My Neighbor Totoro: The Novel

by Tsugiko Kubo, Hayao Miyazaki (Artist)

Overview

One of Studio Ghibli’s most beloved classics, Totoro celebrates its 25th anniversary!

The beloved animation classic by legendary Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki, My Neighbor Totoro, is now a novel. This edition features original illustrations by Miyazaki himself, accompanying a story by veteran children’s author Tsugiko Kubo.

Eleven-year-old Satsuki and her sassy little sister Mei have moved to the country to be closer to their ailing mother. Soon, in the woods behind their spooky old house, Satsuki and Mei discover a forest spirit named Totoro. When Mei goes missing, it’s up to Satsuki to find her sister, and she’ll need help from some new, and magical, friends.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421561202
Publisher:	VIZ Media LLC
Publication date:	10/01/2013
Series:	My Neighbor Totoro: The Novel
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	60,235
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.10(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan's most beloved animation directors. In 2005 he was awarded the Venice International Film Festival's Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement, and his Studio Ghibli received the festival's Osella Award for overall achievement in 2004. Miyazaki's films include Spirited Away, winner of the 2002 Academy Award- for Best Animated Feature Film, as well as Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo, all of which have received great acclaim in the U.S. Miyazaki's other achievements include the highly regarded manga series Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Starting Point: 1979-1996, a collection of essays, interviews, and memoirs that chronicle his early career and the development of his theories of animation. Both are published in English by VIZ Media."

Editorial Reviews

02/01/2014
Gr 4–6—Satuski, Mei, and their father move to a rambling house in the country to be closer to their hospitalized mother. The two sisters immediately realize there is something unusual about their house; they discover soot sprites (Japanese gremlins) and the giant catlike Totoro, a spirit who appears in times of need. The benevolent Totoro helps the girls as they adjust to living apart from extended family and navigate being single-parented by their well-intentioned, workaholic father. Starting out slowly, the book takes its time setting a dreamlike tone, sharing the sisters' reaction to their new home and newfound independence. The narrative picks up the pace midway through, introducing the reader to a colorful cast of characters who live in the village and help acclimate the family to rural living. Written 25 years after the beloved anime film of the same name, this beautifully packaged adaptation features a scene not included in the film: a visit to family members in Tokyo. This addition helps round out the character development. Miyazaki's illustrations are a welcome inclusion, but disappointingly infrequent. Additional images would make the book easier to share with younger readers. The tone of the book implies an easier reading level than the intended audience. Ultimately, this works better as a supplement than a substitute for the film and is unlikely to attract a new audience unfamiliar with the original.—Juliet Morefield, Multnomah County Library, OR

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