• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 6
• Reading age: 8 to 12

It’s 1558, and warlords across Japan are battling for territory and control. Into this setting, award-winning author Tanya Lloyd Kyi weaves the stories of three people: Mochizuki Chiyome, a young woman determined to become a ninja whose plans are thwarted by an arranged marriage; Takeda Shingen (The Tiger), a fierce warlord seeking a new weapon to outsmart his enemies; and Aki, an orphaned tavern girl whose destiny is changed by a mysterious woman.

As their stories intersect, the three characters become key players in an elaborate network of undercover female ninjas who will eventually shift the balance of power in Japan.

Based on the true story of Mochizuki Chiyome and her all-female spy network, Shadow Warrior takes readers on a journey through feudal Japan, from villages to castles to battlefields. Stunning illustrations by Celia Krampien, interspersed with archival Japanese art, vividly depict the rigors of ninja training, the struggles of village life, the intensity of battle, and the thrill of accomplishing a secret mission.

Tanya Lloyd Kyi
grew up in Creston, B.C. She began her writing career as a high school poet, producing pages and pages of work that her mother loved and her best friend religiously archived (possibly for a future blackmailing scheme). The original edition of Canadian Girls Who Rocked the World was Tanya's first book for young readers. She has since published nine other titles, including Canadian Boys Who Rocked The World, which was short-listed for the Silver Birch Award by the Ontario Library Association. Tanya now lives in Vancouver, B.C.

Tanya Lloyd Kyi's profile page

Celia Krampien has created illustrations for newspapers and magazines including The Los Angeles Times, Scientific American, Variety, and The Globe and Mail, where she is a regular contributing artist. She also illustrated several children’s books, including The Wild World of Buck Bray and Here to There and Me to You. Celia lives in Oakville, Ontario.

Celia Krampien's profile page

• Nominated, Amelia Bloomer Project List nomination, ALA

For other books by Tanya Kyi:

Extreme Battlefields: When War Meets the Forces of Nature

“[B]road of both historical and geographical scope.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“High interest and thorough, it will delight military-history buffs.”—Booklist Online

“[O]f great interest to those interested in war history.”
—School Library Journal

When the Worst Happens: Extraordinary Stories of Survival

 “A thrilling, well-sourced book, ideal for research or for browsing.”
—School Library Journal

“Kyi’s fresh voice will have readers picturing themselves in the shoes of these real-life survivors.”
—Kirkus Reviews

DNA Detective

“This enticing and informative book doesn’t shy away from ethics and controversy.”
—The Booklist Reader

50 Body Questions: A Book that Spills Its Guts

 “A tour (de force) through the human body that’s eminently understandable and entertaining and even often quite funny.”
—Kirkus Reviews *starred review

“Engaging and fact-filled, this entertaining miscellany makes a solid starting point for research projects.”
—Curriculum Connections, School Library Journal

“With humor, relevance, and fascinating trivia, this book suggests that no topic concerning physiology should be taboo and that, in spite of its ickiness, the human body is truly amazing.”
—Booklist

“A fun and quirky romp through human anatomy.”
—School Library Journal

The Lowdown on Denim

“[The Lowdown on Denim] will be a surefire hit for libraries looking to add attention-grabbing nonfiction to their collections.”
—School Library Journal

AWARDS

Science in Society Book Award

Best Bets List, Ontario Library Association

Green Book Festival Award

Best Books for Kids & Teens 2016, starred selection, Canadian Children’s Book Centre 2017 Rocky Mountain Book Award nomination

Canadian Children’s Book Centre Silver Birch Award nomination

 For other books by Celia Krampien

Here to There and Me to You, by Cheryl Keely (Sleeping Bear Press, February 2017)

“In her first picture book, Krampien uses a fresh, contemporary cartooning style to create expansive panoramas that showcase the bridges’ sizes and spans, as well the activity of the humans and animals they serve.” —Publisher's Weekly, November 2016

The Wild World of Buck Bray: The Missing Grizzly Cubs by Judy Young (Sleeping Bear Press, 2016)

“A solid purchase for most medium-size or larger school or public libraries.” —School Library Journal, September 2016

http://annickpress.com

“This interesting peek into a lesser-known historical moment tells a compelling story of women intentionally—and expertly—hiding in a male-dominated field.”—Booklist, 09/21/17

Booklist

“Kyi and Krampien fully involve readers in this well-told, thrilling story.” —School Library Journal, 09/01/17

School Library Journal

“An intriguing read.” —Libris Notes, 10/08/17

Libris Notes

“A terrifically told story with striking design and illustrations that will empower its readers.”—Kirkus Reviews, 07/15/17

Kirkus Reviews