Uzumaki: Spiral Into Horror

Ito, J. (2001). Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror. San Francisco: Viz Media, Inc. ISBN: 9781421513898

· Plot Summary
Kirie Goshima lives in the Japenese town of Kurozu-Cho with her mother, younger brother, and father. Her father is a potter by profession, a local favorite with a reputation for his wonderful creations. Kirie has been dating a boy named Shuichi, whose father commissions Kirie's to create a bowl in a spiral pattern. He explains that he has lately been very taken with objects that contain spirals, and begins amassing an enormous collection, eventually becoming so obsessed with spirals that he bends his own body into the form of one just before dying. Soon, it becomes clear that spirals are showing up everywhere, and running the townspeople mad, including Shuichi's mother. When it is revealed that the ashes of those deceased from spiral-related incidents are being used in Mr.Goshima's wares, it is up to Kirie and Shuichi to save themselves amid a citizenship gone insane.

· Critical Evaluation
A definite walk on the dark side, and not recommended for younger tweens. The illustrations are beautiful, if often disturbing, and the storyline makes it hard to put this story down. This is the first in a series.

· Reader’s Annotation
Suitable for older tweens, but should be reviewed in advance by an adult.

· Information about the author
Junji Ito was born in Gifu-Ken, Japan and was influenced by the horror manga of Umezu. Ito's literary career began while he was working as a dental technician, with a short story submitted to a manga periodical. He has also written the Tomie series, and been published in several mainstream horror magazines.

· Genre
Manga

· Booktalking Ideas
The use of pattern in art.
Devices of Japanese manga literature.

· Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 7-9/Ages 12-14

· Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?
I found this title while looking with my daughter for a recently published series. She enjoys manga, and while I have read a couple of series too, I wanted something for this assignment that was outside the usual popular manga books for this age group.

Vampire Night: Volume One

Hino, M. (2005). Vampire Knight: Volume One. Tokyo, Japan: Hakusensha. ISBN: 9781421508221

· Plot Summary
Yuki Cross has been living at the Cross Academy since the night she was rescued from a vampire by the mysterious Kaname Kuran, leader of the Academy's Night Class. Her adopted father, Kaien Cross, has made it his lifelong mission to see humans and vampires living together peaceably, and along with her adopted brother (Zero), Yuki is in charge of keeping the Day and Night Classes separated from one another. Yuki has no memory of her life before she was rescued, and in this first volume is intent on discovering the truth of the Night Class. It comes to light that Zero is in fact succumbing to being a vampire, and this sets the stage for the next installment.

· Critical Evaluation
A popular series for this age group, the plot is more engaging than many of the others in this genre, and more time is spent in its revealing than is often seen. The amount of violence is minimal, and Yuki makes for an entertaining heroine. For future installments of the series, parents may wish to review first.

· Reader’s Annotation
The first in a series of manga revolving around the characters Yuki Cross, Kanane Kuren, and Zero Kiryu.

· Information about the author
Born in the city of Sapporo, Matsuri Hino made her debut in the manga genre with a single title called Ko no Yume ga Same Tara, in a 1995 edition of LaLa DX Magazine. To date, she has written three manga series, and is considered one of the shining stars of the genre.

· Genre
Manga

· Booktalking Ideas
Vampire and human relationships in literature.
Manga characters in popular fiction.

· Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 6-9/Ages 11-14

· Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?
Just as the semester began, my daughter introduced me to this series. My birthday fell during the first week of classes, and hers was two weeks later, so we were strolling through Border's looking for possible gift ideas. She picked up this series as one that was popular among her friends at school, so I decided to read it too.