Secret of the Samurai Sword [Turtleback]

Phyllis A. Whitney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1992

When Celia and her brother Stephen visit Japan, they discover a guest with a message from the past--the ghost of an ancient samurai soldier.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

When Celia and her brother Stephen visit Japan, they discover a guest with a message from the past--the ghost of an ancient samurai soldier. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Turtleback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Demco Media (July 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606013008
• ISBN-13: 978-0606013000
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,365,442 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mystery and history, January 29, 2003

By 

Patricia R. Andersen "redheaded booklover" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Secret of the Samurai Sword (Mass Market Paperback)

M's Whitney has written many wonderful mystery books that have as their location popular travel spots - Greece, Scotland as well as something more familiar such as Staten Island (M's Whitney's home town). In this book, the action takes place in Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan. Since M's Whitney lived in Japan until she was fifteen years old, she has a different view than the average tourist.

The premise is two young teenagers, Celia and Stephen Bronson, visit their grandmother in Kyoto. Sounds relatively simple, right? But at the grandmother's house, in the garden in fact, appears to be the ghost of a samurai. One of the neighbors, Gentaro Sato, believes it is his ancestor trying to contact him.

Gentaro Sato, a distiguished Japanese artist, is also very hostile to the new American neighbors. He is not happy that his granddaughter Sumiko spends so much time with Celia and wants Sumiko to conform to Japanese tradition.

This book is much more than a mystery - it shows you how people of various backgrounds can come together and become friends. It tells you of various cultures and the spiritual beliefs that exist in these cultures. The book makes it easy to learn of Japanese culture by incorporating it into the flow of the story.

I recommend this book highly for anyone who likes a good mystery with a little history thrown in with it.