Isabella's Reading Corner: Wolf Children

Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki by Mamoru Hosoda (original story) & Yu (art)

Published March 25^th 2014 by Yen Press

Wolf Children is a manga adaptation of the anime by director and creator, Mamoru Hosoda. It is about a woman named Hana, who after a whirlwind romance, gives birth to two children. After a tragic incident, Hana is left to raise her children on her own – which leads to many challenges, especially as they are part wolf!

At over 500 pages, this stunning hardcover contains lavish colour art with the majority of the story in black & white. It includes bonus notes by Mamoru Hosoda, as well as character illustrations. It is formatted to read back to front & right to left in the original manga style. It really is a breathtakingly packaged edition –  photos don’t do it justice.

In addition to the gorgeous art – yes, I am gushing – the story is an absolutely charming & emotional tale of unconditional love, narrated by eldest daughter Yuki. I kept returning to the pages I’d previously read to once again savour the drawings and take in all the details of the scenes. Everything about this book is adorable.

If you’ve never read manga before, this title is definitely a good place to start & the book itself is one to keep and treasure. Highly recommended.

From the publisher:
When Hana falls in love with a young interloper she encounters in her college class, the last thing she expects to learn is that he is part wolf. Instead of rejecting her lover upon learning his secret, she accepts him with open arms. Soon, the couple is expecting their first child, and a cozy picture of family life unfolds. But after what seems like a mere moment of bliss to Hana, the father of her children is tragically taken from her. Life as a single mother is hard in any situation, but when your children walk a fine line between man and beast, the rules of parenting all but go out the window. With no one to turn to, how will Hana survive?



You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on Wolf Children here.