Suzume

Gr 7 Up–On her way to school one day, Suzume helps a stranger find some ruins outside her town with a strange doorway, and this innocuous encounter leads to a life-changing adventure. Suzume is thrust into a struggle between ancient spirits who can cause catastrophic earthquakes and the humans who strive to contain them. She finds herself hopscotching across Japan and befriending a few kind folks who aid her in her search for abandoned places where spirits may break out of their world into hers. Fans of the critically acclaimed film of the same name will likely enjoy this version of the work, even without the stunning colors and soundtrack of the movie. Amashima’s illustrations offer a faithful telling and provide whimsy at times, with a playfulness that is unique to the manga adaptation. Despite what cannot be ­translated from the screen to the page, Shinkai’s processing of national tragedy and cataclysmic events through Suzume’s pure heart and Souta’s heroic sense of duty will resonate far beyond the borders of his homeland.