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Hattori Hachi: The Revenge of Praying Mantis by Jane Prowse (view source)

Revision as of 08:46, 8 April 2012

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|website=http://www.hattorihachi.com

|video=YNXUFwWBpK4

|summary=A likeable heroine and a strong message about friendship, standing up for yourself, and only fighting as a last resort make this a great read. Jane Prowse popped into Bookbag Towers to [[The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Jane Prowse|chat to us]].

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"When Hattori Hachi's mother disappears, she's plunged into a whole new life. Because Hattori is the Golden Child, and suddenly the strange training rituals her mother always insisted on her taking part in without telling her dad are starting to make rather more sense... Aided by her friends Mad Dog and Neena and the laundry lady from downstairs, can Hattie overcome the feared ninja warrior Praying Mantis to rescue her mother? She'll have to watch her back - because enemies can be found where you least expect them!

I think there are a few other YA books out there about ninjas, but this is the first I've read and I really enjoyed it. Prowse's explanation of ninjutsu is clear and her crisp prose makes the action scenes really exciting, but the real strength here is the characterisation, particularly of the supporting cast. Mad Dog, a troubled boy from the Foundry care home which Hattie's mother had been involved with, and Neena, who's not really cut out for the ninja stuff but does her best to be a loyal helper anyway, are particularly well-drawn, while Hattie herself is a likeable heroine.

~~{{commenthead}}~~

[[Category:Teens]]

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