Tale steeped in fascinating Japanese folklore lacks closure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
Main character Kia's twin Kishi drowns in the belly of a ghost whale and the tension throughout the book is whether Kisha can be brought back to life as part of a bargain with the gods. Kia's also injured with an arrow, kidnapped, threatened with violence by her captors, pecked at by crows, and chased. In a few skirmishes with arrows and swords, some men die, with some gore including a description of an arrow through an eye socket and animal bites down to the thigh bone. Animals killed: a fox is hunted and killed for sport and a lame horse is shot. People are possessed by animals and made to do silly things. Repeated mentions of an aunt who died diving for pearls, her hand torn and bloody after it was caught in rocks. Another story of a boy who killed another boy to save him from being tortured by a bandit, with repeated talk of how this bandit likes to threaten and torture its victims.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
An embrace with no kissing and talk of another embrace with no kissing. A few scenes of nonsexual nudity where men undress, bathe, and pee in front of Kai, who averts her eyes as much as possible.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Men drink sake and get drunk on it. A man given sake for pain management. Men try to make a girl drink sake as a joke. Herbal pills taken to stop hallucinations.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
All characters are from a fictional empire based on 11th century Japan, so characters appear Japanese and follow all the customs from that time. As pearl hunters, Kai and the women in her family train hard for their dangerous job. She experiences mistrust and stigma for being both a pearl hunter and a twin. Kai briefly experiences the life of an upper-class woman who is dressed like a doll and expected to stay indoors at all times and decides she happy to be who she is.
The memories of loved ones that have passed on provide wisdom and inner strength. Courage and perseverance are keys to success. Honoring the bonds of family, but sometimes at the expense of growth.
Positive Role Models
some
On the one hand, Kai is about the bravest person imaginable, going after her sister in the belly of a whale, bargaining with gods to get her back, and leaving her sheltered life on a dangerous quest. On the other hand, Kai repeatedly insists that her sister deserves life more than she does and lists many reasons why. And after she pursues a quest that brings her independence and a new sense of the wonderful person she is separate from her sister, she still stands to lose all that she's gained in order to go back to what her life was like before tragedy struck.
Educational Value
a little
This story is set in a fictional empire, but the author notes in her Sources section that the folklore, fairy tales, and cultural details she includes are Japanese from the 11th century specifically. The most prominent Japanese fairy tale character is the kitsune or the trickster fox with many tails, followed by the Dragon King and the sea goddess Benzaiten. Period details include dress, customs, class distinctions, and especially expected behavior of ladies -- they stay indoors and eat their meals behind screens. Also, a look at the dangerous life of pearl divers.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Pearl Hunter, by Japanese American author Miya T. Beck, is set in a fantasy world that resembles 11th century Japan. Readers will learn about many creatures from Japanese folklore, especially the kitsune or many-tailed fox and the Dragon King. They will also learn how much the life of a pearl diver and a noble woman differ: A pearl diver spends most of her time in the sea, and a noble woman is forced to dress up and stay inside. Guess which life Kai, the main character, prefers. Kai is sent on a quest by the gods to save her twin sister, Kishi, when Kishi dies in the belly of a whale. Kai is injured with an arrow, kidnapped, threatened with violence by her captors, pecked at by crows, and chased. In a few skirmishes with arrows and swords, some men die, with some gore including a description of an arrow through an eye socket and animal bites down to the thigh bone. Animals are also killed: A fox is hunted for sport and a beloved lame horse is shot. There are scenes of romance that end in embraces but no kissing, and adults drink sake. On the one hand, Kai is about the bravest person imaginable, going after her sister in the belly of a whale, bargaining with gods to get her back, and leaving her sheltered life on a dangerous quest. On the other hand, Kai repeatedly insists that her sister deserves life more than she does, even after all she endures on her quest.
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
In THE PEARL HUNTER, it's the morning of Kai's first solo dive, her final test as a pearl diver. Her twin sister Kishi completed her dive a month before while Kai was in trouble for doing something her mother deemed too dangerous: pulling up more than one mussel at a time. Now Kai won't feel left behind any longer, so long as she follows her mother's rules, so long as she doesn't think too much about the scary dream she had that morning of her sister in danger. But just as she's completing the trial, Kishi is gobbled up by the mythic ghost whale. Against her parents' wishes, Kai goes after the whale and nearly pulls Kishi out while the whale is sleeping. This catches the attention of the Dragon King and the sea goddess Benzaiten, protector of pearl divers. While Kai explains to them that she will do anything to save her sister from death, they offer her a dangerous quest to prove herself and get her beloved twin back.
This fantasy quest tale steeped in Japanese folklore doubles as a tale of sisters torn apart, not just by the dangers of the sea but through the painful and confusing process of growing up. Kai's quest to save her twin sister is also a quest to find herself. The twins are at the age where one has a crush and the other doesn't understand. Where one girl easily falls in line, always heeds her parents, and the other questions things and tests boundaries. It's sad that Kai considers herself the "bad twin" and thinks her sister should be saved over her, essentially because Kishi is the "good one." Readers may find this jarring. Can Kai be a little nicer to herself? She just pulled her sister out of a monster ghost whale. I mean, wow.
At least the gods are kinder to Kai than she is to herself. Yes, the quest is nearly impossible, but they send her on her way with some really helpful tips and parting gifts. Not only can she fly partway, but feeding herself will never be a problem. If only the outside world was also kinder as well. Her run-ins with bandits and a greedy general test her resolve and teach her about life's many dangers. Her relationship with Ren, the boy forced to work for the bandits, teaches her that kindness and support can be found in unlikely places. Kai learns to ride horses, to shoot a bow, and faces off against her final foe. She's uncovered so much about her own value along the way. Yet Kai makes a choice Kai that makes it seem like much of this growth is squandered, and many questions linger about what really happened. Readers will be torn on whether the ending satisfies, but there's also something akin to a folktale about it. Something's lost, something's gained, and there's a twist you never saw coming.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about twins Kai and Kishi in The Pearl Hunter. Kai considers herself the "bad twin." Why? Does she still feel this way about herself by the end of the book?
What qualities does Kai possess that she doesn't give herself credit for? Are you like Kai, talking down to yourself and listing your faults? Why is it easier to do this than give ourselves props for our good qualities?
What about Kai's decision at the end of the story. Would you have given up what she did for the ending she received? Why or why not? If you wanted the story to end a different way, try writing down your version.
Available on:
Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated:
February 27, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
