The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura

(Hardback)

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In this magical and chilling Coraline-esque retelling of the Japanese folktaleThe Melon Princess and the Amanjaku," one girl must save herselfand her loved onesfrom a deceitful demon she befriended.

Melony Yoshimuras parents have always been overprotective. They say its because a demonic spirit called the Amanjaku once preyed upon kids back in Japan, but Melony suspects its just a cautionary tale to keep her in line. So on her twelfth birthday, Melony takes a chance and wishes for the freedom and adventure her parents seem determined to keep her from.

As if conjured by her wish, the Amanjaku appears. At first, Melony is wary. If this creature is real, are the stories about its destructive ways also real In no time, however, the Amanjaku woos Melony with its ability to shape-shift, grant wishes, and understand her desire for independence. But what Melony doesnt realize is that the Amanjakus friendship has sinister consequences, and she quickly finds every aspect of her life controlled by the demons trickeryincluding herself.

Melony is determined to set things right, but will she be able to before the Amanjaku turns her life, her family, and her community upside down

Author Bio

Waka T. Brown was the first American born in her family. She is a Stanford graduate with a Master's in Secondary Education. With her background, she's worked to further U.S.-Japan relations, promoting cultural exchange and awareness. She's currently an instructor at the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE), authoring curriculum on several international topics, and winning the Association for Asian Studies' national Franklin Buchanan Prize. She's also been awarded the U.S.-Japan Foundation and EngageAsia's national 2019 Elgin Heinz Outstanding Teacher award for her groundbreaking endeavors in teaching about U.S.-Japan relations to high school students in Japan. While I Was Away is her memoir, and also her debut. She lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.