Moribito Ii

The wandering female bodyguard Balsa returns to her native country of Kanbal, where she uncovers a conspiracy to frame her mentor and herself.

The wandering female bodyguard Balsa returns to her native country of Kanbal, where she uncovers a conspiracy to frame her mentor and herself.

You've never read a fantasy novel like this one! The deep well of Japanese myth merges with the Western fantasy tradition for a novel that's as rich in place and culture as it is hard to put down. Balsa was a wanderer and warrior for hire. Then she rescued a boy flung into a raging river -- and at that moment, her destiny changed. Now Balsa must protect the boy -- the Prince Chagum -- on his quest to deliver the great egg of the water spirit to its source in the sea. As they travel across the land of Yogo and discover the truth about the spirit, they find themselves hunted by two deadly enemies: the egg-eating monster Rarunga . . . and the prince's own father.

In the marvelous sequel to the novel (and Cartoon Network series) MORIBITO: GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT, Balsa returns to her native land to fight a corrupt ruler and face her own demons. Balsa returns to her native Kanbal to clear the name of Jiguro, her dear mentor, who saved her life when she was six years old. But what should be a visit of truth and reconciliation becomes a fight for her life when she learns that Jiguro had been a member of King Rogsam's personal bodyguard. After Jiguro fled Kanbal with her, Rogsam sent the other bodyguards after them one by one--Jiguro's best friends, whom he had to kill to protect Balsa. Now, with the help of two Kanbalese children, Balsa must unwind the conspiracy surrounding Jiguro and the mystery of the Guardians of the Dark.

Demonstrating the aesthetic, cultural, political and intellectual diversity of children’s literature across the globe, The Routledge Companion to International Children’s Literature is the first volume of its kind to focus on the undervisited regions of the world. With particular focus on Asia, Africa and Latin America, the collection raises awareness of children’s literature and related media as they exist in large regions of the world to which ‘mainstream’ European and North American scholarship pays very little attention. Sections cover: • Concepts and theories • Historical contexts and national identity • Cultural forms and children’s texts • Traditional story and adaptation • Picture books across the majority world • Trends in children’s and young adult literatures. Exposition of the literary, cultural and historical contexts in which children’s literature is produced, together with an exploration of intersections between these literatures and more extensively researched areas, will enhance access and understanding for a large range of international readers. The essays offer an ideal introduction for those newly approaching literature for children in specific areas, looking for new insights and interdisciplinary perspectives, or interested in directions for future scholarship.

We’re Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI. Things that go bump in the night, the monsters you thought didn’t exist? We battle them and keep you safe. But some supernatural baddies are just too big to contain, even for us… When I moved to New York to become a world famous journalist, I never imagined that snagging a job at a seedy tabloid would change my career path from trashy reporter to undercover agent. I’m Makenna Fraser, a Seer for SPI. I can see through any disguise, shield, or spell that a paranormal pest can come up with. I track down creatures and my partner, Ian Byrne, takes them out. Our cases are generally pretty routine, but a sickle-wielding serial killer has been prowling the city’s subway tunnels. And the murderer’s not human. The fiend in question, a descendant of Grendel—yes, that Grendel—shares his ancestor’s hatred of parties, revelry, and drunkards. And with New Year’s Eve in Times Square only two days away, we need to bag him quickly. Because if we don’t find him—and the organization behind him—by midnight, our secret’s out and everyone’s time is up. FIRST IN A NEW SERIES

This is the fourth volume sponsored by the United States Board on Books for Young People, following Children's Books from Other Countries (1998), The World Through Children's Books (2002), and Crossing Boundaries (2006). This latest volume, edited by Linda M. Pavonetti, includes books published between 2005 and 2009. This annotated bibliography, organized geographically by world region and country, with descriptions of nearly 700 books representing more than 70 countries, is a valuableresource for librarians, teachers, and anyone else seeking to promote international understanding through children's literature. Like its predecessors, it will be an important tool for providing stories that will help children understand our differences while simultaneously demonstrating our common humanity.

Every house has a story to tell. Laura Horton doesn’t know if the rumours about Leon Murphy are true, but she keeps her distance anyway. It’s hard enough being the girl from the haunted house. However, Laura soon finds she has more in common with Leon than she first thought. They are both outsiders. They both have secrets. And they are both drawn to the mystery hidden within the walls of the Visconti House. As Laura begins to piece together the fragments of the puzzle, she and Leon take an unexpected journey into the past, one that will change their lives – and open their hearts – forever.