(2) K-3 Yamo's Village series. Translated by Mariko Shii Gharbi. When we last saw Mirado in The Circus Comes to the Village (rev. 1/20), he decided to leave his remote Afghani village of Paghman to join a traveling circus as a flutist. Now Mirado, still with the circus, has "gotten used to living in strange places" but longs for Paghman and is haunted by a song his father used to sing about its beauty. When his flute, a gift from his father who has yet to return from war, cracks and then breaks, Mirado knows it's time to return. Mirado's solitary journey back to Paghman involves a train and a bus, until he must venture forth on foot, as the landscape becomes ­increasingly remote. Exquisite illustrations of Mirado's trip range from expansive double-page spreads of a village nestled on a plain to single pages that capture a distinct moment (a lonely walk in the cold dusk); a juxtaposition of driving rain and blustery wind; and several precarious mountain passes. Suspense builds as Mirado gets closer to home, culminating in a devastating arrival. The prevailing mood of loss and longing is lifted by a heart-warming reunion and the hope that spring will bring growth and new life to Paghman. This haunting picture book asks many complex questions about the human cost of war: What happens when homes and families are destroyed? And how do survivors carry on?

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) K-3 Yamo's Village series. Translated by Mariko Shii Gharbi. In this follow-up to The Most Beautiful Village in the World, Yamo and his friend Mirado are thrilled that the traveling circus has come to their Afghani mountain village of Pagham. Pagham is certainly scenic, yet the author doesn't romanticize the children's difficult lives; they work long hours in the fields alongside adults, and "Mirado's father went to war and hasn't returned yet." This harshness provides a strong contrast to the circus's much-needed gaiety, as performers bring "worlds full of wonder" to inhabitants who set aside work for a few hours to enjoy themselves. Mirado, who plays the flute, is invited onstage; he "plays songs that capture everyone's hearts" and the next day decides to join the circus. As in Beautiful Village, the story ends with a surprising shock: "That winter, the village was destroyed in the war" and all the survivors scattered. Originally published in Japan, the series is inspired by Kobayashi's travels to Afghanistan in the 1970s and early 1980s. The author/illustrator blends bits of his Nihonga (traditional Japanese-style art) aesthetic with Central Asian Islamic-style details and motifs, in illustrations that are varied, colorful, and full of life.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020