopes that she can help. And there’s trouble brewing in the sea...the sea monster kind! With the help of their dragon friends and the Crane-girl, Azuki, Shota, and Yuta just might save the day.
Author, Claire Youmans, returns to her unique and enthralling The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-boy series with book three, Together. Once again, Youmans weaves an enchanting and entertaining tale full of history, magic, adventure, and lovable characters!
This series, which is part historical fiction and part fun fantasy, is set in the Meiji-era, or 19th century Japan. In Together, Youmans really immerses readers in this time-period and culture with excellent and strong world-building. Through the perspective of Azuki and Shota’s everyday lives, we get to experience the culture and time in-depth. Youmans explores every aspect of the Meiji-era, from the mentioned everyday life of its citizens to all the manners and customs, clothing, food, politics, social structures, and so much more. Young readers will feel transported and be fascinated by this obviously well researched and wonderfully presented world.
Most of my favorite characters from books one and two- Azuki, Shota, Renka, Yuta, the horses, and the Dragon King- are present in Together and they’re as engaging, exciting, and lovable as ever! Plus, we are introduced to some new, interesting characters and beings, like the mysterious Crane-girl and the cousin of the Kraken!
Readers will enjoy joining Azuki, Shota, and their friends on their unforgettable adventures in Together, and Youmans concludes book three with plenty of room for more fun adventures.
My final thoughts: With its excellent world-building, engaging characters, and fantastical elements, Together is a thoroughly enjoyable read and a great addition to a delightful series.
Author, Claire Youmans, returns to her unique and enthralling The Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-boy series with book three, Together. Once again, Youmans weaves an enchanting and entertaining tale full of history, magic, adventure, and lovable characters!
This series, which is part historical fiction and part fun fantasy, is set in the Meiji-era, or 19th century Japan. In Together, Youmans really immerses readers in this time-period and culture with excellent and strong world-building. Through the perspective of Azuki and Shota’s everyday lives, we get to experience the culture and time in-depth. Youmans explores every aspect of the Meiji-era, from the mentioned everyday life of its citizens to all the manners and customs, clothing, food, politics, social structures, and so much more. Young readers will feel transported and be fascinated by this obviously well researched and wonderfully presented world.
Most of my favorite characters from books one and two- Azuki, Shota, Renka, Yuta, the horses, and the Dragon King- are present in Together and they’re as engaging, exciting, and lovable as ever! Plus, we are introduced to some new, interesting characters and beings, like the mysterious Crane-girl and the cousin of the Kraken!
Readers will enjoy joining Azuki, Shota, and their friends on their unforgettable adventures in Together, and Youmans concludes book three with plenty of room for more fun adventures.
My final thoughts: With its excellent world-building, engaging characters, and fantastical elements, Together is a thoroughly enjoyable read and a great addition to a delightful series.
August 11, 2016
Officially reviewed for OnlineBookClub.org: http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/view...
I absolutely adored this book! Japanese history meets mythology meets fantasy and just all around super cute characters with a fun story!
I absolutely adored this book! Japanese history meets mythology meets fantasy and just all around super cute characters with a fun story!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews