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About the Book

In the wake of a devastating earthquake and tsunami, Yui, fleeing her violent husband, and Hiyori, a young orphan, are taken in by a strange but kindly elder named Kiwa in the small town of Kitsunezaki​​. The newly formed family finds refuge in a mayoiga, a lost house, perched atop a beautiful cape overlooking the sea. While helping to rebuild Kitsunezaki, the three adapt to their new lives and supernatural new home, slowly healing from the past. Kiwa regales Yui and Hiyori with local legends—from the shapeshifting fox-woman who used to roam the mountains to the demon Agamé to a sea snake who once terrorized the townspeople, preying upon their grief and fears until they trapped the snake and the demon’s claws in an underwater cave.

But when mysterious and sinister events start happening around town, the three fear the worst. Did the earthquake release Agamé and the sea snake into the world again? Kiwa, Yui, and Hiyori join forces with a merry band of kappa river spirits, a bold zashiki warashi house spirit, and flying Jizō guardian statues to save their new family and home and banish Agamé and the snake once and for all. Now a hit anime film, The House of the Lost on the Cape is a heartwarming tale about the strength of family and friendship in the face of natural and mythical forces.

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Praise for The House of the Lost on the cape

“A beautiful and otherworldly tale. I loved the blend of myth and lore in this modern story of family and community.”

— Clare Vanderpool, Newbery Medalist and New York Times best-selling author

“With Sachiko Kashiwaba’s sensitive storytelling, Avery Fischer Udagawa’s wordsmithing, and Yukiko Saito’s poignant illustrations, this book will take readers into the magical world where humans and mythical creatures work together to fix what has become undone not just in the world, but also in their hearts.”

— Mariko Nagai, author of Under the Broken Sky

“This heartfelt novel by a popular Japanese children’s author . . . centers found family, weaving folklore and magic into a tale of healing in the wake of natural disaster.”

— Kirkus Reviews’ 10 Essential Middle-Grade Books for Fall 2023

“The tender emotions following collective trauma are skillfully blended with the riveting supernatural action. . . . A powerful story of healing.”

— Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Kashiwaba’s moody work teems with ambient wonder and grim portent, offering glimpses of darkness without overwhelming the narrative's uplifting tone.”

— Publisher’s Weekly

“In this lightly magical novel, three women from different generations are brought together in the aftermath [of the Tōhuku earthquake and tsunami]: an orphaned girl, a woman fleeing an abusive marriage, and an elderly grandmother with no immediate family. The story unfolds in flowing language, and the black-and-white drawings sweetly accompany the mystical tale. Hiyori’s desire to find her voice and save her new family unfolds beautifully and will be treasured by many. Kashiwaba’s novel was originally published in serialized form in 2014, with an anime film adaptation in 2021 commemorating the 10th anniversary of the tragedy; this English translation will reach even more young fans of Japanese fantasy and found-family stories.”

— Michele Shaw, School Library Journal

“Kashiwaba has a knack for world-building that seamlessly fuses the real with the fantastical. She gently guides readers through difficult subjects like trauma, death, and grief while offering a healthy dose of humor and hope. Avery Fischer Udagawa’s lucid English translation and Yukiko Saito’s charming black and white illustrations all help to make this beautiful, moving tale accessible to a global readership.”

— Kelly Zhang, Words Without Borders

“Folktales, fantasy, and reality collide in this magical and powerful story.”

— Paula Holmes, World Kid Lit

“Despite being, at its core, an engrossing and imaginative Good-versus-Evil fantasy story, the reality of the earthquake and the tsunami’s aftermath are never downplayed . . . Therein lies the skill of both writer and translator, conveying the true heart of the novel, with its beat that stays with us long after the last page is turned.”

 — Maureen Tai, Stories that Stay With Us

“Think Diana Wynne Jones . . . but with a firm grip on storytelling and Japanese folklore, interspersed with contemporary mystery fiction . . . it is a powerful combination.”

 — GeekDad

“Udagawa left a huge number of Japanese words and cultural references [in her translation] and explained them with stealth glosses. . . . The technique provides a [lot] of information about Japan in general and life in the Tōhoku region in particular and about Japanese folklore—it’s part of what I liked best about the book.”

— Alison Fincher, Read Japanese Literature podcast

“This is a heartwarming tale of healing through families found in unexpected places and through—sometimes—supernatural means. Filled with Kashiwaba’s gift for folkloric explorations and brimming with amazing artwork, this is a beautiful English translation.”

—Amanda Scroggins, Watermark Books (Wichita, KS)

“The House of the Lost on the Cape is a layered, heart-gripping story with characters that you cannot help but feel so much for. We are so lucky to have this, and Obāchan’s stories, with us.”

— Denise Tan, Closetful of Books (Singapore)

“Kashiwaba’s story focuses on a determined female trio who choose to create new lives for themselves in a town decimated by the tsunami, but still full of acceptance and resilience—both human and supernatural. An engaging read, ultra-smooth translation, illustrations that neatly set the scenes, and plenty to learn about life in a Japanese village.”

— Deborah Iwabuchi, SCBWI Japan Translation Group

“This magical found-family fantasy is nourishment for readers of all ages. It’s a story of healing for the characters, yes—but also the sort of book that heals the reader, too.”

— Marcia Lynx Qualey, translator of Wild Poppies by Haya Saleh

“A must read for fans of disasters, magical creatures, found families, and Studio Ghibli films.”

— Kristen Harvey, Mrs. Harvey’s Library

“This book arrived as an early reviewer copy for my wife, three days after she died. I was in NO mood to read a story about three generations of lost women overcoming grief together in Japan. But after the first couple of chapters, I found myself taking comfort in the narrative. The translation is at an appropriate middle-school level, and the suspense of the plot is not overwhelming. But the author and translator do an excellent job of conveying the wonder and creative forms of the rural Japanese Jizō, kappa, and henge spirits that we came to love during the years we lived there. I consider this book to be a gift, both from the author, but also from the native spirits of Japan, who sensed that this was the book I needed now to remind me that, in time, grief is joined by opportunity and new found families.”

— David, via April, Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sachiko Kashiwaba is a prolific writer of children’s and young adult fantasy whose career spans more than four decades. Her works have garnered the prestigious Sankei, Shogakukan, and Noma children’s literature awards, and her novel The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist influenced Hayao Miyazaki’s film Spirited Away. Her works have recently been animated as the films The Wonderland and The House of the Lost on the Cape, and her novel Temple Alley Summer, illustrated by Miho Satake and translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, won the American Library Association’s 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Award. She lives in Morioka, Iwate.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR

BOOK DETAILS

Hardcover ISBN: 9781632063373 • $18
Publication date: Sep 19, 2023
5.5" x 8.25" • 224 pages
Middle Grade Fiction—Japan / Fantasy / Legend / Earthquake / Tsunami / Family
Rights: World English, Audio

Books by Sachiko Kashiwaba