White Crane by Sandy Fussell - ADVISABLE

Fussell, Sandy Samurai Kids: White Crane, 237 pgs. Candle Wick Press, 2010. Language – G, Sexual Content – G; Violence – PG; The Cockroach Ryu is a ryu for the unwanted, the freaks. Niya and his friends have missing limbs, extra digits, and other problems to overcome when training to become samurai. They are now halfway through training and heading for The Games. There they will stick out like a sore thumb and be laughed at, but this year, they aren’t the only crippled ones. It’s exciting to see these kids overcome their obstacles. I also loved the pieces of wisdom their Sensei told them (especially the ones about cockroaches being mightier than dragons). These are only a couple examples of the greatness of this book, but they aren’t my favorite lesson. My favorite thing about this book is that it shows that even if you’re lacking something, you don’t have to be a cripple. You are only a cripple if you let it hinder you. MS – ADVISABLE. Reviewer: CCH