Xander and the Dream Thief (Momotaro #2)
by Margaret Dilloway (Author)
Xander Miyamoto should be feeling great. It's the beginning of summer vacation, his mother has returned from a long absence, and he has learned that he is a warrior with special powers. Xander never would have guessed that the old Japanese folktale about Momotaro, the hero who sprang from a peach pit, was real, much less part of his own heritage.
But instead of reveling in his recent victory against the oni, monsters bent on creating chaos, Xander is feeling resentful. What took his mother so long to come back? Why does his father insist on ruining the summer with study and training? And why is Xander plagued by nightmares every night? Maybe this whole Momotaro thing is overrated. Xander's grandmother gives him a special baku charm to use to chase his nightmares away. He just has to be careful not to rely on it too much. If he does, the baku will not only take his dreams, but those of everyone in the house, forever.
Without dreams, there is no hope, no motivation, no imagination, no Momotaro. And then it would be far too easy for Ozuno, king of the oni, to wreak havoc. . . . On his second quest, Xander explores new surreal landscapes, encounters more strange and dangerous creatures, and faces even higher stakes as he learns whether or not he has what it takes to be Momotaro.
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Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
Gr 4-7—Xander and his friends return in the second installment of this series centered on the Japanese folklore legend of the Momotaro. Xander has learned that he is the descendant of an ancient warrior, and his newfound powers are creating an extreme amount of stress in his life. To make matters more complicated, his missing mother has returned after a long absence. Xander is not sleeping, and he must deal with evil creatures, the oni, trying to harm him at every turn. His father constantly demands that he train and be prepared. Xander's mother, whom he barely recognizes, is trying to reinsert herself into his life after many years of being away. But more than anything, his nightmares are starting to deeply frighten him. To combat this problem, Xander's grandmother gives him a special baku charm, which is supposed to ease his dreams by taking them away. Xander soon realizes that he has turned his world upside down by using the baku foolishly. Thus begins a new adventure for Xander, who must save his family and friends. Dilloway's research into Japanese folklore, the well-crafted characters, and the setting make this fast-paced tale perfect for fans of Rick Riordan's -Percy Jackson- and Jennifer Nielsen's -Mark of the Thief- series. VERDICT Readers will eagerly anticipate the next volume. Purchase where mythology-based adventures are popular.—William Anderson, Scott County Public Library, IN
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV012060 - Juvenile Fiction | Legends, Myths, Fables | Asian
Monsters
Dreams
Racially mixed people
Mythology, Japanese
