“Adventures of Takuan from Koto” by Ryu Zhong is an enjoyable book about Buddhist life lessons mixed with magic and fantasy. The story follows Hatsukoi, later known by many other characters he takes on because he is a swindler. Takuan is on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. He discovers how people are easily deceived by their own nature. The writer uses Buddhist philosophy for young adults to learn about the human nature of “ignorance, greed and anger”. Takuan has his own personal demons to deal with.

Due to Takuan’s swindling, his father drops him off at a monastery. After a couple of years Takuan leaves the monastery to find his family. On his way he encounters demons, a honey badger, other swindlers, and has a clever fox for a companion and accomplice.

Ryu Zhong urges readers to keep reading by ending each chapter with ‘if you want to know more’ read the next chapter.
It is worth noting the story includes violence as Takuan navigates the challenges he faces. A good book for middle school and high school students. ( )

Filled with richness in so many ways, this is a book to get lost in, enjoy, and gain plenty of food for thought along the way.

This is an unique collection of stories, which weave together and connect more and more as the book goes on to form a well-round tale and realm. It begins with a marten, Ta-Guan, who ventures to reach the sun, but instead, sets off an entire chain-reaction, which reverberates through immortal and mortal realms. She's endearing and sets the right atmosphere for the rest to take place. More characters and tales are brought in, creating a bit of a combobled array, which, however, smooths out into a masterfully woven tale. While Ta-Guan sets the stage, Takuan then takes the lead and brings in a clever mix of trickery and curiosity. His complex character makes him harder to embrace, which perfectly lines up with the adventures because his growth pulls right along with this read. Of course, there are other characters who can't be ignored and round off everything in all the right ways.

It's an easy read, and yet, packs wisdom and cultural depth, while the adventures poke play and keep it light. Themes such as greed, anger and more add food for thought, while the rich details open up Asian mythology and mentality in a way middle graders (and older readers) can easily grasp and understand. Each chapter ends with a clever phrase from the narrator, which closes off the sections and invites for a continuation to the next. This makes it perfect for those, who want to use the book as a nightly read, especially between adults and kids.

Not only middle graders and young adults are sure to enjoy this one. Plus, it's one to keep and revisit time and again. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed every tale. ( )

Although I’m not very familiar with Asian folklore and fairy tales, it was easy to dive in, explore, and enjoy each story in this collection. The author has a great narrative voice, and this reads like a lot of the original fairy tales I read as a kid. The imagery is vivid, and it’s if the stories were unfolding before you. Although it’s hard to stop after one chapter, you could easily read a chapter before bed with an upper middle grade reader. (Think 1001 nights style, it keeps you wanting to come back for more, while still packing a lot into each chapter). I highly recommend this for all fairy and folk tale lovers, it’s a unique collection that’s sure to captivate your imagination. ( )