Hikaru No Go by Yumi Hotta Illustrator - Takeshi Obata Date of Publication: May 2004 ISBN: 159116222X Number of Pages: 187

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Average
GENRES: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
THEMES: Friendship, Coming of Age, Appearance versus Reality,

SUMMARY:
Hikaru is a typical sixth grade boy who one day stumbles across an old Go board in his grandfather’s attic. Unfamiliar with the game, Hikaru is shocked to find bloodstains on the board that only he can see. To his great dismay, he learns that within the board there is a trapped and ancient “Go master” named Sai, who then proceeds to invade his consciousness. The only way for Sai to be set free is for Hikaru to play the coveted “Divine Move,” something no other since Sai has been able to achieve. With the help of Sai, Hikaru will become more familiar with the game and even defeat Akira, the top Go player of his age, but it will take much more before Hikaru can ever become a Go master.

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...

• likes Japanese cartoons and Manga
• likes drawing and reading stories through pictures
• likes to root for the underdog
• likes things set in present-day but with a hint of fantastical elements

WHAT ELSE?
This is the first volume in the series, and takes some getting used to, as it reads from right to left. Surprisingly, many students have no problem with this whatsoever, and it can be wonderfully appealing to learning disabled and reluctant readers. Interestingly enough, Manga is also a wonderful choice for gifted students, who often enjoy the challenge of reading a new way, and like the multiple modalities of learning presented from both text and illustrations. The book would also appeal to readers who enjoy the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, as it is from the same publisher and has similar themes and structure.

RELATED LINK:
Publisher's Website