By A. J. Hartley (author)
"Ancestral magic, metamorphosis, and real-world struggles to fit in — this mythological fantasy adventure is immersive, inclusive and 100% exhilarating"
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Written by A.J. Hartley with Hisako Osako and Kuma Hartley, Hideki Smith: Demon Queller sees an American teenager experience a transformational journey from high school humdrum to embracing his Japanese heritage — and his whole self — in a thrilling mythological fantasy that’s rooted in real-world struggles.
Caleb and his sister Emily are two of few half-Japanese students in their small-town high school. With his Japanese American mom resolutely set on adopting his dad’s Anglo ancestry, he doesn’t use his Japanese middle name, Hideki. A self-professed “loser’s loser” who can’t play football, Caleb’s life shifts up a gazillion notches when he accidently burns down his town’s sole historic landmark.
Soon after, in the aftermath of the burning, and an accident at the local fracking plant, Caleb and Emily discover a Shinto shrine in the Great Smoky Mountains. When strange new talents are unleashed in the siblings, they call on their maternal grandmother for help and discover their remarkable Japanese heritage. Heritage that requires them to master their new talents, or else…
Caleb’s self-deprecating narrative brings a whole lot of humour and relatability to the table. He’s a character readers will totally get on board with, gripped by his journey through ancestral myths and magic to find a fresh sense of self after a lifetime of being made to feel like he’s half of something. As such, Hideki Smith: Demon Queller delivers young adult readers a wealth of pertinent emotional and cultural themes alongside being a rip-roaring, myth-driven adventure.
His grandfather’s legacy is about to become Hideki’s destiny.
Read the full description
Fifteen-year-old Caleb Hideki Smith is a loser’s loser.
As one of the few half-Japanese students in East Portersville High School, Caleb has accepted that he will never fit in. He’s not popular, can’t play football, and the girl he likes doesn’t even know he exists. Well, that was before he accidentally burnt down the town’s most beloved historical landmark.
On one fateful day, Caleb and his sister Emily stumble upon a Shinto shrine deep in the Great Smoky Mountains: a shrine Caleb knows wasn’t there the day before. Faced with his unfamiliar heritage, Caleb quickly learns that fitting in was the least of his problems. You cannot outrun who you are and the past will always catch up to you eventually.
Something is lurking in the caves of the mountains. And it wants to get out...
The new mythological fantasy from New York Times bestselling author A.J. Hartley, with Hisako Osako and Kuma Hartley.
A.J. Hartley is the bestselling writer of mystery/thriller, fantasy, historical fiction, and young adult novels Cold Bath Street , Written Stone Lane and Impervious . He is also the author of the Monsters in the Mirror middle grade series.
A.J. was born in northern England, but has lived in many places including Japan, and was the Robinson Professor of Shakespeare studies at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, where he specialised in the performance history, theory and criticism of Renaissance English drama, and worked as a director and dramaturg.
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His grandfather’s legacy is about to become Hideki’s destiny. Fifteen-year-old Caleb Hideki Smith is a loser’s loser. As one of the few half-Japanese students in East Portersville High School, Caleb has accepted that he will never fit in.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Hideki Smith: Demon Queller and determined it is suitable for children aged 13-18 years old
Hideki Smith: Demon Queller features in the following genres: Fantasy / Magical, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Recommendations, School Stories, Featured Books for Young Adults
Paperback. Not Available.
Hideki Smith: Demon Queller was written by A. J. Hartley and published by UClan Publishing
Hideki Smith: Demon Queller has 321 pages
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