Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

You've never read a fantasy novel like this one! The deep well of Japanese myth merges with the Western fantasy tradition for a novel that's as rich in place and culture as it is hard to put down.
Balsa was a wanderer and warrior for hire. Then she rescued a boy flung into a raging river -- and at that moment, her destiny changed. Now Balsa must protect the boy -- the Prince Chagum -- on his quest to deliver the great egg of the water spirit to its source in the sea. As they travel across the land of Yogo and discover the truth about the spirit, they find themselves hunted by two deadly enemies: the egg-eating monster Rarunga . . . and the prince's own father. REVIEWS:"Jam-packed with monstrous combat, ethnic conflicts and complex mythologies, Balsa and Chagum's story will win many new fans for this series." -- KirkusAWARDS:Indie Bound Kids' Next List, Fall 2008ALA Notable Children's Book, 2009Mildred L. Batchelder Award, 2009USBBY Outstanding International Book 2009 Nahoko Uehashi is the author of ten books in the Moribito series, which have sold more than a million copies and won many major literary awards in her native Japan. An associate professor at a Japanese university, she has a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and studies indigenous peoples in Australia. She lives near Tokyo, Japan. REVIEWS:"Jam-packed with monstrous combat, ethnic conflicts and complex mythologies, Balsa and Chagum's story will win many new fans for this series." -- KirkusAWARDS:Indie Bound Kids' Next List, Fall 2008ALA Notable Children's Book, 2009Mildred L. Batchelder Award, 2009USBBY Outstanding International Book 2009