54°F
weather icon Clear

Book review: Teen sets out to cure a curse in ‘The Night Parade’

Two wrongs don’t make a right.

You’ve grown up hearing that, and it barely makes sense. Two wrongs actually just make things worse, and there’s nothing correct about that. And, as in the new book “The Night Parade,” by Kathryn Tanquary, setting things straight might be the hardest thing you’ll ever do, anyway.

What good was a vacation if you couldn’t spend it doing what you want?

Saki Yamamoto grumped about that the whole way up the mountain to her grandmother’s house. All her friends got to stay back in Tokyo, but Saki’s parents insisted that she and her brother go to the Oban Festival and spend time with Grandma. How boring!

Cleaning the temple and her ancestors’ graves just wasn’t the same after Grandpa died. Fireworks were lame, the dancing was stupid, Saki hated the costumes, and the village where her father grew up couldn’t be smaller. Though she promised her mother that she’d leave her phone off, Saki couldn’t resist catching up on texts.

And that — the whole missing-her-friends thing — was perhaps why Saki allowed a group of “cool” village teens to talk her into doing something very disrespectful. That was when she accidentally called a curse upon her family.

Her first indication of trouble was the cold hand that tried to strangle her in her sleep, waking her and sending her out into the forest with a four-tailed fox that explained to Saki that she had three nights to follow The Night Parade and lift the curse. The fox tricked her, but the tengu, a feathered spirit, took her as far as the gates to the Midlight Prince’s castle on the second night. That was where she met the Lady of Bells, who sent the tanuki, a raccoon-dog that was Saki’s third night guide.

But lifting a curse was not easy nor was it for the faint of heart. With a bag of magic marbles that she’d stolen from a witch, Saki had to avoid bad spirits, ogres, insects and mischievous sprites determined to distract her from her mission.

She had to lift the curse. She didn’t know what would happen if she didn’t…

I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like “The Night Parade.”

And that’s a good thing: Tanquary’s story is unique enough to hold a reader’s interest, even on the pages that grow slow. Overall, the book has the feeling of a Japanese fairy tale, which keeps the story sweet, and there are allegories and life lessons here, just like other fairy tales — yet, the monsters and settings are quite a bit darker and more foreboding than anything you might’ve read in childhood, and they made me squirm. Readers will also find a bit of humor to move things along, and though that can be sophomoric at times, it still fits.

Great for readers ages 12 to 15, I think a savvy preteen might like it, and a fantasy-loving adult will appreciate it, too, so get in line. Start “The Night Parade,” and you’ll find it just right.

— View publishes Terri Schlichenmeyer’s reviews of books for teens and children weekly.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Former homeless Las Vegas teen spotlights ongoing issue

“I consider myself lucky because I had a backpack,” he said at a TED Talk in June in Traverse City, Michigan. “And because along the way I found some of the most beautiful, compassionate and courageous people that not only helped me through this time but who have left a lasting impression stamped on my heart.”

Robert Hoge’s memoir ‘Ugly’ is beautiful

You’re having a bad hair day. You feel fat in those jeans. And you’ll never complain again, once you’ve read “Ugly” by Robert Hoge.

‘Cool Nature’ will help young scientists feel smart

Just by looking at them, you can tell what kind of rocks they are and where they came from. You also know a little about biology,astronomy and what makes you tick, so why not learn more by reading “Cool Nature” by Amy-Jane Beer?

‘Cool Nature’ will help young scientists feel smart

Just by looking at them, you can tell what kind of rocks they are and where they came from. You also know a little about biology,astronomy and what makes you tick, so why not learn more by reading “Cool Nature” by Amy-Jane Beer?

Kids will love creeping through the pages of ’Frightlopedia’

Ever since your child has been young, (s)he’s known that you’d be around for comfort when things got too scary. Well, stand by.What’s inside “Frightlopedia” may still leave you on sentry duty.

New Berkeley Breathed book will charm all ages

I have no socks. Author Berkley Breathed just charmed them off me. Kids will love the colorfully wild illustrations and the basic tale of love and friendship in “The Bill the Cat Story.” They’ll appreciate Bill’s underwear and his goofy “ack.”

Engage teen curiosity with ‘Unlock the Weird!’

While parts of it may be disturbing to wee ones, trivia-loving kids ages 12 to adult will pick this book, for sure. When enjoying “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Unlock the Weird!” curiosity is key.

Summer tall-tale adventure relies on illustrations to spin story

Lies, liars, lying. Your child has undoubtedly heard those words lately on the news, and he knows better, right? But, sometimes, embellishment is oh-so-tempting, and “The Truth about My Unbelievable Summer” is a perfect example.