Japan
Shuna's Journey
By Hayao Miyazaki, Alex Dudok de Wit (Translator), Hidao Miyazaki (Illustrator)
Shuna’s Journey. Hayao Miyazaki. Translated by Alex Dudok de Wit. Illustrated by Hidao Miyazaki. First Second, 2022. Originally published as シュナの旅 (Shuna no tabi) in Japanese by Tokuma Shoten Co., Ltd., in Tokyo, in 1983. ISBN 9781250846525. 160 p. (Ages 12 and up). Graphic Novel.
From the publisher: “Shuna, the prince of a poor land, watches in despair as his people work themselves to death harvesting the little grain that grows there. And so, when a traveler presents him with a sample of seeds from a mysterious western land, he sets out to find the source of the golden grain, dreaming of a better life for his subjects.” Winner of the 2023 Eisner Award and a Junior Library Guild selection. Author co-founded animation company Studio Ghibli. Award-winning movies include Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and The Wind Also Rises. This was an early work for Miyazaki, appearing in English for the first time since it was published more than 40 years ago. It is an early indication of Miyazaki’s artwork style, and foreshadows many themes later explored in his films. For programming suggestions, see Teaching Books page from USBBY.[all]