What are Kitsune?

Author Ren Hanami shares her Japanese and Hawaiian heritage, her martial arts hobby and her storymaking skills with us in her book, Ninja Mom, a wonderfully illustrated tale about mythical Japanese creatures.

Central to the book is the Kitsune: Powerful creatures that possess superior intelligence, long life and magic.

Kitsune value their freedom, and hate to be locked away, so when they are released from the Tiki gifted to the story’s Kimi (a little girl who climbs tall trees with ease) by her Bachan (grandmother), it spells TROUBLE!

Kitsune are mischievous by nature. The story’s kitsune, Uki and the Tengonis get to work creating chaos. It’s a terrifying time for little Kimi, but together Ninja Mom, Bachan, Kimi and Dad are able to overcome Uki and the Tengonis and send them off into the Keimusho zone (the kitsune’s prison).

Left behind, however, was the Hoshi – the Kitsune’s life force – a star-ball that gives the holder the power to control the Kitsune.

Rest assured that Uki and the Tengonis will return for their hoshi!

References for this review were taken from Ninja Mom and Tengonis in the Tiki, authored by Ren Hanami and Illustrated by Don Schmidt and the Mythical Creatures Guide website.

Squigglemom, Trish Tsoiasue is pleased to disclose that artist Don Schmidt is her husband.