A Book Review of White Crane by Sandy Fussell
Book One in the Samurai Kids Series illustrated by Rhian Nest James
May 8, 2009
White Crane: Samurai Kids Book 1
Walker Books Australia, 2008,
ISBN 9781921150203
Niya Moto may be the only one-legged Samurai kid in Japan, but he is also a little cockroach. When Niya is accepted into the Cockroach Ryu to study under the great samurai warrior, Ki-Yaga, he does not know the challenges that await him, the friendships he will make and the determination he will need. He only knows that he would do anything to become a samurai warrior.
The Samurai Kids
For every student in the Cockroach Ryu, becoming a samurai has its own unique challenges. Although every student is disadvantaged in some way, it is not the students weaknesses that make them memorable. Fussell's young samurai embody honor and courage. They are proud but also willing to laugh at themselves and they have a determination to succeed, regardless of the obstacles that have been set in their way.
Samurai Training
The life of a samurai is not all swords and war cries as Niya and other cockroaches have found out. A true samurai must be strong in mind as well as body. The scenes on the training ground provide plenty of action and a satisfying prelude to the student’s final test, however there is just as much pleasure to be gained from Fussell’s portrayal of Niya’s impatience with the more scholastic aspects of his studies.
Sandy Fussell
Sandy Fussell resides in Australia on the South Coast of New South Wales. She is a relatively new and yet prolific author with five books published in the last two years and three more books on the way. A passionate reader, her blog is dedicated to children’s literature and filled with book reviews of all the latest titles. Sandy’s books often require intensive research and provide a glimpse into other times and cultures.
Fussell is meticulous in her detail and writes with such familiarity and joy that it is easy to lose yourself in the worlds she has created. Her fourth book, Polar Boy, has been nominated for Book of the Year in the Younger Readers category of the 2009 Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards.
There is much to like about White Crane, from its big-hearted characters to the gorgeous illustration by Rhian Nest James. Although geared towards action and adventure, Fussell has not skimped on character development and plot. Sure to become a classroom favorite, it is an ideal book for reading aloud. White Crane has the ingredients to entice both book-lovers and reluctant readers and has elements that would appeal to both boys and girls.
