The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting by Tsukiya, translated by Jenny McKeon - OPTIONAL

The Yakuza’s Guide to Babysitting by Tsukiya, translated by Jenny McKeon, 152 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Kaiten Books, 2021. $14. 

 Language: PG-13 (27 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13; 

 BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Kirishima Tooru is a violent henchman for the Sakuragi crime family. He will do anything for his boss, but he is thrown for a little bit of a loop when his boss asks him to watch over his young daughter. Suddenly, he is playing hide and seek, drawing and coloring, and attending family day at school for this little girl, and wonder of all wonders, loving it! 

I was intrigued by the combination of humor and violence promised with the premise of a yakuza becoming a babysitter. I was a little surprised that it turned into a little slice of life storyline between the henchman and the boss's kid daughter. I found the manga surprisingly funny and heartwarming, despite the organized crime aspects. 

 Reviewer: BookswithBeddes