The Village Beyond the Mist by Sachiko Kashiwaba

Today's read hits the shelves next month for the first time. It was released in 1974 in Japan and has now been translated into English. Since its appearance, it's received several awards and been enjoyed in several languages. It's  the tale, which inspired Hayao Miyazaki's much beloved film, Spirited Away...which really has me excited, since I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. So, of course, I'm going to take a peek.

It's also Monday again...did you know that next weekend is already Palm Sunday??? When somebody mentioned that yesterday, it caught me off-guard. It shouldn't have. I've already put out several decorations, but for some reason, my head is everywhere else this year. Not a good thing, really.

Anyway, it's Monday again...yes, I'm repeating myself...which means that you can also hop on over to MMGM (here) and find the latest middle grade reads, which are recommended from knowers and lovers of this category. If you're into middle grade, this is a place to keep your eye on, btw.

Note: If  today's read had been freshly released this year (and not a translation), it would have definitely landed on my Favorites of 2025 list.

THE VILLAGE BEYOND THE MIST

by Sachiko Kashiwaba

Illustrated by Miho Satake

Translated by Avery Fisher Udagawa

Yonder

Middle Grade Fantasy

175 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

MAY 27th!!!

From the bestselling, Batchelder Award–winning author and translator of Temple Alley Summer and The House of the Lost on the Cape comes the fantastic adventure that first inspired Hayao Miyazaki’s beloved film, Spirited Away.

A mountain town that’s not on any map, a messy bookstore with infinite doors, and a spoiled prince under a forgetful wizard’s curse . . . this school break might hold more than Lina bargained for!

Lina’s father had suggested she go "someplace different" for the summer, and she's beginning to wish she hadn’t listened. She could be at her grandma’s house in Nagano now, instead of trudging through a forest in search of a town that might not even exist. But when a gust of wind carries off her umbrella, it leads Lina down a secret path between the trees to a strange and incredible world. In the hidden village of Misty Valley, centaurs roam the cobblestone streets and gnomes visit shops stuffed with spellbooks and enchanted desserts. All magic has a dark side, though, and sometimes even sorcerers need a human’s helping hand.

Now, fifty years after its debut and decades of blockbuster success in Japan, Sachiko Kashiwaba’s acclaimed novel is available in English and certain to delight readers of all ages.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Fantasy swirls with messages surrounding kindness, patience, and being open to others in a world, which readers will wish they could visit, too.

Lina usually spends her vacation with her grandma, but her father suggested something different for the next weeks. When she arrives at a station in a small village and no one is there to greet her, she begins to question his thoughts. After getting directions from locals to a place, which isn't exactly where her father told her to go but sounds close, she down a path through the trees. Just when she thinks she's lost, a tiny village with six, quirky buildings appears, and the residents have been expecting her. But to stay, she must work...which isn't really that awful, she supposes. Especially when she discovers that there's more than a little magic at play.

This is one of those tales, which sweeps readers into the world of magic and imagination. It's nicely written for the age group, from the writing side and from the plot end, with just enough details to bring everything to life without going overboard. Every moment and character is a delight with their little twists and quirks, which poke, prod, and even frustrate, but are so loveable, too. It's the type of place, which lets imagination spread its wings while hitting the heart with warmth and cheer.

Lina does have her work cut out for her. While some characters are pure joy, others carry a hard shell with spikes. Several problems need to be solved, and a few of these will have readers wondering if Lina will just give up. There's just enough tension to grab, making this a read to get lost in, but it's not about danger and action. Rather, Lina needs to steer through the tasks with a little wit, luck, and tons of heart, which makes her so easy to like...and the village such a magical place to be. Because it's impossible to guess what she'll run into next.

There are a few illustrations sprinkled in to add to the delight, which is always a bonus.

While this book is said to have inspired Spirited Away and the atmosphere and connections are there, it isn't the same story but very different. I would have never guessed the two were related without being informed of the connection. It carries very much the same charm and curious delights, and is definitely worth the read.

And here she is...

Sachiko Kashiwaba (1953–) is a native of Iwate Prefecture, where she was born in the coastal city of Miyako. She studied at Tohoku Pharmaceutical University in Sendai, and while still in college made her debut as a children's writer by winning the 1974 Kodansha Award for New Writers of Children's Literature with The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist (tr. 1987), which inspired the Studio Ghibli animated film Spirited Away. She quickly established herself as a leading children's author, with work ranging from novel-length fantasies to nursery tales. Her stories portray other worlds—fantasy worlds—that are direct extensions of the real world. By venturing into those other realities, her characters discover things about themselves that allow them to return to their place in this world with a new outlook. Her many other awards include the JAWC New Talent Award for The Marvelous Village Veiled in Mist; the 2007 Sankei Children's Book Award Grand Prize for Botan-san no fushigi na mainichi (The Marvelous Days of Mrs. Peony); and the 2010 Shogakukan Children's Publication Culture Award for Tsuzuki no toshokan (The Rest of the Story Library). Her other works include Buremen basu (Bremen Bus), Dodo-cho no komazukai (The Dodo Bird's Gofer), and NHK-TV's educational puppet drama Bakeruno shogakko hyudoro-gumi (Hyudoro Class, Monster School).